Loving Deads: The House of the Dead EX

Loving Deads: The House of the Dead EX is a spinoff arcade title from the House of the Dead series released in 2009 in Japan.

Plot
A young female freshly created zombie girl by the name of Zobiko refuses to listen to her Dr. Curien's orders. As punishment is sent to solitary confinement. Zobio, a prison guard is placed to guard her and prevent her from escaping. As the two talk, they begin to fall in love. Zobio decides to go against his orders, breaking her out of the mansion with the two going on the run to elope and earn their freedom, trying to outrun the zombie horde behind them trying to impede their escape.

The doctor, furious at this turn of events, sends his creations Justice, The Star, The Empress and The World to assasinate both zombies for their insubordination.

Gameplay
In a distinct change from traditional House of the Dead gameplay, Loving Deads focuses on two player co-op mini games.

Zobio and Zobiko are given a pair of mini game missions to choose between that utilise either the light gun or the pedal of the arcade cabinet to progress. These games vary wildly from shooting apples, to stomping on

spiders, to cleaning the teeth of Justice to bowling. Complete a mission and the duo will escape a little more, and go on to the next pair of mini game missions. Failure to complete a mission will cost the player who doesn't make the score to lose a life.

If playing in two player when one of the players reach their score goal, they can help push the score of the other player down, sharing the difficulty together and helping one another through co-operative play.

Trivia

 * This arcade cabinet was never released outside Japan, although an English version of the game complete with translation and voice work can be selected on the BIOS of the ROM.
 * The ending reveals what Dr. Curien's deceased wife looked like.
 * This is one of the rarest SEGA Arcade machines around.
 * This title is considerably more light hearted than other entries in the series with The Star being notably more comedic in tone.
 * Zobio and Zobiko appear as playable racers in Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing.
 * They finally get their wedding in the Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed where they are not playable, but appear on the race track 'Graveyard Gig'. Zobio can be seen bouncing on a bouncy castle, and the pair can be seen on the final lap together in their wedding outfits.