Atari Coin Connection

Giant Insects Challenge Players in new Centipede™
Atari's new Centipede is no
garden-variety coin-op video
game. It's a fantastic new one
or two player game with play ac-
tion that's totally fresh and differ-
ent. As soon as the player starts
to get comfortable, the game
changes, picking up speed, add-
ing more monsters, creating
more player challenge.
Game play begins as a lethal
centipede winds its way down
the screen through a field of
mush rooms: It's heading
.
towards the player's bug blaster,
but every time it runs into a
Centipede Kit
Now Available
ATARI is offering an advertis-
ing and promotional materials kit
to operators to help promote the
game to locations and players.
Among the items available are
full-color posters and t-shirts.
Specially prepared radio scripts
and tip sheets on how to place
radio ads for maximum effectiv-
ity, sample ad slicks, fact sheets,
data sheets and contest ideas
and promotions are included.
To order the advertising ma-
terials kit, please contact ATARl's
Coin-op Marketing Services,
1265 Borregas Avenue, Sunny-
mushroom in its path it must
turn to avoid it. The player tries
to hit the centipede as it ap-
proaches. If the player is able to
eliminate the entire centipede,
the screen changes color and a
new centipede begins at the top.
Further danger appears in the
form of a mushroom-dropping
flea, a deadly spider that unex-
pectedly pounces from the side
of the screen, and a poisonous
scorpion. The scorpion sails
across the playfield, poisoning
any mushrooms that it touches.
If the centipede, in its travels
down the screen, comes into con-
tact with any of these poisoned
mushrooms, it too becomes poi-
soned and heads straight toward
the player's position.
Special features included on
Centipede are Atari's unique
Trak-Ball™ control, which the
player uses to position his bug
blaster, the special Atari High
Score table with non-volatile
memory which retains the three
top scores when power is off,
operator-adjustable number of
game lives, 256 coinage options,
and much more.
The game will be offered in all
three of Atari's cabinet styles:
Upright, Cabaret™ for areas
with minimal space, and sophis-
ticated Cocktail.
"Centipede is a truly exciting
new game," commented Frank
Ballouz, Vice President of Mar-
keting for Coin-op. " The intensity
of the action builds, making it
not only a great game to play,
but also a great game to watch.
The player is constantly chal-
lenged, and although it is easy
to learn, mastering Centipede is
another matter entirely."
Centipede to Challenge
Players at ATARI World
Championships Finals
r ·, . in Chicago
,ki;:;_
~ •-
4
vale, California 94086.
Included in the Kit is an order
form for pre-recorded radio
spots, T-shirts and posters, avail-
able from Coin-op Customer Ser-
vice at 1105 N. Fairoaks Ave.,
Sunnyvale, CA 94086. The ma-
terials kit is free, but there is a
nominal charge for T-shirts and
radio cassettes.
ATARI has just announced
that Centipede will be the game
on which players will compete at
the ATARI $50,000.00 World
Championships. (See article,
front cover).
" Players have responded so
enthusiastically to Centipede, it
was a natural choice for the
tournament," stated Frank
Ballouz, Vice President of Mar-
keting. "With the continuous
challenge it offers and with the
following Centipede has devel-
oped, it became apparent to us
that we should announce it be-
fore the scheduled September 1
date to allow players plenty of
time to practice before the
Championships playoffs, and to
give operators time to take ad-
vantage of the increased atten-
tion to the game."