Tempest (video Game)
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''Tempest'' is a 1981
arcade video game An arcade video game is an arcade game that takes player input from its controls, processes it through electrical or computerized components, and displays output to an electronic monitor or similar display. All arcade video games are coin-oper ...
by Atari, Inc., designed and programmed by Dave Theurer. It takes place on a three-dimensional surface divided into lanes, sometimes as a closed tube, and viewed from one end. The player controls a claw-shaped "blaster" that sits on the edge of the surface, snapping from segment to segment as a rotary knob is turned, and can fire blaster shots to destroy enemies and obstacles by pressing a button. ''Tempest'' was one of the first games to use Atari's Color- QuadraScan
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display technology. It was also the first to let players choose their starting level (a system Atari called "SkillStep"). This feature increases the preferred starting level, which could also be used to let the player continue the previous game if they wished. ''Tempest'' was one of the first video games that had a progressive
level design In video games, a level (also referred to as a map, mission, stage, course, or round in some older games) is any space available to the player during the course of completion of an objective. Video game levels generally have progressively incre ...
where the levels themselves varied rather than giving the player the same layout with increasing difficulty.


Gameplay

The goal in ''Tempest'' is to survive and score as many points as possible, by clearing the screen of enemies that appear on the playing field. The player controls an articulating, claw-shaped ship at the near end of the field (referred to as a "blaster", or in some sources as the "Live Wire"), moving it left and right using a rotary knob. The player can rapid-fire shots down individual lanes of the field, destroying any enemies or projectiles within the same lane. The blaster is also equipped with a "Superzapper" which, once per level, destroys all enemies currently on the field. A second use of the Superzapper in the same level destroys one random enemy. The Superzapper is recharged between each level. The game features sixteen unique levels of different shapes, including geometric shapes, a flat line, and the symbol for infinity. Some levels are closed tubes that allow the player to loop throughout it continuously, while others have definite left and right endpoints. When all sixteen levels have been played, the sequence repeats with a different color scheme and higher difficulty. One set of levels (65 through 80) is "invisible" (black). After reaching Stage 99, the level counter stops increasing and each successive level shape is picked randomly. Enemies first appear on the screen as swirling dots beyond the far end of the field, initially showing up one at a time, but coming faster and in greater numbers the more the game progresses. There are seven types of enemies in the game, each with their own behavior pattern. Flippers, shaped like pairs of linked chevrons, attempt to catch the player's blaster and drag it to the far end of the field, costing a life if successful. Pulsars, shaped like wavy lines, periodically electrify the lane which they occupy; if the player's ship is in the lane at that moment, it is destroyed. Fuseballs, white spheres with multiple tendrils, jump forward and back unpredictably along the edges of each lane, destroying the player's ship on contact. They move slowly between the lanes which gives the player a brief opportunity to shoot them. Spikers are spirals that move up and down a lane, leaving a line of "spikes" which may be worn down by shooting it. After the first few levels, each level has a short line of spikes at the far end of every lane. Tankers, rhomboid in shape, slowly advance up the field in a particular lane, splitting into two Flippers upon destruction or reaching the player's ring. Later levels also feature Fuseball and Pulsar Tankers, which split into two Fuseballs or two Pulsars when hit, respectively. Aside from the Fuseball and Pulsar, enemies can shoot destructible projectiles up the lane they reside in, which will destroy the player's ship if they impact. When all enemies on the field have been destroyed, the player "warps" to the next level by traveling down the field and into the space beyond it. The player must avoid or destroy any spikes that are in the way; hitting one will destroy the player's ship and the warp will have to be retried. The player loses a life when their ship is destroyed or captured, and the game ends when all lives are lost. Extra lives (up to six at a time) are awarded at certain score intervals.


Development

The game was initially meant to be a first-person
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of ''
Space Invaders is a 1978 shoot 'em up video game developed and published by Taito for Arcade video game, arcades. It was released in Japan in April 1978, with the game being released by Midway Manufacturing overseas. ''Space Invaders'' was the first fixed s ...
'', but early versions had many problems, so a new design was used. Theurer says the design came from a
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where monsters crawled out of a hole in the ground.Tempest - Videogame by Atari
The International Arcade Museum
This led to him coming up with the design concept, stating he "basically just took ''Space Invaders'' and wrapped the surface into a circle," while monsters "come down the tunnel at you, out of the hole, and you ryto kill them before they etout." During the prototype stages the game was called ''Aliens'', then ''Vortex'', and finally ''Tempest''. Three different cabinet designs exist for ''Tempest''. The most common is an upright cabinet that, viewed from the side, is in the shape of a
right triangle A right triangle or right-angled triangle, sometimes called an orthogonal triangle or rectangular triangle, is a triangle in which two sides are perpendicular, forming a right angle ( turn or 90 degrees). The side opposite to the right angle i ...
sitting on a rectangle. This cabinet sported colorful side art. A shorter, less flashy cabaret-style cabinet was also released with optional side art. A cocktail-style table cabinet allowed two players to play at opposite ends of the table; the screen automatically flipped for each player. In the first games Atari shipped, there were glitches in one or more of the ROM chips. The problem code allowed the player to do unintended things when ending their score in certain two-digit combinations. According to ''Joystik'' magazine, which detailed these combinations, the most useful were the ones that earned the player 40 free credits (06, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18) and the "jump to green" trick (46). Another useful combination mentioned was 05 which allowed the player to play the game in the attract mode. In this scenario, pausing at one the combinations would cause the effect to take place immediately without losing the balance of the player's lives. Also, in the attract mode, pausing at an end score of 48 gave the player 255 extra lives. After this issue was discovered, Atari corrected the problem so that future machines were incapable of allowing the end score tricks. It was also noted in ''Joystik'' that Atari shipped updated chips to be replaced in the field.


Ports

An official port was released for the
Atari ST Atari ST is a line of personal computers from Atari Corporation and the successor to the company's Atari 8-bit computers, 8-bit computers. The initial model, the Atari 520ST, had limited release in April–June 1985, and was widely available i ...
. An official port that bears the Atari logo was released by
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for the
BBC Micro The BBC Microcomputer System, or BBC Micro, is a family of microcomputers developed and manufactured by Acorn Computers in the early 1980s as part of the BBC's Computer Literacy Project. Launched in December 1981, it was showcased across severa ...
and
Acorn Electron The Acorn Electron (nicknamed the Elk inside Acorn and beyond) was introduced as a lower-cost alternative to the BBC Micro educational/home computer, also developed by Acorn Computers, to provide many of the features of that more expensive mach ...
in 1985, and another by Electric Dreams for the
ZX Spectrum The ZX Spectrum () is an 8-bit computing, 8-bit home computer developed and marketed by Sinclair Research. One of the most influential computers ever made and one of the all-time bestselling British computers, over five million units were sold. ...
and
Amstrad CPC The Amstrad CPC (short for "Colour Personal Computer") is a series of 8-bit home computers produced by Amstrad between 1984 and 1990. It was designed to compete in the mid-1980s home computer market dominated by the Commodore 64 and the ZX Spec ...
in 1987. Versions for the
Atari 2600 The Atari 2600 is a home video game console developed and produced by Atari, Inc. Released in September 1977 as the Atari Video Computer System (Atari VCS), it popularized microprocessor-based hardware and games stored on swappable ROM cartridg ...
and 5200 were in the works in Atari, Inc. during 1984, and unfinished
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s exist for both of them. The game was released for
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3.x as part of the ''
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'' package. It has 14 secret levels. The original ''Tempest'' was included as part of '' Arcade's Greatest Hits: The Atari Collection 1'' for the
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,
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, and
Super NES The Super Nintendo Entertainment System, commonly shortened to Super Nintendo, Super NES or SNES, is a 16-bit home video game console developed by Nintendo that was released in 1990 in Japan, 1991 in North America, 1992 in Europe and Oceania a ...
. In 2001,
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and
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ported 12 Atari arcade games (one of them being the original ''Tempest'') under the compilation title ''
Atari Anniversary Edition ''Atari Anniversary Edition'' is a video game compilation of Atari arcade games. It was developed by Digital Eclipse and published by Infogrames Interactive. Features ''Atari Anniversary Edition'' features twelve Atari arcade games from over the ...
'', released for PC and
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. A PlayStation compilation titled ''
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'' was also released with the same number of games plus two exclusives to the Redux edition. A handheld compilation, titled '' Atari Anniversary Advance'', was released in 2002 for the
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with half the games of the console compilation, including ''Tempest''. In 2005, the original ''Tempest'' is part of ''
Atari Anthology ''Atari: 80 Classic Games in One!'' is a 2003 video game collection for Microsoft Windows, also released as ''Atari Anthology'' for PlayStation 2 and Xbox, developed by Digital Eclipse and published by Atari Interactive. The title is a compilation ...
'' for the
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and
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; the PC version also includes the Atari 2600 prototype. The 2600 port was also released as part of the '' Atari Greatest Hits'' compilation for
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and
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devices. Also in 2005, a port and graphical "remix" of the original ''Tempest'' was included as part of ''
Retro Atari Classics ''Retro Atari Classics'' is a collection of Atari video games for the Nintendo DS developed by American studio Taniko and released in 2005 by Atari, Inc. (1993–present), Atari. The game features classic Atari games as well as remixed versions ...
'' for the
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. This version deviates significantly from the basic rules and experience of the original game. ''Tempest'' was released for
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on December 19, 2007, which was available for purchase through
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for 400 MS Points. This version includes the original arcade game (emulated) and an "evolved" version with updated graphics. After the unfinished Atari 5200 prototype was found in 1999, its original programmer, Keithen Hayenga, resumed work on finishing the port. It was published by
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in 2013 for US$50. In 2022, ''Tempest'' became a part of '' Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration''.


Reception

Chris Crawford wrote in 1982 that unlike ''
Pac-Man ''Pac-Man,'' originally called in Japan, is a 1980 maze video game developed and published by Namco for arcades. In North America, the game was released by Midway Manufacturing as part of its licensing agreement with Namco America. The pla ...
'', ''Tempest'' "intimidates many beginners because it appears to be unwinnable"; its smoothly increasing difficulty, however, encourages players to continue playing. In 1995,
Flux Flux describes any effect that appears to pass or travel (whether it actually moves or not) through a surface or substance. Flux is a concept in applied mathematics and vector calculus which has many applications in physics. For transport phe ...
magazine ranked the game 6th on their Top 100 Video Games. They lauded the game saying: "The best vector coin-up machine for white knuckle intensity, bar none, was Tempest." In 1996, '' Next Generation'' listed the arcade version as number 74 on their "Top 100 Games of All Time", commenting "it's very fast, it has abstract, color vector graphics that remain unequaled to this day, and its novel 'paddle' controller makes playing ''Tempest'' effortless. The game's difficulty advances smoothly, and the play is extremely well balanced". ''Tempest'' is #10 on the KLOV's list of most popular games, tied with ''
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''. The game has been cited as an influence on the careers of video game designers
Jeff Minter Jeff Minter (born 22 April 1962) is an English video game designer and programmer who often goes by the name Yak. He is the founder of software house Llamasoft and has created dozens of games during his career, which began in 1981 with games ...
and John O'Neill. Atari co-founder Nolan Bushnell has said it is his favorite game to be published by the company.


Legacy

Shortly after the original game was released, an arcade owner named Duncan Brown hacked the level data and made an altered, harder version: ''Tempest Tubes''. It was eventually included with ''Tempest'' in the Hasbro compilation ''Atari Arcade Hits: Volume 1'' for Microsoft Windows in 1999.


Sequels

Jeff Minter Jeff Minter (born 22 April 1962) is an English video game designer and programmer who often goes by the name Yak. He is the founder of software house Llamasoft and has created dozens of games during his career, which began in 1981 with games ...
created two authorized games, released long after the original: ''
Tempest 2000 is a 1994 tube shooter video game originally developed by Llamasoft and published by Atari Corporation for the Atari Jaguar. Part of Atari Corp.'s ''2000'' series, it is a Video game remake, remake of the 1981 arcade game ''Tempest (video game) ...
'' (1994) for the
Atari Jaguar The Atari Jaguar is a home video game console developed by Atari Corporation and released in North America in November 1993. It is in the fifth generation of video game consoles, and it competed with Fourth generation of video game consoles, fo ...
(renamed ''Tempest X3'' for the
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port), and '' Tempest 3000'' (2000) for Nuon enhanced DVD players. In July 2018, '' Tempest 4000'' was released for multiple platforms. Minter also wrote two games inspired by ''Tempest'': '' Space Giraffe'' (2007) and '' TxK'' (2014). After ''TxK'' was released for the
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, the current incarnation of Atari blocked release of the game for additional platforms until it was reworked as '' Tempest 4000'' some years later.


Clones

1980s home computer clones include ''Web War'' for the Acorn Electron and BBC Micro published by Artic Computing in 1985, '' Tubeway'' (1982) for the Apple II, ''Storm'' (1984) for the Tandy Color Computer, and ''Livewire!'', a type-in game for
Atari 8-bit computers The Atari 8-bit computers, formally launched as the Atari Home Computer System, are a series of home computers introduced by Atari, Inc., in 1979 with the Atari 400 and Atari 800. The architecture is designed around the 8-bit MOS Technology 650 ...
printed in ''
ANALOG Computing ''ANALOG Computing'' was an American computer magazine devoted to Atari 8-bit computers. It was published from 1981 until 1989. In addition to reviews and tutorials, ''ANALOG'' printed multiple programs in each issue for users to type in. Almo ...
'' in 1983. The ''Tempest''-inspired '' Axis Assassin'' (1983) was one of the first five releases from Electronic Arts. ''Arashi'' is a 1992
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clone for
classic Mac OS Mac OS (originally System Software; retronym: Classic Mac OS) is the series of operating systems developed for the Mac (computer), Macintosh family of personal computers by Apple Computer, Inc. from 1984 to 2001, starting with System 1 and end ...
. ''Whirlwind'' (1994) is a commercial game that ''
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'' described as "a clone of ''Tempest''".


In popular culture

*''Tempest'' is part of a plot thread in the 1984 film '' Night of the Comet''. *''Tempest'' is featured prominently in the music video for Rush's 1982 song " Subdivisions". * Parzival must beat Anorak's high score of 728,329 on ''Tempest'' (1980 cabinet) in the first part of the final challenge inside the Crystal Gate in the book '' Ready Player One''. * In the
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of the television series ''
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'',
Larry Fleinhardt Larry Fleinhardt, Ph.D., is a fictional character in the CBS crime drama '' Numb3rs'', played by Peter MacNicol. He is the best friend and colleague of Charlie Eppes. Dr. Lawrence Fleinhardt holds the Walter T. Merrick Chair of Theoretical Ph ...
plays ''Tempest'' while advising someone on a mathematical problem. Larry is later seen playing the game in the season four episode "End Game". * Tempest is one of the video games in the TV comedy ''
Silver Spoons ''Silver Spoons'' is an American sitcom television series that aired on NBC from September 25, 1982, to May 11, 1986, and in first-run syndication from September 27, 1986, to May 30, 1987. The series was produced by Embassy Television for th ...
''. * Tempest is seen in " Twilight Zone: The Movie" played by Jeremy Licht as Anthony in the Segment 3 remake of the original Episode "
It's A Good Life "It's a ''Good'' Life" is a short story by American writer Jerome Bixby, written in 1953. In 1970, the Science Fiction Writers of America selected it for '' The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume One'', as one of the 20 best short stories i ...
" and later, the game's sounds can be heard when Anthony's powers fully manifest.


See also

*
Golden age of video arcade games The golden age of arcade video games was the period of rapid growth, technological development, and cultural influence of arcade video games from the late 1970s to the early 1980s. The release of ''Space Invaders'' in 1978 led to a wave of shoo ...
*
History of video games The history of video games began in the 1950s and 1960s as computer science, computer scientists began designing simple games and simulation video game, simulations on minicomputers and mainframe computer, mainframes. ''Spacewar!'' was develop ...
* List of video games in the Museum of Modern Art


References


External links

*
''Tempest''
at the Arcade History database *

to
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and document an assembly
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version of the game {{DEFAULTSORT:Tempest (Arcade Game) 1981 video games Amstrad CPC games Arcade video games Atari arcade games Atari ST games BBC Micro and Acorn Electron games Cancelled Atari 2600 games Cancelled Atari 5200 games Commercial video games with freely available source code Electric Dreams Software games Fixed shooters Multiplayer and single-player video games Multiplayer hotseat games Superior Software games Third-person shooters Vector arcade video games Video games developed in the United States Xbox 360 Live Arcade games ZX Spectrum games