Coin Slot

Coin Slot Magazine - #V8N7 - 1983 - March [International Arcade Museum]
GAMES IN
REVIEW
The
Arcade
Parade
maximizing the enjoyment of game
play. More action, better graphics
and sound effects* and more thorough
development for games will appear
to
keep
players
spending
their
quarters. The next year will be the
demise for some, but a new beginning
by Michael Pugliese
for the industry.
Glimmers of a new era were seen
at the AMOA Sega's video disc
game is a quantum leap in technology.
The visual stimulus of video disc is
readily apparent. Once a playable
game concept can be done on the
system, players can act out their
own personal movie plot within the
The spring buying season for
constraints of the game, of course.
operators is fast approaching.
The performance of many
games released at the AMOA is
The games exhibited at the AMOA
also tended to be better animated
and to contain higher quality graphics
known. Operators' attention will soon
focus on the AOE and the prospects
Three games that readily come to
mind are JOUST, POPEYE, and
exhibited there. Before moving on,
Q*BERT. The former is a step ahead
let us take a reflective look at the
of the competition in terms of quality
animation and video game graphics
as an art form, while the latter two
show a trend toward active cartoon
participation by players The new
direction is apparent, manufacturers
will provide better designed games
in ordertocontinueto provide players
past.
Nobody would consider 1982 as
a banner year forthe coin operated
video game industry. After three
years of unprecedented growth, a
major slowdown throughout the
industry occurred. An influx of new
manufacturers, heavier and better
competition from the home market,
a sagging economy, among other
factors, were culpable. Some manu
facturers found themselves strug
gling to stay solvent Even companies
fortunate enough to possess a hit
with entertainment value.
As promised, I will make in-depth
reviews of games shown at the
AMOA. It is difficult to decide which
games should be reviewed when
faced with such an abundant selection.
The one chosen was done so be
Q*Bert being bopped on the head
and letting out a censored cartoon
explicative. All of the artwork is
done in bright eye catching colors
that make the game stand out. The
strange shapes and bright colors
will arouse players' curiosity to ex
plore the games' contents.
Players will find Q*BERT has an
easily understood play concept The
playfield consists of a pyramid of
cubes. There is a three dimensional
effect with the base of the pyramid
appearing to protrude outward from
the screen. The player must maneuver
Q*Bert from cube to cube. In the
first level of play, the top of each
cube changes to the target color to
indicate Q*Bert landed on it. Once
all the tops of the cubes have been
converted to the target color, the
player advances to the next round.
Each level consists of four rounds
Q*Bert is controlled with a four-
position joystick The joystick
has been angled to corres
pond to the alignment of the cubes
on the screen, rather than positioned
in the standard up-down, left-right
configuration. In early games, players
will find the angle confusing; jumps
in the wrong direction are common.
Although players will get used to
the positioning the responsiveness
of the joystick is another matter.
The player does not get the quick
response that he should from the
controls
This
will
cause
undue
game could not get the push in the
market place they had once enjoyed
cause of its transitory nature.
contains elements solidly established
frustration for some.
Do not take-ttiis as a doomsday
scenario for the coin-op industry.
What is occurring now has been
replayed countless times in other
industries. Manufacturers are being
forced to offer better products and
in past video games but also has an
eye on the future.
would be incomplete without the
greater value to meet the competitive
challenges Those manufacturers
It
Q*BERT
After several failures and near
misses, Gottlieb has finally come
out with a game possessing earning
able to adapt to the changing market
power. Q*BERT is a game with per
will find themselves in a stronger
sonality.
game contains an
.com The
position. The industry will benefit
abundance
of cute cartoon characters
m
:
u
m quality use balanced by a challenging play con
through increased product
m
d fro d
e
e- un
d
cept. Players will find Q*BERT full
and the reduced
presence
of
a
a
o
l
c
r
n
a
.
stable elements
w
fun-filled action.
o
w
D
w in the future of The
w
Games produced
cabinet artwork prominently
/
/
:
will contain
http more features that oper
displays the central character, a
ators and players want.
Product
well rounded, short legged orange
design will incorporate features to
facilitate ease of operation while
blob with large expressive eyes and a
large snout The marquee art shows
MARCH 1983
© The
International Arcade Museum
The game, as described so far,
presence of antagonists There are
three classes of adversaries, all of
which are color coded for easy rec
ognition. The most deadly class is
the purple characters Contact with
any of the purple gang causes the
loss of one life. The three purple
foes are: Coily, who first appears as
a ball and then changes into a
coiled serpent; Ugy, who looks like
a pig; and Wrong Way, who resembles
a goblin
and travels
backwards
along the sides of cubes These
three characters are most dangerous
because they can chase Q*Bert
around the screen.
Continued on page 13
11
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