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STAR*TECH JOURNAL/DECEMBER 1983
AMOA '83 continued from page 3.
MYLSTAR/MA.C.H. 3, Ready Aim Fire.
The recently released laserdisc (Pioneer 8210)
game by Mylstar Electronics, their first, called
M.A.C.H. 3 (Military Air Command Hunter)
was the most discussed laser game shown at
this year's AMOA. Modeled after the F-15
fighter plane design, the video game uses actual
color film footage over which the player "flies"
avoiding enemy action while firing at ground
and airborn targets, or bombing enemy instal-
lations. By making a selection on the control
stick, players can choose to pilot either a
bomber or fighter plane. In addition to the
videodisc and computer-generated graphics,
the game is equipped with a Fresnel lens which
expands the size of the screen. Mylstar's laser
system is designed for conversion to new
software in the future. The company also
showed a new pin called Ready Alm Fire
which is also available as a conversion for their
Convert-A-Pin system.
Mylstar's
M.A.C.H.3
BALLY MIDWAY/Granny and the Gators, Jr.
Pac-Man, Spy Hunter, Discs of Tron, Astron
Belt, X's & O's, Gold Ball. Bally Midway's
first laserdisc game is the same unit everyone
saw at last year's AMOA show by Sega -
Astron Belt. Three dimensional animation
with computer generated graphics utilizing
Hitachi's VIP-9500 disc player present an
outer space adventure that is credited with
starting the laserdisc frenzy in this industry.
(This dedicated game/system will not be con-
vertible said factory reps.): Granny and the
Gators is a very nicely coordinated combina-
tion video/pinball game. The recently released
Discs of Tron was shown in its environ-
mental cabinet with all of the sights and sounds
that accompany this striking three dimensional
experience generated by Bally Midway's
MCR III graphics computer. Jr. Pac-Man is
the next in line of seemingly never-ending Pac-
Man spinoffs that is available as a new game or
as a conversion kit for Pac-Man or Ms. Pac--
Man. The video at this 'company's booth that
generated the most excitement, however, was
Spy Hunter. It's a high-speed chase game with
plenty of action. A driving game with more to
do than stay on the road. Spy Hunter puts the
player behind the wheel of the world' s most
incredible driving machine, equipped with an
amazing arsenal of weapons to ward off attacks
from land, sea and air. Bally Midway is still in
the pinball business with Gold Ball and a new
release, X's & O's- a progressive approach to
pinball-style tic-tac-toe.
KONAMI/CENTURI/Track & Field, Badlands.
The most played and most talked about game
at this year's show was Track & Field -
developed by Konarni and distributed domes-
tically by Centuri. It's a color raster scan game
that features six popular events: 100-meter
dash, long jump, javelin, 110-meter hurdles
and high jump. Track & Field can be played
individually or simultaneously by up to four
people. The game has voice synthesis an-
nouncing starts, fouls, and qualifying times and
is available in cocktail table or upright cabinet
configurations. Badlands is an animated laser
adventure that was shown at both manufac-
turers' booths. Technical information on the
unit was unavailable as there was no documen-
tation available and discussions with the game
designers were impossible without the aid of a
Japanese interpreter!
DATA EAST/Destiny, Pro Soccer, Pro Bowling,
Bega's Battle, Hammer Car. This company,
known for its convertible cassette video systems,
recently released their first laserdisc game,
Bega's Battle. This system uses a Sony LPD
1 OOOA industrial laser player combined with
computer-generated characters to produce its
attractive display. The new cabinet is equipped
with 16-track stereo sound with multiple
speakers. Factory reps said that this system is
going to be interchangeable with future laser
games from Data East. They also showed two
of their "Pro Sports" series of multi-conver-
sion video games - Pro Soccer and Pro
Bowllng as well as a new offering called
Hammer Car. They also presented a novelty
piece called Dest I ny - an attractive, compact
fortune-telling machine in countertop or upright.
ENTERTAINMENT SCIENCES / Bouncer.
This new company' s system is called a real-
time image processor (RIP) with 1 million
bytes of memory, 3 eight-bit and 1 sixteen-bit
microprocessors. It has high resolution graphics
and full speech capability. The game Bouncer
has over 500 images and the 3D visual effects
are excellent.
SIMUTREK/Cube Quest. This new company
staffed by industry veterans presented their
impressive laserdisc system at this show. Cube
Quest consists of movie-quality graphics ( and
special 3 D effects) on a laserdisc which interacts
with real-time computer-generated 3D effects
to create a stunning visual fantasy environ-
ment. Other enhancements include 16-channel
sound system with effects and music presented
in stereo through the cabinet ar,d within the
( vibrating) seat This software convertible ( re-
programmable) system comes in an attractive
patented cabinet with an automatic adjustable
sloping seat.
electronic system and the disc player. This
laserdisc system will be convertible to other
laserdisc games. In fact, Stem showed Goal To
Go - a conversion for Cliff Hanger and
Dragon's Lair (Cinematronics)! Goal To Go
is a football laser game with actual film footage
of what looks like two semi-pro teams. It's a
great looking piece, but all the players had a
tough time playing it ("sorry .. . bad move" ).
The company also showed Great Guns - a
twin gun raster video game using a Fresnel lens
to enlarge the viewing area.
'
EXIDY/Crossbow, Tidal Wave. One of the
most talked about games at the show was
Exidy's Crossbow- a video target game with
mass memory and high resolution grap~cs that
the company called "better than disc''. The hi-
res system displays almost 80,000 pixels~ith
a color palette of 32,000 colors. Along with the
excellent quality graphics is an audio subsystem
that includes over 100 separate and unique
sound effects. Exidy also showed Tidal Wave
- a mini (6 foot) skeeball game with optional
ticket dispenser.
SENTE/"No comment . .. "
VIDEODISC JUKEBOX/Laser View 2000. A
video jukebox utilizing four laserdisc players
with digital stereophonic sound 60 selections
are offered at 50 cent play and are viewed on a
large screen TV. The warranty on the Laser
View 2000 is 5 years moving parts/2 years
electronics.
LASER DISC COMPUTER SYSTEMS/Laser
Jukebox. The company that promised us a new
laser experience in a game called "Eon and the
Time Tunnel" ( using two videodisc players for
"seamless" action), showed a video/music
system called Laser Jukebox. This unit
supplies up to three hours of video music
selections displayed on a color 23" monitor
with 7-speaker sound. (Factory reps said that
the laser game system was sold to Stem
Electronics and at Stern's request they were
not to show it. LDCS did say, however, that the
first release for this system ( J an/84) would be
" Pitchman".)
WILLIAMS/Rat Race, Star Rider, Blaster,
Triple Strike, Firepower II Williams Elec-
tronics has introduced its laserdisc system
calledDiscan and the first game is Star Rider.
Although the game at the show was not finished
( obstacles and opponents are to be added) the
laserdisc and high resolution computer-gener-
ated graphics were impressive. The new sit-on
motocycle cabinet is made of high strength,
impact-resistant ABS plastic complete with
handlebars, throttle, and 2-level brake.
Company officials did not say if this was a
convertible system. Williams also showed a
new pin called Firepower II, a shuffle alley,
Triple Strike, with a ticket dispenser, and
Blaster- high-resolution raster game. They
also had a novelty piece, Rat Race, housed in a
Joust cocktail pin cabinet with "tilt/tip" play-
field and optional ticket dispenser.
TAITO/E/evator Action, Big Spiker, Zeke's
Peak, Ice Cold Beer, Laser Grand Prix,
Exerion. The Taito booth was crowded as
operators were excited about a new bar/ tavern
novelty piece called Ice Cold Beer (and a
similar model Zeke's Peak). This game is best
described as a small vertical pinball game in
which the player tries to advance a steel ball to
the top of the playfield using a movable hori-
zontal bar while avoiding drain holes. Also
creating considerable interest was Elevator
a
Simutrek's Cube Quest
STERN/Goa/ To Go, Cliff Hanger, Great
Guns. Stem Electronics' first laserdisc (Pioneer
8210) game is an animated adventure named
Cliff Hanger, which is composed of two licensed
Japanese Saturday-morning cartoons. The
game has the " works in a drawer'' for the
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