If you've ever played a light gun game in an arcade, you'll immediately understand the gameplay. The entire experience is played out through pre-recorded video footage. Your job is to survive by shooting at any on-screen criminal before they can shoot you. That's it. In its original form, it was a frantic, immersive test of your reflexes. As one reviewer for Eurogamer put it, the games were "genéricos y aborrecibles, pero tenían su punto" — in other words, they're generic and awful, but they had their charm.
Crime Patrol 2: Drug Wars , originally released by American Laser Games in 1993, saw a significant revitalized release for PC in the early 2000s. While the original game was a laserdisc-based arcade hit, the (often part of bundles like the "Crime-Fighter 3-pack") transitioned the experience to modern digital formats like MPEG-1 video. Core Gameplay & Narrative
Following the collapse of the arcade market, acquired the rights to the American Laser Games library. In 2002 and 2003 , they re-released these titles for the PC and DVD-enabled consoles. The 2003 PC version packaged the game with upgraded digital video, mouse-aiming support, and compatibility for early versions of Windows XP. Today, getting this piece of interactive cinematic history running requires bypassing its archaic architectural requirements.
Crime Patrol 2: Drug Wars (American LaserGames) — 2003 PC version — is a live-action rail-shooter where players confront drug traffickers in staged FMV scenes. This guide covers system requirements, step-by-step installation, common problems and fixes, controller setup, and play tips. If you've ever played a light gun game
: Grab the latest installer from the official ScummVM website .
What are you currently using (Windows 10, 11, or an older version)?
To legally play, you need a copy of the game. Because this is a long out-of-print title, you would need to look for a used physical copy online (look for the Digital Leisure DVD release or the Russian "1C" version) and use its game data files for an emulator. That's it
Run the game executable as an Administrator every time you play; otherwise, Windows may block the game from writing save files and high scores to your hard drive.
The 2003 version may not start immediately on modern Windows due to outdated DirectX or media codecs.
Originally released in arcades in 1993, Crime Patrol 2: Drug Wars capitalized on the 90s obsession with live-action interactive movies. Players step into the shoes of a rookie cop working their way up to a Delta Force commander, tasked with dismantling a massive international narcotics ring. Crime Patrol 2: Drug Wars , originally released
Double-click the installer and follow the on-screen prompts. It is highly recommended to install the game to a simple directory path outside of the protected "Program Files" folders, such as C:\Games\CrimePatrol2\ . Fixing Compatibility and Video Playback Issues
Avoid running setup.exe . Manually drag and drop files from the disk image to your hard drive. Tips for Playing the 2003 Version
Help you find a for the arcade version instead.
Install to a custom folder (e.g., C:\Games\DrugWars ) rather than the default Program Files (x86) to avoid permission issues. 4. Post-Installation: Getting it to Run (Troubleshooting)
In the K-Lite installation, ensure you select ffdshow to handle legacy video decoding.