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Galaxian (Gyarakushian?) is an arcade game that was developed by Namco and released in October 1979. It was published by Namco in Japan and imported to North America by Midway that December. A fixed shooter game in which the player controls a spaceship at the bottom of the screen, and shoots enemies descending in various directions, it was designed to compete with Taito Corporation’s successful earlier game Space Invaders (which was released in the previous year, and also imported to the US by Midway Games). The game was highly popular for Namco upon its release, and has been a focus of competitive gaming ever since. It spawned a successful sequel, Galaga, in 1981, and the lesser known Gaplus and Galaga ‘88 in 1984 and 1987 respectively, as well as many later ports and adaptations. Along with its immediate sequel, it was one of the most popular games during the golden age of arcade video games. Galaxian expanded on the formula pioneered by Space Invaders. As in the earlier game, Galaxian features a horde of attacking aliens that exchanged shots with the player. In contrast to Space Invaders, Galaxian added an element of drama by having the aliens periodically make kamikaze-like dives at the player’s ship, the Galaxip.[1] This made it the first game to feature enemies with individual personalities.[2] The game’s plot consists of a title screen that displayed the message “WE ARE THE GALAXIANS / MISSION: DESTROY ALIENS”.[3] Galaxian was very successful for Namco and introduced several “firsts”. Although not the first color video game, Galaxian took RGB color graphics a step further with multi-colored animated sprites and explosions, different colored fonts for the score and high score, the scrolling starfield, and graphic icons that show the number of lives left and how many stages the player had completed. It also features a crude theme song and more prominent background “music.” These elements combine to create a look and feel that would set the standard for arcade games in the 1980s such as Pac-Man. Gameplay The gameplay is relatively simple. Swarm after swarm of alien armies attack the player’s ship that moves left and right at the bottom of the wraparound screen. The ship can only have one shot on screen at a time. The player defeats one swarm, only to have it replaced by another more aggressive and challenging swarm in the next stage. A plain and repetitive starfield scrolls in the background.This was one of my favorite arcade machines in its heyday. Midway found much success with this one-player machine. A faux periscope is the viewing platform for action in this battle to sink enemy ships. You are allowed a fixed number of torpedoes per game to sink as much tonnage as possible per outing. A perfect game awards bonus torpedoes. The lighting effects and sounds are wonderful for their day. You’re allowed to “steer” your torpedo to about one-fourth of theway to your enemy. Giving just the right amount of lead time to each ship is critical. Some shipsare faster than others and these sinkings award more points. Go ahead, captain, sink the fleet!In this, the first proper sequel to Namco’s legendary pill-eating maze game, players must once again run around a number of mazes, eating all of the pills that are scattered throughout. The ever-present ghosts (Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Sue) return to hamper the player’s progress. The infamous “power pills” are also present and correct, with four appearing in each maze. Namco introduced a number of changes and enhancements over the original game. The first difference is in the main character. For the first time in video-game history, the game’s lead character was female. Ms. Pac-man is almost identical to the original character with two main differences: she wears a bow in her “hair” and is also wearing lipstick. Another change from the original is that the bonus fruit items are no longer static but now move randomly around the mazes. Ms. Pac-man features four different maze layouts, which alternate every two to four screens: the first maze is only encountered in rounds 1 and 2 and has 220 dots and four power pills. There are two sets of tunnels in this maze equidistant from the center of the maze. You must clear this maze twice before moving on to the next maze. The second maze is only encountered in rounds 3, 4, and 5, and has 240 dots and four power pills. There are two sets of tunnels in this maze: one set in the lower half, and the other set at the very top. You must clear this maze three times before moving on to the next maze. The third maze is first encountered in round 6 and has 238 dots and four power pills. Unlike all other mazes, there is only one set of tunnels in this maze, slightly above the center of the board. You must clear this maze four times before moving on to the next maze. The fourth and final unique maze is first encountered in round 10 and has 234 dots and four power pills. There are two sets of tunnels in this maze, directly next to one another in the middle of the maze. The turns at the entrance to the tunnels change the usual immediate accessibility of the tunnels and should be taken into account. You must clear this maze four times before moving on to the next maze.May was the release month for this game. Designer Ed Krynski and artist Gordon Morison put together the package. Production run was low, at 675 units. This is an add-a-ball game variant, the replay version was called High Hand. The challenging part of this playfield design is trying to lock a ball in the eject hole for extra balls. Four batteries of drop targets in four colors are along the sides of the playfield. Making a completion of a color of drop targets increases the value of the eject and side drains. If all the drop targets are completed, the extra ball features light up. Score is another way to win balls set by the operator. No match units were incorporated into these games as, again, that was considered a form of gambling, i.e. winning a free game.This machine is based on the ’30s radio series then turned into a movie. Design accolades go to Brian Eddy with art scripted by Doug Watson. 4,247 of these machines were made. The interesting feature in this machine is the elevated upper-left playfield. This playfield is gained access to once the drop target is hit. Once this challenge is complete, another shot to this ramp shoots the ball upstairs to this feature. Pressing the flipper buttons moves the paddle left or right. The kicker is activated by an optic sensor automatically to hit all the targets if your aim is sure. This game also has a thrust magnet which grabs the ball in action and shoots it up the playfield into the next feature. No pop bumpers are on the playfield, which is a rare event. Another first incorporated into this playfield are two ramp diverters which are player adjustable. Completing the six scenes of the story award you with the final battle sequence of good against evil.This classic game is currently rated as the number two game of its generation. 4,650 units were produced in April of the year with design credits going to Roy Parker for artwork and Wayne Neyens for design. The game was produced to coincide with the New York World’s Fair of 1964-1965. The 11 ferris wheel cars depicted on the backglass are represented on the play field by roll overs and targets. Hitting a numbered car lights the corresponding backglass car. The interesting gadget developed for this game is the center spinning disc (i.e. ferris wheel) in the middle of the game. By spinning the disc, one randomly spots a ferris wheel car on the backglass. Completing all the cars awards a replay and the randomly advancing lighting of a rollover which, if you’re skilled enough, would award a replay if hit. Score is another way to conquer the machine. Enjoy trying your hand at this classic machine.Demolition Man is a Williams pinball machine released in February 1994. It is based on the motion picture of the same name. It is part of WMS’ SuperPin line of widebody games. Sylvester Stallone (John Spartan) and Wesley Snipes (Simon Phoenix) provided custom speech for this game during ADR sessions at Warner Brothers Studios in Los Angeles under the direction of Jon Hey. Hey scored the music of the pinball game in part based upon the movie score by Academy Award winner Elliot Goldenthal, but including new music. Multiball modes This game is centered on multiball modes. The player has to shoot the left ramp when the “freeze” light is lit (lit by the right inlane) to “lock” a ball. When the required amount of locks are made, the player has to shoot the left loop to start multiball. Fortress Multiball (2 balls required) – A normal multiball mode with 3 jackpots and the “Super Jackpot”. 1-4 balls can be shot up. Museum Multiball (3 balls required) – Jackpots everywhere, except the standups. After the “Super Jackpot” the Multiball starts over. 3-6 balls can be shot up. Wasteland Multiball (4 balls required) – Same as “Fortress Multiball”. If not getting the lighting jackpots, the next jackpot will appear and the previous jackpot will stay. 4-8 balls can be shot up. Cryoprison Multiball (5 balls required) – The “Super Jackpot” is lit, from the beginning of the multiball. After getting the “Super Jackpot” it will lit again after hitting an arrow or more. Completing all four multiball modes lights the right ramp for the wizard award, Demolition Jackpot, which is the total amount of all the jackpots collected during the game. The Demolition Jackpot is lost if the ball drains. If you hit all jackpots in a multiball, the “Super Jackpot” light will lit. Getting the ball up to the “Cryo-Claw” whilst, you will get it. The “Super Jackpot” light turns off, if all the balls drain and the Multiball is over, the “Super Jackpot” is lost.This machine was a big hit for Williams with 12,000 machines created. A skill shot starts your adventure with different point values. A three-bank drop target or single right target advances the planets lit in the playfield. If you advance to the lit planet, a free game is your reward. The light grid, if hit when a solo target is lit, opens the visor. Otherwise, hitting all the lights opens the visor. Locking two balls in the “eyes” of the robot starts two-ball multiball. Lock one ball in one eye and shoot for the left solar ramp. Advance the bonus value by making the left ramp loop when the visor is down. This game is fun, challenging and the vocals egg you on throughout your adventure.
