AURCADE: Computer Space

Details

Made By:

Nutting Associates

Year:

1971

Manual?:

Web Links:

KLOV

Properties:

Description

Created by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney in partnership as Syzygy Engineering, it was the first arcade video game as well as the first commercially available video game.

The player controls a rocket as it attempts to shoot a pair of flying saucers while avoiding enemy fire. The monochrome game has the three ships flying on a two-dimensional plane, set against the backdrop of a starfield. Missiles are fired one at a time, and there is a cooldown period between launches. The player's rocket follows Newtonian physics, remaining in motion even when the player is not accelerating, though the rocket can rotate at a constant rate without inertia. The flying saucers stay in place or glide in a zig-zag pattern around the screen in tandem, with one staying a constant distance directly below the other. If a ship or missile moves past one edge of the screen, it reappears on the other side in a wraparound effect. While the missile is in flight, the player can turn it left or right instead of turning their rocket. Player controls are clockwise and counterclockwise rotation, forward thrust, and firing missiles. Whenever the player is hit by a missile or flying saucer, the screen flashes and the player's rocket spins rapidly and disappears, then reappears in the same location. If a flying saucer is hit by a missile, the screen flashes and the saucer briefly disappears. Counters on the right side of the screen keep count of the number of times the player's rocket has been destroyed and the saucers have been destroyed, as well as how long that round of gameplay has lasted.

Options

High Scores

17
Darren Kiel
01/15/11

Points

Performed at MAGFest
During MAGFest IX

Locations Where You Can Play Computer Space

Name City State
#	Name	Type	Location	Public?	Links
1.	Funspot - also includes ACAM	Family Center	Laconia, NH	Yes
2.	Game Terminal Super Arcade and Bar	Bar	Nashville, TN	Yes
3.	Game Terminal Super Arcade and Bar	Bar	Nashville, TN	Yes
4.	Grinkers Grand Palace	Arcade	Eagle, ID	Yes
5.	Intl. Center for the History of Electronic Games	Other	Rochester, NY	Yes
6.	John's Arcade	Arcade	Hartford, CT	Yes
7.	Museum of the Moving Image	Other	Astoria, NY	Yes
8.	Past Times Arcade	Arcade	Girard, OH	Yes
9.	Replay Classic Arcade Museum	Arcade	Toronto, ON	Yes
10.	Route 66 Arcade Museum	Arcade	Atlanta, IL	Yes
11.	The Place, Retro Arcade	Arcade	Cincinnati, OH	Yes
12.	Two Bit Game Room	Arcade	St. Paul, MN	Yes
There Are 12 Locations Listed