Centipede

06.06.1981
Critic 75/100
Users 66/100
Genre: Shooter Arcade
Centipede is a vertically-oriented shoot 'em up arcade game produced by Atari, Inc. in 1980. The game was designed by Ed Logg along with Dona Bailey, one of the few female game programmers in the industry at this time. It was also the first arcade coin-operated game to have a significant female player base. The player defends against swarms of insects, completing a round after eliminating the centipede that winds down the playing field.
The Enchanted Forest Once upon a time in a misty, enchanted forest, there lived a colony of good elves. These elves had a major problem, though. Their prized mushroom garden was infested with pests--a giant Centipede, a poison-spreading scorpion, a mischief-making spider, and a pesky flea. The good elves tried everything they could to rid their garden of these bugs. But nothing worked. One day, an elf named Oliver was hacking away at a poisoned mushroom in the garden. Suddenly, he saw an unusual stick gleaming in the dirt. Just as Oliver picked up the stick, a spider jumped out from behind a mushroom and rushed at him. When Oliver waved his hands wildly to try to scare the spider away, sparks flew from his stick and the spider disappeared! "How did that happen?" Oliver wondered out loud. "Could this be a magic wand?" Soon Oliver had another chance to try the wand. When the scorpion scurried across a row of mushroom, poisoning every mushroom it touched, Oliver pointed the wand at the scorpion and shouted, "Be gone!" Instantly, the scorpion disappeared and the poisoned mushrooms were transformed back into normal mushrooms. "This is great! This is the tool we need to clean up our mushroom garden" Oliver shouted ecstatically. With his new found magic wand, Oliver hid behind a mushroom. "OK, you great big Centipede," he said. "Come out wherever you are. I'm ready for you now!" --From the Atari 2600 Centipede instruction manual.

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Part of collection:
Centipede (last 3 games)

31.12.2018

Millipede 5200 was an unreleased version of Millipede which happens to be the most accurate version to that of the original arcade. Sadly was never released due to it's arcade version's poor performance. Originally slated to be releasing in March of 1984, however it can be assumed that not only did the poor performance in it's arcade versions caused it to never be released, but also due to the fact that the 5200 was a commercial flop due to it's lack of innovation in the technology it had built within it, along with it's awful controller, and lack of exclusives worth playing. Another factor most likely was due to Atari's reputation after the Video Game Crash of 1983. Millipede 5200 is tragic victim of Atari, being the most accurate emulation of the Arcade experience except with a more of the Home Console touch of quality worth experiencing. The game was later released as part of Atari compilations.

25.10.2011

Centipede: Infestation is a video game developed by WayForward Technologies and published by Atari, SA for the Nintendo Wii and the Nintendo 3DS. It is a re-imagining of the Centipede video game franchise. Centipede: Infestation is set in a post-apocalyptic world, and features a "run 'n' gun" shooting style gameplay with a mix of tower-defense style objects. The player's goal is to fight off giant bugs while seeking to use special seeds to bring plant life back to the world. Players control a character named Max as well as secondary character named Maisy who possesses a collection of special needs. She is often in need of rescue. The game has co-op gameplay,and a wide variety of weapons and stages. The co-op part of the game features a selection of characters to choose from and it is much easier to get through the game with a friend.

31.12.2010

Port of the original Centipede Arcade for Windows.

Part of franchise:
Centipede (last 3 games)

31.03.2022

Have a seat, get comfy, and Play Again with an Arcade1Up Couchcade! Easily connect the Micro Game Console to your TV via HDMI port, the wireless control deck features real-feel arcade controls on top, and a soft bean bag bottom. Yep, retro gaming just literally fell into your lap! When looking back at the history of video gaming, there is no doubt which company was the trailblazing pioneer: Atari. A name that became synonymous with the arcade boom, and a powerhouse in broad entertainment. Atari titles captivated the world with vibrant graphics, easily learned yet challenging gameplay, and instantly recognizable imagery. Now, relive an amazing Atari line up from the comfort of your own couch…no matter what your age! Packed inside this Couchcade, you’ve got ASTEROIDS and ASTEROIDS DELUXE. CENTIPEDE and MILLIPEDE. Yes, MISSILE COMMAND and TEMPEST are here. Oh, and yeah, you’ve also got MAJOR HAVOC, LUNAR LANDER, CRYSTAL CASTLES, and GRAVITAR! Yes, ALL are included. Switch up to any game at will, with the easy to navigate on-screen menus. Ten games, unlimited retro gaming fun. If there is any reason to become a couch potato (with no apologies), this is it. your Arcade1Up Couchcade is here!

31.12.2019

Centipede Chaos, the hit 80’s classic crawler game is back to take over arcades around the globe! Cosmetically this game has some incredible features that make it stand out from the crowd. The three LED-lit stools not only provide comfort for the players but are also very appealing in the game room. The huge 75-inch monitor brings the graphics to life and “Chaos” even closer. The oversized joysticks offer intuitive gameplay for all ages! Players must use the joystick and fire button to move their ship and blast down the creepy crawlies. Incorporating many fun power-ups and challenging bosses adds excitement as well as depth to the gameplay. Get through all 10 waves using the continue feature, to defeat the Mega Spider Boss and win the mega ticket bonus.

31.12.2018

Millipede 5200 was an unreleased version of Millipede which happens to be the most accurate version to that of the original arcade. Sadly was never released due to it's arcade version's poor performance. Originally slated to be releasing in March of 1984, however it can be assumed that not only did the poor performance in it's arcade versions caused it to never be released, but also due to the fact that the 5200 was a commercial flop due to it's lack of innovation in the technology it had built within it, along with it's awful controller, and lack of exclusives worth playing. Another factor most likely was due to Atari's reputation after the Video Game Crash of 1983. Millipede 5200 is tragic victim of Atari, being the most accurate emulation of the Arcade experience except with a more of the Home Console touch of quality worth experiencing. The game was later released as part of Atari compilations.

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12.11.1982

Millipede is a 1982 arcade game by Atari, Inc. and is the sequel to the arcade hit, Centipede. The objective of the game is to score as many points as possible by destroying all segments of the millipede as it moves toward the bottom of the screen, as well as destroying and avoiding other enemies. The game is played with a trackball and a single fire button, which can be held down for rapid-fire. The game is over when the player's last life is lost.

01.01.1982

Zaxxon is a 1982 isometric shooter arcade game developed and released by Sega. The game gives the player the experience of flying a fighter craft through a fortress while shooting at enemy entities (missiles, enemy gunfire, etc.) The object of the game is to hit as many targets as possible without being shot down or running out of fuel, which can be replenished paradoxically, by blowing up fuel drums.

15.09.1979

Galaxian is a shooter arcade game developed by Namco in 1979. It was released by Namco in Japan and a few months later by Midway Games in North America. The game was developed to compete with Taito Corporation's Space Invaders, released a year earlier, and featured a similar space theme. The player controls a space ship in the bottom part of the screen and shoots at enemies descending from the top of the screen. The game was received very well by the public and has continued to be a game with a competitive community to this day. It was followed by a successful sequel called Galaga in 1981 and two less known sequels called Gaplus in 1984 and Galaga '88 in 1987. Galaxian was one of the most popular games in the golden age of arcade video games.

01.02.1983

The player pilots a lone spacecraft, and must create "Sinibombs" by shooting at drifting planetoids and catching the crystals that are thereby released. Sinibombs are needed to defeat the game boss, Sinistar, an animated spacecraft with a demonic skull face. Sinistar does not exist at the start of the game, and is continuously under construction by enemy worker ships. Though time is crucial, attempting to mine too quickly will destroy a planetoid without releasing any crystals. Enemy worker ships are also gathering crystals (often stealing them from the player) which they use to construct the Sinistar. Enemy warrior ships can directly attack the player's ship. The player is given a head-start before the enemy ships have enough crystals to begin construction. Game ends when the player's ships are all destroyed. Once the Sinistar is completely formed, a digitized voice makes various threatening pronouncements, including "Beware, I live!," "I hunger, coward!," "I am Sinistar!," "Run! Run! Run!," "Beware, coward!", "I hunger!," "Run, coward!," and a loud roaring sound. The Sinistar has no weapon attacks, but if it contacts the player's ship while it darts about the playfield, the player's ship will be "eaten" and destroyed. A total of 13 Sinibombs are required to destroy a fully built Sinistar, although an incomplete Sinistar can be damaged to slow construction. Each short-range Sinibomb automatically targets the Sinistar when fired, but can be intercepted by a collision with an enemy ship, enemy fire, or a planetoid. The player moves from one zone to the next each time he defeats the Sinistar. A sequence of four zones repeats continuously after the first zone. Each is named for the most numerous feature of that zone: Worker Zone, Warrior Zone, Planetoid Zone, and Void Zone (the Void Zone is especially difficult because it has very few planetoids). Beginning with the first Worker Zone, a completed but damaged Sinistar can be repaired/rebuilt by the enemy ships by gathering more crystals, extending its "lifespan" if the player is unable to kill it quickly.

01.10.1988

Truxton is a 1988 vertically scrolling, shoot 'em up arcade game developed by Toaplan, later ported to the Mega Drive (worldwide) and the PC Engine (Japan-only). Like many other scrolling shooters, the game is set in outer space, where the player takes control of a small spaceship across several planets. The game is played with an eight-way joystick and two buttons (a shot and a bomb button) through five large levels and their bosses (which then loop forever, at higher difficulties).

01.07.1980

As a regional commander of three anti-missile batteries, the player must defend six cities in their zone from being destroyed. The player's six cities are being attacked by an endless hail of ballistic missiles, some of them even splitting like multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs). New weapons are introduced in later levels: smart bombs that can evade a less than perfectly targeted missile, and bomber planes and satellites that fly across the screen and launch missiles of their own.

01.10.1981

Tempest is a 1981 arcade game by Atari Inc., designed and programmed by Dave Theurer. It takes place on a three-dimensional surface, sometimes wrapped into a tube, which is viewed from one end and is divided into a dozen or more segments or lanes. The player controls a claw-shaped spaceship (named Blaster) that crawls along the near edge of the playfield, moving from segment to segment. Tempest was one of the first games to use Atari's Color-QuadraScan vector display technology. It was also the first game to allow the player to choose their starting level (a system Atari dubbed "SkillStep"). This feature increases the maximum starting level depending on the player's performance in the previous game, essentially allowing the player to continue. An official port was released for the Atari ST. An official port that bears the Atari logo was released by Superior Software for the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron in 1985, and another by Electric Dreams for the ZX Spectrum and Amstrad CPC in 1987. Versions for the Atari 2600 and 5200 were in the works in Atari, Inc. during 1984, and unfinished prototypes exist for both of them.

01.09.1984

In the game, the player pilots a starship called the Final Star, while shooting various enemies and destroying enemy structures for points. Unlike later vertical scrolling shooters, like Toaplan's Twin Cobra, the Final Star had only two levels of weapon power, and no secondary weapons like missiles and/or bombs. Each stage in the game was named after a letter of the Greek alphabet. In certain versions of the game, there is an additional level called "Infinity" (represented by the infinity symbol) which occurs after Omega, after which the game repeats indefinitely.

10.12.1982

It's a nightmare, but it's true! Research shows that we are the actual aliens on Earth, and the ruthless Xevions are the original inhabitants. Now the Xevions want Earth back -- minus humans! Their invasion forces are fierce -- the land is crawling with deadly Domogram Rovers; the sky is black with Toroid Patrol Fleets and Zoshi Death Squads. Our puny weapons offer no defense. Earth's only hope is our powerful new Solvalou Fighter Plane. Its pilot will have a single mission: Penetrate the enemy ranks and destroy the Xevious Mother Ship. The mission is dangerous. We can't guarantee success. But at this point, it's do or die! One small problem. We still need a pilot. Any volunteers?

27.10.2019

Xeno Crisis is an arena shooter in which one or two players take control of battle-hardened marines embarking on a deadly mission to confront an alien menace and get home alive! Run and gun your way through thousands of adversaries as you explore the devastated research outpost, searching for survivors, and ultimately facing the origin of the outpost's demise. Outpost 88 is divided into seven distinct areas, each being randomly generated with each play, meaning that your strategy must evolve on the fly if you're to succeed in your mission. Collect dog-tags from vanquished enemies to upgrade your equipment between areas and look out for special weapons which will give you a momentary advantage.