''Gladiator'', known in Japan as , is an

arcade video game An arcade video game takes player input from its controls, processes it through electrical or computerized components, and displays output to an electronic monitor or similar display. Most arcade video games are coin-operated, housed in an ar ...

developed by

Allumer , was a video game production company, established in February 1978 and headquartered in Meguro, Tokyo, Japan. The company suspended business in October 5, 1999. In February 2023, Japanese video game publisher Hamster Corporation acquired the rig ...

and published in 1986 by

Taito is a Japanese company that specializes in video games, toys, arcade cabinets and game centers, based in Shinjuku, Tokyo. The company was founded by Michael Kogan in 1953 as the importing vodka, vending machines and jukeboxes into Japan. It ...

. It was followed by a sequel titled ''

Blandia is a weapons-based versus fighting game developed and released into video arcades by Allumer in 1992. It is the sequel to Allumer's ''Gladiator''. Along with Strata's ''Time Killers'', ''Blandia'' is one of the earliest weapon-based fighting gam ...

''. Home ports of ''Gladiator'' were released for the

ZX Spectrum The ZX Spectrum () is an 8-bit home computer that was developed by Sinclair Research. It was released in the United Kingdom on 23 April 1982, and became Britain's best-selling microcomputer. Referred to during development as the ''ZX81 Colou ...

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 S ...

and Commodore 64 as ''Great Gurianos''; the Spectrum version was intentionally made

unwinnable A no-win situation, also called a lose-lose situation, is one where a person has choices, but no choice leads to a net gain. For example, if an executioner offers the condemned the choice of death by being hanged, shot, or poisoned, all choices lea ...

Gameplay

The player controls a

gladiator A gladiator ( la, gladiator, "swordsman", from , "sword") was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. Some gla ...

knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the G ...

named Great Gurianos as he walks through a

castle A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...

. The

joystick A joystick, sometimes called a flight stick, is an input device consisting of a stick that pivots on a base and reports its angle or direction to the device it is controlling. A joystick, also known as the control column, is the principal cont ...

direction moves the character left and right and raises his shield up and down. The game's three buttons correspond to a high, medium, and low attack with Great Gurianos's sword. Gladiator consists of four levels. The reward for completing the game is a fifth stage, the "Treasure Place". Gameplay is split between two modes; in the "obstacle" mode, Great Gurianos walks forward, and the player must use the

sword A sword is an edged, bladed weapon intended for manual cutting or thrusting. Its blade, longer than a knife or dagger, is attached to a hilt and can be straight or curved. A thrusting sword tends to have a straighter blade with a pointed t ...

and

shield A shield is a piece of personal armour held in the hand, which may or may not be strapped to the wrist or forearm. Shields are used to intercept specific attacks, whether from close-ranged weaponry or projectiles such as arrows, by means of ...

to defend him from bats,

fire Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material (the fuel) in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction Product (chemistry), products. At a certain point in the combustion reaction, called the ignition ...

balls,

arrow An arrow is a fin-stabilized projectile launched by a bow. A typical arrow usually consists of a long, stiff, straight shaft with a weighty (and usually sharp and pointed) arrowhead attached to the front end, multiple fin-like stabilizers ...

shuriken A ''shuriken'' ( ja, 手裏剣; literally: "hidden hand blade") is a Japanese concealed weapon that was used as a hidden dagger or metsubushi to distract or misdirect. They are also known as throwing stars, or ninja stars, although they we ...

, and other flying hazards. The "obstacle" mode is broken up by a "fight" mode, in which Great Gurianos must fight against another, similarly-armored knight. In both modes, an undefended hit to Great Gurianos knocks off part of his

armor Armour (British English) or armor (American English; see spelling differences) is a covering used to protect an object, individual, or vehicle from physical injury or damage, especially direct contact weapons or projectiles during combat, or ...

(his

helmet A helmet is a form of protective gear worn to protect the head. More specifically, a helmet complements the skull in protecting the human brain. Ceremonial or symbolic helmets (e.g., a policeman's helmet in the United Kingdom) without prote ...

for a high hit, his breastplate for a middle hit, and his leggings for a low hit), and a subsequent hit to the same area kills him. The character can generate a temporary force field during the obstacle course phases (when weapons and bats fly at him) by rapidly moving the shield up and down. During the combat phases, Great Gurianos can become invincible (flashing golden) for a short time.

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Gladiator (Arcade Game) 1986 video games Allumer games Arcade video games Hack and slash games Taito beat 'em ups ZX Spectrum games Amstrad CPC games Commodore 64 games Side-scrolling beat 'em ups Video games developed in Japan Video games scored by Mark Cooksey Video games set in castles