Play P.O.W.: Prisoners of War online
2 players online · co-op · everyone on their own device How online multiplayer works
Bust your chains with one punch and kick your way out of the camp, buddy at your side.
Free, right in your browser, nothing to install.
- Year
- 1988
- Manufacturer
- SNK
- Players
- 2 players at once
- Genres
- Beat 'em ups, Action
- Decade
- '80s arcade games
On UsuArcade, P.O.W. plays as online two-player co-op: you on your phone or PC, your friend on theirs, in the same game and in real time, each with your own prisoner.
It opens in a cell: your soldier snaps his chains and goes looking for a fight. From there it's guards, fists and boots, and every weapon they drop is yours to keep, all the way out of the prison camp.
History
P.O.W.: Prisoners of War is an SNK game released in 1988. In Japan it was called "Datsugoku", which means "prison break".
UsuArcade runs "P.O.W. - Prisoners of War (US version 1)" from MAME 0.239. Its SNK board, with a 68000 and a Z80, was later reused for the second US version of Street Smart.
How to play
The joystick moves your soldier in eight directions. Z punches, X kicks and C jumps. The bar under your lives is your health: once it's empty, the next hit knocks you down and costs you a life.
Run out of lives and you get a few seconds to keep going with another coin and START, though your score resets to 0. In co-op, whoever goes down can jump back in anytime while their buddy keeps fighting.
Fun facts
- The Japanese title, "Datsugoku", means "prison break".
- The second US version of Street Smart, another SNK game, runs on the same board as P.O.W.
- The default high score on the board is 10,000 points.
- Weapons the guards drop have limited ammo: the counter shows up next to your score, and when it runs dry you're back to your fists.
In the arcade
Just like the arcade, only from your own couch: sit down at the P.O.W. cabinet in the Action section, invite your friend once they're in the lobby and break out of the camp together, each with your own prisoner. Nothing to install: it runs in your browser on phone or PC, gamepad supported, and every game starts with INSERT COIN, free.
Your friend can even jump in after you've already started. You can talk with in-game voice chat while you play, anyone else in the lobby can drop in as a spectator, and your scores go up on the arcade's high score board.
Arcade high scores for P.O.W.: Prisoners of War
- Arwen_ 1,300 points
- jose35 700 points
- LUNAC 500 points
FAQ
What year did P.O.W. come out?
In 1988, made by SNK. In Japan it was called "Datsugoku".
How many players is P.O.W.?
One or two at the same time, co-op: each with your own prisoner.
Can I play P.O.W. online with a friend?
Yes. On UsuArcade it's online co-op for the two of you: each of you plays on your own phone or PC, in the same game and in real time.
What are the buttons in P.O.W.?
Punch (Z), kick (X) and jump (C), plus the joystick to move.
Do I have to pay to play?
No. Every game starts with INSERT COIN, but it's free and there are no payments.
