Gun Fight: Difference between revisions
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'''''Gun Fight''''' is an [[arcade game]] that was released by [[Midway Games]] in 1975, based on the [[Taito Corporation|Taito]] game '''''Western Gun''''',<ref name=Kotaku>Stephen Totilo, [http://kotaku.com/5626466/in-search-of-the-first-video-game-gun In Search Of The First Video Game Gun], [[Kotaku]]</ref><ref name=Kohler>Chris Kohler (2005), ''Power-up: how Japanese video games gave the world an extra life'', p. 18, [[BradyGames]], ISBN 0744004241</ref> designed by [[Tomohiro Nishikado]] ( |
'''''Gun Fight''''' is an [[arcade game]] that was released by [[Midway Games]] in 1975, based on the [[Taito Corporation|Taito]] game '''''Western Gun''''',<ref name=Kotaku>Stephen Totilo, [http://kotaku.com/5626466/in-search-of-the-first-video-game-gun In Search Of The First Video Game Gun], [[Kotaku]]</ref><ref name=Kohler>Chris Kohler (2005), ''Power-up: how Japanese video games gave the world an extra life'', p. 18, [[BradyGames]], ISBN 0744004241</ref> designed by [[Tomohiro Nishikado]] (who would later create ''[[Space Invaders]]'') and released earlier that year.<ref name=Kohler/> The theme of the game involved two [[Old West]] [[cowboy]]s squaring off in a duel. Each is armed with a revolver and whoever draws fastest and shoots the other cowboy wins the duel. Unlike a real-life duel, however, both cowboys always get numerous opportunities to duel in order to score points (one point per successful draw). |
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''Western Gun'' was an early [[Multiplayer|two-player]], [[run and gun|run & gun]], [[multi-directional shooter]]. It was also the first video game to depict a gun on screen, introduced [[Dual analog control|dual-stick]] controls with one [[joystick]] for movement and the other for changing the shooting direction,<ref name=Kotaku>Stephen Totilo, [http://kotaku.com/5626466/in-search-of-the-first-video-game-gun In Search Of The First Video Game Gun], [[Kotaku]]</ref> and was the first known video game to feature [[Player character|game characters]] and fragments of story through its visual presentation.<ref>Chris Kohler (2005), ''Power-up: how Japanese video games gave the world an extra life'', p. 19, [[BradyGames]], ISBN 0744004241</ref> Midway's adaptation, ''Gun Fight'', is also notable for being the first [[microprocessor]]-based video game.<ref name=Kent>Steve L. Kent (2001), ''The ultimate history of video games: from Pong to Pokémon and beyond : the story behind the craze that touched our lives and changed the world'', p. 64, Prima, ISBN 0761536434</ref> |
''Western Gun'' was an early [[Multiplayer|two-player]], [[run and gun|run & gun]], [[multi-directional shooter]]. It was also the first video game to depict a gun on screen, introduced [[Dual analog control|dual-stick]] controls with one [[joystick]] for movement and the other for changing the shooting direction,<ref name=Kotaku>Stephen Totilo, [http://kotaku.com/5626466/in-search-of-the-first-video-game-gun In Search Of The First Video Game Gun], [[Kotaku]]</ref> and was the first known video game to feature [[Player character|game characters]] and fragments of story through its visual presentation.<ref>Chris Kohler (2005), ''Power-up: how Japanese video games gave the world an extra life'', p. 19, [[BradyGames]], ISBN 0744004241</ref> Midway's adaptation, ''Gun Fight'', is also notable for being the first [[microprocessor]]-based video game.<ref name=Kent>Steve L. Kent (2001), ''The ultimate history of video games: from Pong to Pokémon and beyond : the story behind the craze that touched our lives and changed the world'', p. 64, Prima, ISBN 0761536434</ref> |
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Revision as of 21:17, 3 March 2011
| Gun Fight | |
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| Developer(s) | Taito (Western Gun) Midway (Gun Fight) |
| Publisher(s) | Taito (Japan) Midway (United States) |
| Designer(s) | Tomohiro Nishikado |
| Programmer(s) | Tomohiro Nishikado (JP) Dave Nutting (US) |
| Platform(s) | Arcade |
| Release | 1975 |
| Genre(s) | Multi-directional shooter Run and gun |
| Mode(s) | 2-player |
Gun Fight is an arcade game that was released by Midway Games in 1975, based on the Taito game Western Gun,[1][2] designed by Tomohiro Nishikado (who would later create Space Invaders) and released earlier that year.[2] The theme of the game involved two Old West cowboys squaring off in a duel. Each is armed with a revolver and whoever draws fastest and shoots the other cowboy wins the duel. Unlike a real-life duel, however, both cowboys always get numerous opportunities to duel in order to score points (one point per successful draw).
Western Gun was an early two-player, run & gun, multi-directional shooter. It was also the first video game to depict a gun on screen, introduced dual-stick controls with one joystick for movement and the other for changing the shooting direction,[1] and was the first known video game to feature game characters and fragments of story through its visual presentation.[3] Midway's adaptation, Gun Fight, is also notable for being the first microprocessor-based video game.[4]
Technical
Gun Fight is notable for being the first coin-operated arcade game to use microprocessors instead of purely discrete TTL circuits in its electronics.[4] Gun Fight used an Intel 8080 CPU, which allowed the game to have more continuous, solid graphics.
The game had two distinct controls: one for moving the computerized cowboy around on the screen and another for aiming the player's gun. Unlike most other arcade games, Western Gun / Gun Fight has the main joystick on the right instead of the left. The game uses a black-and-white raster monitor and a yellow screen overlay.
History
Gun Fight was originally designed by Taito as a TTL designed game under the name of Western Gun.[1][2] It was later converted to use the Intel 8080 microprocessor by Dave Nutting. It was Taito's second arcade video game to be licensed to Midway for release in North America, the first being the early scrolling racing video game Speed Race in 1974. The title Western Gun, while making perfect sense for Japanese audiences in that it conveys the setting and theme as simply as possible, would have sounded odd to American audiences who are unfamiliar with such terms, so it was renamed Gun Fight instead for its American localization.[5]
The main difference between the two versions was that Gun Fight had smoother animation and improved graphics, made possible with the use of a microprocessor, though the gameplay remained identical. The creator of Western Gun, Tomohiro Nishikado, believed his original version was more fun, but was impressed with the improved graphics and smoother animation of Gun Fight. This led to him using a microprocessor in his subsequent games, including the blockbuster 1978 shoot 'em up game Space Invaders.[2]
Series
- Gun Fight (1975)
- Boot Hill (1977)
Ports
In 1983 Epyx ported Gun Fight and another Midway game, Sea Wolf II, to the Atari 8-bit family, and released them in an "Arcade Classics" compilation.[6]
Popular culture
In 1978 movie Dawn of the Dead, Peter and FlyBoy are enjoying this game. Peter loses as the allusion of Flyboy is bad shooter in real life.
References
- ^ a b c Stephen Totilo, In Search Of The First Video Game Gun, Kotaku
- ^ a b c d Chris Kohler (2005), Power-up: how Japanese video games gave the world an extra life, p. 18, BradyGames, ISBN 0744004241
- ^ Chris Kohler (2005), Power-up: how Japanese video games gave the world an extra life, p. 19, BradyGames, ISBN 0744004241
- ^ a b Steve L. Kent (2001), The ultimate history of video games: from Pong to Pokémon and beyond : the story behind the craze that touched our lives and changed the world, p. 64, Prima, ISBN 0761536434
- ^ Chris Kohler (2005), Power-up: how Japanese video games gave the world an extra life, p. 211, BradyGames, ISBN 0744004241
- ^ "Atarimania - Arcade Classics: Sea Wolf II / Gun Fight". Retrieved 2011-02-01.