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68-468: The original Speed Race and Wheels had an upright arcade cabinet , while Midway's Racer introduced a sit-down cabinet. Taito released an updated version of Speed Race called Speed Race DX in 1975. Two-player versions followed with Midway's Wheels II and Taito's Speed Race Twin . The game was a worldwide commercial success. Speed Race was a hit in Japan, establishing 100 yen per play as

136-532: A cocktail cabinet release of the game and to four sequels: Tank II (1974), Tank III (1975), Tank 8 (1976), and Ultra Tank (1978). A dedicated console version of Tank II was announced in 1977 but cancelled later that year; the joysticks for the game, however, became the standard joystick controllers for the Atari 2600 (1977). Variations on the game were included in the Atari 2600 game Combat , as well as in

204-549: A cabinet needs rewiring, some wiring kits are available over the Internet . An experienced hobbyist can usually solve most wiring problems through trial and error . Many cabinets are converted to be used to host a game other than the original. In these cases, if both games conform to the JAMMA standard, the process is simple. Other conversions can be more difficult, but some manufacturers such as Nintendo have produced kits to ease

272-486: A drop-in replacement for a vector monitor is a challenge today, as few were produced after their heyday in the early 1980s. CRT replacement is possible, but the process of transferring the deflection yoke and other parts from one tube neck to the other also means a long process of positioning and adjusting the parts on the CRT for proper performance, a job that may prove too challenging for the typical amateur arcade collector. On

340-403: A fake competitor prior to the merger of the two companies. In the game, two players drive tanks through a maze viewed from above while attempting to shoot each other and avoid mines, represented by X marks, in a central minefield. Each player controls their tank with a pair of joysticks, moving them forwards and back to drive, reverse, and steer, and firing shells with a button to attempt to destroy

408-596: A further 5,000 sold in 1975. This would make Tank the best-selling arcade video game of 1974 in the United States as well as the second best-selling title of 1975 in America (below Wheels ), according to Baer. A sequel, Tank II , was released in 1974 to sales of around 1,000 units; gameplay was identical, though the maze could be changed to a new format by modifying the circuitry and more sound effects were added. In March 1976, RePlay magazine published

476-882: A home environment or be used by children. The older form of mini or cabaret cabinets were marketed for commercial use and are no longer made. They were often thinner as well as shorter, lacked side art, and had smaller marquees and monitors. This reduced their cost, reduced their weight, made them better suited to locations with less space, and also made them less conspicuous in darker environments. In place of side art they were often clad in faux wood grain vinyl instead. Countertop or bartop cabinets are usually only large enough to house their monitors and control panels. They are often used for trivia and gambling-type games and are usually found installed on bars or tables in pubs and restaurants. These cabinets often have touchscreen controls instead of traditional push-button controls. They are also fairly popular with home use, as they can be placed upon

544-613: A large CRT monitor would otherwise poke out the back of the cabinet. To correct for the mirrored image, some games had an option to flip the video output using a dip switch setting. Other genres of games such as Guitar Freaks feature controllers resembling musical instruments. Upright cabinet shape designs vary from the simplest symmetric perpendicular boxes as with Star Trek to complicated asymmetric forms. Games are typically for one or two players; however, games such as Gauntlet feature as many as four sets of controls. Cocktail cabinets are shaped like low, rectangular tables, with

612-405: A moving background, he animated a background road image and modulated the speed of oncoming computer-controlled cars based on the player's speed. In Japan, due to the complexity of the hardware, Taito released Speed Race at a price point of 100 yen per play, compared to the standard 50 yen per play up until then. Despite this, the game became a major hit in Japan, establishing 100 yen as

680-487: A secret subsidiary company in September 1973, Kee Games , which was intended to sell clones of Atari's games, in effect doubling their potential reach. Kee did have its own manufacturing equipment and therefore the ability to develop original titles, and after several clone games lead engineer Steve Bristow developed the idea for a new title. Bristow, who had previously worked with the Atari founders on Computer Space ,

748-412: A survey of the top 20 arcade games in use, and listed Tank and Tank II together as the highest-earning game in the prior year in the United States. Tank II was later the 15th highest-grossing arcade game of 1977 in the United States according to Play Meter (or 14th highest video game, excluding the electro-mechanical game F-1 ). It was followed by three further sequels: Tank III in 1975,

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816-460: A table or countertop. Usually found in Japan, these machines have multiple screens interconnected to one system, sometimes with one big screen in the middle. These also often feature the dispensation of different types of cards, either a smartcard in order to save stats and progress or trading cards used in the game. An arcade conversion kit, also known as a software kit, is special equipment that can be installed into an arcade machine that changes

884-447: A variety of games. Often after the cabinet's initial game was removed and replaced with another, the cabinet's side art was painted over (usually black) so that the cabinet would not misrepresent the game contained within. The side art was also painted over to hide damaged or faded artwork. Of course, hobbyists prefer cabinets with original artwork in the best possible condition. Since machines with good quality art are hard to find, one of

952-579: A variety of machines. Installing them takes some experimentation for novices, but are usually not too difficult to place. While both use the same basic type of tube, raster monitors are easier to service than vector monitors , as the support circuitry is very similar to that which is used in CRT televisions and computer monitors, and is typically easy to adjust for color and brightness. On the other hand, vector monitors can be challenging or very costly to service, and some can no longer be repaired due to certain parts having been discontinued years ago. Even finding

1020-425: A vehicle (though some of them are merely large cabinets with fair features such as a great screen or chairs). Driving games may have a bucket seat, foot pedals, a stick shift, and even an ignition, while flight simulators may have a flight yoke or joystick, and motorcycle games handlebars, and a seat shaped like a full-size bike. Often, these cabinets are arranged side-by-side, to allow players to compete together. Sega

1088-462: Is "recapping": replacing certain capacitors (and other parts) to restore, or ensure the continued safe operation of the monitor and power supplies. Because of the capacity and voltage ratings of these parts, it can be dangerous if not done properly, and should only be attempted by experienced hobbyists or professionals. If a monitor is broken, it may be easier to just source a drop-in replacement through coin-op machine distributors or parts suppliers. If

1156-413: Is above it, and often overhangs it. In Computer Space , Pong and other early arcade games, the CRT was mounted 90 degrees from the ground, facing directly outward. Arcade game manufacturers began incorporating design principles from older electro-mechanical games by using CRTs mounted at a 45-degree angle, facing upward and away from the player but towards a one-way mirror that reflected the display to

1224-407: Is displayed on a black-and-white television screen, and the tanks are controlled by two joysticks each. Pushing both joysticks moves the player's tank forward, and pulling them both back causes the tank to stop. Pulling them in different directions or amounts causes the tank to turn in place or while moving, respectively. A button on the top of the right joystick fires a shell. The arcade game market

1292-421: Is housing a driving game, it may have a steering wheel and throttle pedal instead of a joystick and buttons. If the upright is housing a shooting game, it may have light guns attached to the front of the machine, via durable cables. Some arcade machines had the monitor placed at the bottom of the cabinet with a mirror mounted at around 45 degrees above the screen facing the player. This was done to save space, as

1360-438: Is indistinguishable from the original. Some even surpass the originals in quality. Once these pieces are acquired, they usually snap right into place. If the controls are worn and need replacing, if the game is popular, they can be easily obtained. Rarer game controls are harder to come by, but some shops stock replacement controls for classic arcade games. Some shops manufacture controls that are more robust than originals and fit

1428-788: Is one of the biggest manufacturers of these kinds of cabinets, while Namco released Ridge Racer Full Scale , in which the player sits in a full-size Mazda MX-5 road car. A cockpit or environmental cabinet is a type of deluxe cabinet where the player sits inside the cabinet itself. It also typically has an enclosure. Examples of this can be seen on the Killer List of Videogames , including shooter games such as Star Fire , Missile Command , SubRoc-3D , Star Wars , Astron Belt , Sinistar and Discs of Tron as well as racing games such as Monaco GP , Turbo and Pole Position . A number of cockpit/or environmental cabinets incorporate hydraulic motion simulation , as covered in

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1496-423: Is split into manufacturers, distributors, and operators; manufacturers like Atari sell game machines to distributors—who handle several types of electronic machines—who in turn sell them to the operators of locations. In the early 1970s, distributors bought games on an exclusive basis, meaning that only one distributor in each distribution region would carry products from a given arcade game manufacturer, restricting

1564-465: The Coleco Telstar game Telstar Combat! , both in 1977. Tank is a two-player maze game in which the players, each controlling a tank, attempt to shoot each other. The maze is a set of blocks set at right angles to each other with an empty square central area all viewed from above; the shape of the maze is not symmetric, and is the same between games. One of the tank sprites is white and

1632-754: The Nintendo 64 was later re-branded Super Speed Race 64 for its Japanese release, which was published by Taito in May 1998. Arcade cabinet An arcade cabinet , also known as an arcade machine or a coin-op cabinet or coin-op machine , is the housing within which an arcade game 's electronic hardware resides. Most cabinets designed since the mid-1980s conform to the Japanese Amusement Machine Manufacturers Association (JAMMA) wiring standard. Some include additional connectors for features not included in

1700-492: The Speed Race series of arcade racing games. The game's use of vertical scrolling was also influential on later games. Speed Race is a one or two-player racing video game where players controls a race car along a constantly-scrolling vertical road. The player uses a steering wheel to move the car left or right and an accelerator to make it move faster. The objective of the game is to drive past other cars that scroll past

1768-408: The diode arrays that previous arcade games used; it is sometimes claimed in sources to be the very first, but was preceded at minimum by Atari's Gran Trak 10 (1974). Integrated circuit-based memory thereafter became the standard for arcade and console video games. Before the game could be completed, Kee Games was merged into Atari in September 1974; Tank was released that November. Tank

1836-484: The upright , the cocktail or table , and the sit-down . Upright cabinets are the most common in North America, with their design heavily influenced by Computer Space and Pong . While the futuristic look of Computer Space 's outer fiberglass cabinet did not carry forward, both games did establish separating parts of the arcade machine for the cathode-ray tube (CRT) display, the game controllers, and

1904-652: The 1980s. Namco was another major manufacturer of motion simulator cabinets. Motorbike racing games since Sega's Hang-On have had the player sit on and move a motorbike replica to control the in-game actions (like a motion controller ). Driving games since Sega's Out Run have had hydraulic motion simulator sit-down cabinets, while hydraulic motion simulator cockpit cabinets have been used for space combat games such as Sega's Space Tactics (1981) and Galaxy Force , rail shooters such as Space Harrier and Thunder Blade , and combat flight simulators such as After Burner and G-LOC: Air Battle . One of

1972-465: The advent of color CRT displays, the need for the mirror was eliminated. The CRT was subsequently positioned at an angle permitting a typical adult player to look directly at the screen. Controls are most commonly a joystick for as many players as the game allows, plus action buttons and "player" buttons which serve the same purpose as the start button on console gamepads . Trackballs are sometimes used instead of joysticks, especially in games from

2040-432: The cabinet's original paint. Many games had artwork that was silkscreened directly on the cabinets. Others used large decals for the side art. Some manufacturers produce replication artwork for popular classic games—each varying in quality. This side art can be applied over the new paint after it has dried. These appliques can be very large and must be carefully applied to avoid bubbles or wrinkles from developing. Spraying

2108-400: The cocktail versions of the game (usually set by dip switches ). The monitor's orientation is usually in player two's favor only in two-player games when it is player two's turn and in player one's favor all other times. Simultaneous, 4 player games that are built as a cocktail include Warlords , and others. In Japan, many games manufactured by Taito from the 1970s to the early 1980s have

Speed Race - Misplaced Pages Continue

2176-561: The cocktail versions prefixed by "T.T" in their titles (eg. T.T Space Invaders ). Cocktail cabinet versions were usually released alongside the upright version of the same game. They were relatively common in the 1980s, especially during the Golden Age of Arcade Games , but have since lost popularity. Their main advantage over upright cabinets was their smaller size, making them seem less obtrusive, although requiring more floor space (more so by having players seated at each end). The top of

2244-501: The computer logic areas. Atari also had placed the controls at a height suitable for most adult players to use, but close enough to the console's base to also allow children to play. Further, the cabinets were more compact than traditional electro-mechanical games and did not use flashing lights or other means to attract players. The side panels of Atari's Pong had a simple wood veneer finish, making it easier to market to non-arcade venues, such as hotels, country clubs, and cocktail bars. In

2312-422: The controls usually set at either of the broad ends, or, though not as common, at the narrow ends, and the monitor inside the table, the screen facing upward. Two-player games housed in cocktails were usually alternant, each player taking turns. The monitor reverses its orientation (game software controlled) for each player, so the game display is properly oriented for each player. This requires special programming of

2380-477: The conversion process (Nintendo manufactured kits to convert a cabinet from Classic wiring to VS. wiring). Tank (video game) Tank is an arcade game developed by Kee Games , a subsidiary of Atari , and released in November 1974. It was one of the few original titles not based on an existing Atari property developed by Kee Games, which was founded to sell clones of Atari games to distributors as

2448-655: The current game it plays into another one. For example, a conversion kit can be used to reconfigure an arcade machine designed to play one game so that it would play its sequel or update instead, such as from Street Fighter II: Champion Edition to Street Fighter II Turbo . Since arcade games are becoming increasingly popular as collectibles, an entire niche industry has sprung up focused on arcade cabinet restoration. There are many websites (both commercial and hobbyist) and newsgroups devoted to arcade cabinet restoration. They are full of tips and advice on restoring games to mint condition. Often game cabinets were used to host

2516-510: The dedicated console version of Tank , a dedicated console game inspired by Tank was still released in 1977 by Coleco : the Telstar game Telstar Combat! plays four variations of Tank , and was released prior to the Atari 2600 and Combat . The success of Tank , along with 1975 title Western Gun ( Gun Fight ), led to the popularization of one-on-one dueling video games. The 1980 arcade first-person shooter game Battlezone (1980)

2584-496: The early 1980s. Spinners (knobs for turning, also called "paddle controls") are used to control game elements that move strictly horizontally or vertically, such as the paddles in Arkanoid and Pong . Games such as Robotron: 2084 , Smash TV and Battlezone use double joysticks instead of action buttons. Some versions of the original Street Fighter had pressure-sensitive rubber pads instead of buttons. If an upright

2652-413: The face of growing competition, Atari started to include cabinet art and attraction panels around 1973–1974, which soon became a standard practice. Arcade cabinets today are usually made of wood and metal, about six feet or two meters tall, with the control panel set perpendicular to the monitor at slightly above waist level. The monitor is housed inside the cabinet, at approximately eye level. The marquee

2720-414: The first arcade video game, came up with the idea while thinking of how he could improve Computer Space . His idea to correct the perceived shortcomings of the game were to replace its difficult to control rocket ships with more straightforward tanks, and to make it a two-player game instead of a single-player one. As the company's only engineer, Bristow rapidly developed a prototype himself before turning

2788-481: The first game to be third in a series; the color Tank 8 in 1976, which featured eight tanks and players simultaneously; and Ultra Tank in 1978, which reverted to a two-player black and white game with the ability to select multiple different maze types and have invisible tanks. A dedicated console version of Tank II was announced by Atari at the Consumer Electronics Show in 1977, but

Speed Race - Misplaced Pages Continue

2856-405: The first tasks is stripping any old artwork or paint from the cabinet. This is done with conventional chemical paint strippers or by sanding (preferences vary). Normally artwork cannot be preserved that has been painted over and is removed with any covering paint. New paint can be applied in any manner preferred (roller, brush, spray). Paint used is often just conventional paint with a finish matching

2924-419: The game became a hit when it was released by Midway there in 1975. Wheels sold 7,000 arcade cabinets and Wheels II sold 3,000 for a combined 10,000 sold in the United States, making it the best-selling arcade game of 1975 , according to sales figures provided by Ralph H. Baer . In March 1976, the first annual RePlay arcade chart listed Wheels and Wheels II as the second-highest-grossing arcade game of

2992-446: The game over to new hire Lyle Rains to develop into a finished product, codenamed K2 Tank. Rains added the maze and central minefield to the game design and developed the final hardware, including the simple control scheme. Peter Takaichi designed a large custom cabinet to house it. Tank was one of the first games to use integrated circuit -based memory —specifically, mask ROM (read-only memory)—to store graphical data, rather than

3060-411: The latter in turn similar to Kasco's Indy 500 (1968) and Chicago Coin 's Speedway (1969). Mini Drive and Super Road 7 involved driving a car down an endlessly scrolling road, with Super Road 7 also having the need to dodge cars in front of the player. Nishikado adapted these gameplay concepts into a video game called Speed Race . In order to simulate the scrolling effect and give the illusion of

3128-406: The manufacturer to only the operators that distributor sold to. Atari, in 1973 just over a year old and largely based on their hit first game Pong , felt that as a smaller manufacturer this setup severely limited their ability to sell arcade games: they could only contract with a limited number of distributors, who would only buy a limited number of games per year. To work around this, Atari set up

3196-464: The most sophisticated motion simulator cabinets is Sega's R360 , which simulates the full 360-degree rotation of an aircraft. Mini or cabaret cabinets are similar forms of arcade cabinet but are intended for different markets. Modern mini cabinets are sold directly to consumers and are not intended for commercial operation. They are styled just like a standard upright cabinet, often with full art and marquees, but are scaled down to more easily fit in

3264-418: The other hand, it may be possible to retrofit other monitor technologies to emulate vector graphics. Some electronic components are stressed by the hot, cramped conditions inside a cabinet. Electrolytic capacitors dry out over time, and if a classic arcade cabinet is still using its original components, it may be near the end of its service life. A common step in refurbishing vintage electronics (of all types)

3332-405: The other is black, while the central area is filled with black X marks representing land mines. The tanks can fire shells, which destroy the other tank if they hit; tanks are also destroyed if they hit a land mine. The destruction of a tank grants the opposing player a point and causes a brief explosion and accompanying sound, during which time the other tank cannot shoot, before restoring the tank at

3400-400: The other tank. The destruction of a tank from a mine or shell earns the opposing player a point, and tanks reappear after being destroyed. The winner is the player with more points when time runs out, with each game typically one or two minutes long. Tank was designed by Steve Bristow, who had previously worked with the founders of Atari on Computer Space , the first arcade video game, and

3468-628: The player can sit down on a chair or stool and play for extended periods. SNK sold many Neo-Geo MVS cabinets in this configuration, though most arcade games made in Japan that only use a joystick and buttons will come in a sit-down cabinet variety. In Japanese arcades, this type of cabinet is generally more prevalent than the upright kind, and they are usually lined up in uniform-looking rows. A variant of this, often referred to as "versus-style" cabinets are designed to look like two cabinets facing each other, with two monitors and separate controls allowing two players to fight each other without having to share

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3536-477: The player. Additional transparent overlays could be added between the mirror and the player's view to include additional images and colorize the black-and-white CRT output, as is the case in Boot Hill . Other games, like Warrior , used a one-sided mirror and included an illuminated background behind the mirror, so that the on-screen characters would appear to the players as if they were on that background. With

3604-404: The players under a 90-second time limit without colliding into them. The time limit and the player's score are displayed on an auxiliary LED display placed above the monitor. Points are earned by driving past cars, with additional points being awarded based on how fast the car is moving. Colliding with a car resets the player's speed and starts them at the beginning of the track. The game ends when

3672-456: The previous year in the United States, in terms of coin drop earnings (below Atari's Tank and Tank II ), while the Racer version was the year's eighth-highest-grossing arcade video game. In October, RePlay listed Wheels as the third-highest-grossing arcade video game of 1976 in the United States, below Sea Wolf and Gun Fight (both manufactured by Midway). In Australia, Speed Race

3740-455: The same monitor and control area. Some newer cabinets can emulate these "versus-style" cabinets through networking. Deluxe cabinets (also known as DX cabinets in Japan) are most commonly used for games involving gambling, long stints of gaming (such as fighting games ), or vehicles (such as flight simulators and racing games ). These cabinets typically have equipment resembling the controls of

3808-454: The same position. Destroyed land mines do not return. Points are displayed above the play area, and flash during the final twenty seconds of the round. The game continues until the time runs out, after which the player with the higher point value wins the match. Each game typically costs a quarter and lasts for 60 seconds, but an internal toggle adjusts it to two quarters and 120 seconds. The time can be further adjusted by operators. The game

3876-490: The section below. A motion simulator cabinet is a type of deluxe cabinet that is very elaborate, including hydraulics which move the player according to the action on screen. In Japan, they are known as "taikan" games, with "taikan" meaning "body sensation" in Japanese. Sega is particularly known for these kinds of cabinets, with various types of sit-down and cockpit motion cabinets that Sega have been manufacturing since

3944-423: The standard for arcade games there, while Wheels and Wheels II sold 10,000 arcade cabinets in the United States to become the best-selling arcade game of 1975 . The Speed Race DX and Wheels versions were also among the top three highest-grossing arcade games of 1976 in Japan and the United States, respectively, while Speed Race DX was Japan's highest-grossing arcade video game of 1977 . The game spawned

4012-526: The standard price point for arcade games in Japan over the next several decades. The updated versions Speed Race DX and Speed Race Twin were among the top ten highest-grossing arcade video games of 1976 in Japan, with Speed Race DX at number two (below Taito's Ball Park ) and Speed Race Twin at number eight. Speed Race DX went on to be the highest-grossing arcade video game of 1977 in Japan, and second-highest-grossing overall arcade game below Namco 's electro-mechanical F-1 . In North America,

4080-418: The standard. Because arcade cabinets vary according to the games they were built for or contain, they may not possess all of the parts listed below: The sides of the arcade cabinet are usually decorated with brightly colored stickers or paint, representing the gameplay of their particular game. There are many types of arcade cabinets, some being custom-made for a particular game; however, the most common are

4148-426: The surface with a slightly soapy water solution allows the artwork to be quickly repositioned if wrinkles or bubbles develop like in window tinting applications. Acquiring these pieces is harder than installing them. Many hobbyists trade these items via newsgroups or sites such as eBay (the same is true for side art). As with side art, some replication art shops also produce replication artwork for these pieces that

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4216-486: The table was covered with a piece of tempered glass, making it convenient to set drinks on (hence the name), and they were often seen in bars and pubs . Owing to the resemblance of plastic to hard candy, they are often known as " candy cabinets ", by both arcade enthusiasts and by people in the industry. They are also generally easier to clean and move than upright cabinets, but usually just as heavy as most have 29" screens, as opposed to 20"–25". They are positioned so that

4284-625: The time limit runs out, though the timer can be extended by earning a certain number of points. Two difficulty modes are available that increase the speed of the cars and the number of cars on the track. Following the release of Atari 's Gran Trak 10 earlier in 1974, Taito employee Tomohiro Nishikado decided to develop his own racing video game the same year; he did not enjoy Gran Trak 10 , due to its twisting tracks and complex controls. Nishikado looked to two older driving electro-mechanical games for inspiration: Kasco's Mini Drive (1958) and Taito's 1970 rear-projection driving game Super Road 7 ,

4352-403: Was a commercial success and is credited with buoying the finances of the newly merged Atari at a critical time for the company. Atari produced a second version of the game, a cocktail cabinet form in which the two players sat across a circular table from each other. Tank sold over 10,000 units, considered a large hit at the time, though Ralph H. Baer claims that was only the 1974 sales, with

4420-495: Was also a major arcade hit. A significant number of arcade cabinets were sold in Australia. The game's use of vertical scrolling was influential on later games. One of the games it influenced was Atari 's Hi-way (1975), which added a sit-down cockpit cabinet like older electro-mechanical games. Speed Race spawned numerous updates, variations and sequels released by Taito and Midway in arcades. In Japan, Super Speed Race

4488-465: Was among the top ten highest-earning arcade video games of 1977. Speed Race Race V was the second highest-earning arcade video game of 1978 , just below Taito's own shoot 'em up hit Space Invaders . Super Speed Race V and Speed Race CL-5 were the fifth and sixth highest-earning arcade games of 1979 , respectively. Super Speed Race was then the ninth highest-earning arcade game of 1980 . Titus Software 's Automobili Lamborghini (1997) for

4556-583: Was cancelled by the end of the year; the joysticks for the game, designed by Kevin McKinsey, became the standard joystick controllers for the Atari 2600 (1977). The Atari 2600 game Combat , released in 1977, includes several variations of Tank , including ones with bouncing shots or invisible tanks. Combat was initially developed as a console version of the arcade game, like the cancelled dedicated console version, with additional plane-based game modes added during development. Despite Atari's cancellation of

4624-411: Was developed by Lyle Rains . It was created as part of Bristow's vision to move the company away from only producing copies of Atari's games into also developing original titles. The game's cabinet was designed by Peter Takaichi. In September 1974, during development, Atari merged with Kee. The game was commercially successful, selling over 10,000 units and buoying Atari's then-troubled finances. It led to

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