Babes are the women in Duke Nukem games. They are quite an essential part of the game, giving it more uniqueness and character. They are young, attractive females, who are harmless and are often illustrated as victims of the alien invasion. They show different behaviors, styles, have various appearances, like clothing or hair color. Their categorization is divided into two simple categories: Babes not violated by alien infestation, and babes who have been.
Babes take various forms in Duke Nukem games. To name some, there are:
Dancers/Strippers: they are most famous in Duke games. They appear, for example in Duke Nukem 3D, Total Meltdown or Duke Nukem: Time To Kill. They dance erotically for money and show their breasts for more money. They do not leave their places. Duke Nukem likes them very much and usually tells them: "Shake it, baby!" or "You wanna dance?" When killed in Duke 3D, these women scream, their money falls down the floor and may spawn Assault Troopers to "punish" the player. When killed in the Time to Kill Strip Club, 'Bootylicious', they spawn Pig Cops, while Duke says: "And she was cute, too!", "Damn it...", "I need to check my fire/my aim."
Asian chicks: these are relatively rare women, found mainly in bars, Sushi Bars or Karaoke Clubs (like in Raw Meat, E3L1). They are Asian, pale faced with dark hair and usually a red clothing. They are often singing with funnily waving hands and have their very own posters with the term "Exotica".
Street babes: these are more "unique", since they just stand in the same place and do nothing, even if Duke offers them money. They have blue clothing, short skirts, brown hair, black purse and high heeled boots. She is first met in Red Light District, in the bar, before entering the Strip Club. They appear to be prostitutes.
Cocooned babe 1: they are women with dark brown hair, who are victims now and are infested. They are standing up, only able to move their heads or arms, being trapped in a green slime cocoon, that appears to be coming from protozoid Slimers. They seem to have brown or red eyes. They are also weak, ill and seem to be in pain, often asking Duke to kill them, saying: "Kill me...". When shot, they make an organic hit sound and when destroyed, they scream in a not too feminine way. They are first encountered through an air vent in Hollywood Holocaust. In Duke Nukem 64, these women can be saved from the cocoon, instead of being killed.
Cocooned babe 2: this is another kind of cocooned babe. It is quite rare and appears in more difficult levels, similarly to the Trapped babes (See below). They are not inside a cocoon, but are "glued" to one, naked. Their hair covers their exposed breasts and they are wearing white underwear. They may also be for breeding purposes or as a bait. They are also found on dark, humid areas.
Trapped babe 1: these women are much rarer to find and appear in more difficult levels. They are usually found in dark, humid, slimy places often surrounded by Protozoid Slimer Eggs and Octabrains - who prefer these kind of places. These women do nothing, are completely naked and seem to be there for breeding purposes - or to attract Duke. They have blackish hair and look with their eyes as if they are not conscious. They are in a squatting position, with large breasts exposed (but covered) and their legs are expanded, with slimy tendrils wrapping around their body.
Trapped babe 2: they are even rarer and are found in later levels, in hidden places; These women are exploited by the aliens. They are a tragic case, as they are in a very infested and slimy place, full with Protozoid Slimers and Octabrains. They may be baits, food or breeding subjects. They seem to be all dead by now. they are only wearing white underwear and held upside down from the ceiling or from the floor, or in water. Sometimes, there are more of them in the same place.
Babes on posters, XXX Magazines: these are unknown women, who are shown on posters and magazines half-naked or in bikinis. The posters can be found in rooms, stores, clubs or on the street. Magazines are to be found on the shelves or on the floor. In the Duke Nukem 64 version, the magazines are replaced by guns.
Babes on big movie posters: these may be some actresses or porn-stars. There are many of them on the walls in Episode One. They even have some titles, like Sister Act III, Attack of the Bleached Blondes, Biker Babes and so on. The "Sister Act" women appear in XXX-Stacy, in the bedroom. If checked, the woman in "Attack of the Bleached Blondes" appears in "Duke-style" as she wears sunglasses, as well as red/blue clothes, which were the colors of Duke's clothes.
Babes on TV screens: these unknown women are often strippers, dancers or are even having intercourse, with their faces showing. This can be removed via Parental Lock, and the screen will show black and white points/'No signal'. They are often found in rooms, stores and other buildings.
Bar Women poster: first encountered in Red Light District, this is a huge, lit poster of a half-naked woman, with the text XXX or HOT. This poster will be removed if played under Parental Lock.
The winking woman: there is one mysterious female face on a large outdoor TV screen, showing a close-up of an unknown woman's face, who is winking. It can be found in L.A. Rumble (E3L4).
Beach babe 1: a woman only found in Duke Caribbean: Life's a Beach. There are relatively few of them and seem to be sunbathing on bamboo chairs. They have brown ponytail hair and if Duke goes to them, they move their breasts in a playful manner. They do nothing: they do not walk/run, do not scream, only rarely talk. They are just there, peacefully, smiling. Can be found around close water, like pools or by the sea.
Beach Babe 2: a woman also only found in Duke Caribbean: Life's a Beach. This is a new element in this add-on of the game. It is a nuisance rather than an enemy and does no harm. She is tall, young, blonde with black sunglasses and tries to constantly follow Duke. They are not strippers and are not infested. They walk around and can be attacked/killed. Can be found on the seaside or in rooms.
Sadist babes: these women can be found in Duke Nukem 3D, XXX-Stacy (in the bedroom of E4L8) or also in Time to Kill (the first level). They are punky, wear black rubber or leather clothes, have shorter dark brown or blonde hair and are a little aggressive, provocative. Some of them say: "You wouldn't hurt a lady, would you?!", or, "Come here, and I'll show you the meaning of pain!!!" These women are rare and are found in rooms, near or close to beds. They have also whips. They can be simply killed.
Calendar babes: they are unknown Beach Babes, a blonde and a brunette one in bikinis, on a seaside. They can be seen on the wall calendars, like in the room of Red Light District.
The movie screen babe: it is an unknown woman, probably a porn star, who can be seen from a movie tape in the hall of Hollywood Holocaust. She is tall, blonde, barely dressed and is dancing in one place. There is a crack on the screen, revealing hidden items (and aliens). In the original version of the game, the woman holds a blanket, while in the HRP version, she holds black shotguns in her hands.
Weather forecast woman: this is also a woman rarely seen, found in the level It's Impossible (E4L1). She is a blonde, who appears on a television screen, humorously in a white bikini and shows on a map the arrival of some thunderstorms.
Pirate babe: this is a woman in a Caribbean pirate outfit found in a pirate ship setting. They are rare, found in E4L4, Babe Land, and can be destroyed. They have brown hair, swords and are stationary with only their hands moving.
The Land of the Babes babes: these women are exclusive to the game Duke Nukem: Land of the Babes (originally named Duke Nukem: Planet of the Babes), released in 2000 by 3D Realms, N-Space, and GT Interactive. They wear sexy outfits and have guns. These women are also very strong, confident, daring and willing "amazons" who created the Unified Babe Resistance, after aliens have killed all men and enslaved women.
The Manhattan Project babes: there are various women in Duke Nukem: Manhattan Project - some of them are just everyday people, dancers (not strippers!), victims or even villains. Also, they belong to a different race: there are White/Caucasian, African-American or Asian women. They have various outfits, hairstyles and attitudes. Some have long, middle or shorter hair, or ponytails, some are blondes or brunettes. Some wear kimonos, party clothes, bikinis, sexy outfits or rubberized/black leather clothes. Some cry for help, some do nothing, some attack with a whip. Duke interacts with the victim women, after he frees them and says some lines, like: "Must be 18 or older to ride."
The Zero Hour Babes:
Impregnated Babes: These women appear in Duke Nukem Forever, in only one level: The Hive. These babes have been impregnated by Pregnators and cannot be saved. Like the Trapped and Cocooned babes above, they're stuck in the same organic material that makes up the walls of the Hive. They moan, cry and say lines like "I'm too young to be pregnant" or "I can feel the babies kicking already!" while they writhe around and their bellies occasionally expand. If Duke comes too close to some of them, they will explode and 3 Octababies will be released and will attack Duke. You can prevent this from happening by killing the babes before you get too close. If you do so, Duke will quip "Sorry babe, it's better this way." or other lines.
Fan babes: These babes appear in Duke Nukem forever and appear to really love Duke, as one says "After the show I want your autograph in a very special place".
Notes
It looks like it's only Duke and the babes. And, of course, the aliens...
Duke is very fond of them, and says his famous line: "Nobody steals our chicks...and lives!" and also: "Damn it, why do they always take the hot ones?"
Babes are the only women in the game (except for dancers/strippers), that are caught by the aliens during the invasion. It is possible that the aliens captured these women for breeding purposes and one to create the Queen, as shown in the opening scene of the fourth episode, 'The Birth'.
Infested/cocooned babes are shootable objects, which do no harm, just stand in their green, slimy traps. Some are pleading "Kill me... Kill me...", much like the colonist woman in the film Aliens. Sometimes, there are secrets behind/around them. These babes need about two shots with the Shotgun, and when they are hit, they make a disturbing screaming noise (in an explosion of blood and slime) after which Duke will say "Damn."
Moaning sounds of babes can often be heard in Duke Nukem games, like at the ending of Duke Nukem 3D or in the Duke Nukem: Time to Kill blue phone booths. A woman is also implied to be masturbating somewhere in the The Lady Killer, as can be briefly spotted through a grate in the early levels of Duke Nukem Forever.
Babes are considered to be an essential part in Duke Nukem games, however, the Nintendo 64 version is a quite censored version (to be more kid friendly, similarly to other ported games like Wolfenstein 3D), with changes like: Red Light District became Gun Crazy, Forbidden Books and Videos changed to Gun Shop, TV screens showing a man and a woman standing in a normal, suggestive way.
Babes can be killed, but in Duke Nukem 64, they can also be saved from their cocoons.
Trapped babes and cocooned babes are also called pod girls.
At the end of Duke Nukem Advance (Spoiler!), Duke is talking to General Graves of a Mission Accomplished, while sitting in a bed with a brunette (one of the five Jenny clones) and a refreshing drink.
It is said that Duke Nukem has/had some girlfriend(s) from the many he encounters on his way. Names like Lani (as in Lani Minella), Jenny or Bombshell are mentioned, and there may be others, too. The Holsom twins are the most explicit.
Babes brought quite a controversy to the game, because of sexuality, nudity issues, exploitation of women as strippers, and that they are shootable elements; posters were told that can be "used" as shooting targets. Still, it can be said that a Duke game is not complete without the babes who add to the story and Duke's character.
