by Brett Weiss
(Genesis, SNES, TurboGrafx-16), and other se-
tain capsules), pleasing those gamers who pre-
quels and offshoots.
fer nonlinear action. Loosely based on the 1987
Japanese anime series.
Zaxxon 3-D
Publisher: Sega. Developer: Sega. Third-Per-
Zillion II: The Tri Formation
son Shooter, 1 player. 1988.
Publisher: Sega. Developer: Sega. Side-Scroll-
ing Shooter/Platform Shooter, 1 player. 1988.
Zaxxon 3-D is an excellent sequel to Sega/
Gremlin’s Zaxxon (arcade, 1982), eschewing the Dispensing with the strategic, nonlinear,
isometric perspective of its progenitor in favor
and adventure elements of the original game,
254
CLASSIC HOME VIDEO GAMES, 1985–1988
Zillion II is playable, but surprisingly pedes-increase health or gun strength or turn J.J. into
trian, alternating between two types of action-
an “Amorator” robot. Scrolling is forced. In the
oriented, side-scrolling gameplay. In the odd-
even-numbered levels, J.J. walks, jumps (on
numbered levels (there are eight levels in all),
platforms and over gaps), shoots, and enters
J.J. rides a motorcycle-like “Tri-Formation,”
rooms, but there are no codes or computer ter-
jumping over gaps and laser spikes while
minals to bother with, no doubt disappointing
shooting jet soldiers, warriors, gun batteries,
zillions of fans. Also disappointing are the re-
and other enemies. Grabbing power-ups can
duced roles of Apple and Champ.
GLOSSARY
Action: The vaguely descriptive word “action” is as they travel through a series of puzzle-based lev-used to describe games in which players move ob-
els. Adventure puzzles oftentimes have players flip-
jects or characters around the screen, but that don’t ping switches, pulling levers, or otherwise solving
fall into any other category on this list. Activities in-puzzles amidst scrolling (or at least multiple-
clude picking up items and transporting them to
screen), action-oriented gameplay.
another part of the playfield, catching falling items, A.I.: Short for artificial intelligence, which, in the running around the screen collecting or dodging
case of video games, refers to the ability of onscreen items, and much more.
objects or characters to respond to computer-con-
Action Puzzle : A puzzle game that has players trolled commands. Or, it can refer to how smart a
moving pieces around the screen and to their
game is in general.
proper places within a set time, or at least in an ac-Aircraft Racing: Racing against the clock or an-tion-oriented manner. The pieces are usually in-
other player(s), using planes, spaceships, or other
tended to be placed within a set pattern or configu-
airborne vehicles.
ration or matched up with similar pieces. Another
type of action puzzle requires players to touch
Aladdin Deck Enhancer: Published by Camerica
squares or other areas of the playfield to complete
and developed by Codemasters, this attachment
various strategy-oriented objectives.
plugs into the NES cartridge port and accepts com-
pact cartridges. The Deck Enhancer (1992) con-
Action Strategy: Similar to strategy, but players tains circuitry common to all NES cartridges,
sometimes take more direct control of the action,
meaning the smaller cartridges produced for the
such as piloting a ship, shooting enemies, or guid-
peripheral contain fewer parts, thereby reducing
ing a character around a battlefield.
production costs. Packaged with Dizzy the Adven-
Adventure: Adventure games require players to
turer.
guide an explorer, adventurer, or other such action
Alternating: Multi-player games in which players hero through a number of areas. The setting is usu-take turns. Certain games, such as checkers and
ally exotic, such as a jungle, a swamp, or an alien
chess, in which players’ alternating moves directly
planet, and oftentimes there are puzzles to solve,
affect the other player’s game, are considered to be
items to collect, treasures to find, enemies to bat-
simultaneous.
tle, levels to reach, things to climb, worlds to ex-
plore, etc. Climbing and platform games often-
Anime: Refers to Japanese cartoons or the art style times include adventure elements, but contain
used therein. Role-playing games frequently em-
enough of a predominance of specific attributes to
ploy anime-style art, which is typified by short,
give them their own categories.
cartoonish characters with large eyes.
Adventure Puzzle : A game like Lemmings, in Arcade: A public place in which numerous coin-which players indirectly (or directly in the case of
operated video games are available for play. Snack
certain other games) guide a group of characters
bars, pinball machines, pool tables, and other
255
256
GLOSSARY
entertainments oftentimes supplement the arcade
player), against a wall, or against rows of bricks or experience. Arcades did big business during the
other items that disappear when hit.
early 1980s, with simple, but highly entertaining
Battery Backup: A game with battery backup con-games like Space Invaders, Asteroids, and Pac-Man tains a small battery within the cartridge, giving
gobbling millions of quarters. These days, how-
the game memory for saving progress, high scores,
ever, most arcades consist primarily of elaborate
and/or other data.
racing simulations, dance machines, and ticket-re-
demption games.
Beat-’em-Up: Side-scrolling combat games with
lots of punching and kicking are often referred to
Arcade Game: A coin-operated video game that is as “beat-’em-ups.”
usually found in arcades, restaurants, bars, pool
halls, and other public venues. Devotees of a
Bit: Short for binary digit, which is a digit in the bi-specific arcade game will sometimes purchase the
nary number system. Binary digits, which are in
game in question for use in their home.
the form of zeroes and ones, are used as the basic
units of information storage and communication
Art: Most art games focus on painting, drawing, in many video game systems. Most consoles re-and/or creating designs. Usually, the standard con-
leased prior to the Sega Genesis are 8-bit systems.
troller is used to move a pen, paint brush, or cur-
sor, but some art games support a stylus that actu-
BMX Racing: Racing against the clock or another ally touches the screen.
player(s), using motocross bicycles. The tracks are
usually hilly and made of dirt.
Atari 5200: Released in 1982, the 5200 was Atari’s graphically superior (if far less successful) follow-Board Game: A video game rendition of a traditional up to the Atari 2600. Games in the 5200 library rel-board game (such as checkers or backgammon), or
evant to this book include: Gyruss, Joust, Ms. Pac-an original game played on a virtual game board.
Man, and Qix, among others. See Classic Home Boat/Watercraft Racing: Racin
g against the clock Video Games: 1972–1984 for more info.
or another player(s), using boats, jet skis, or other Atari Jaguar: Released in 1993, the Atari Jaguar water-based vehicles.
was the first 64-bit game console and Atari’s last
Boss: An enemy at the end of a level or the end of system. Games in the Jaguar library relevant to this
a game that is usually fiercer, stronger, smarter,
book include: Defender 2000, Double Dragon V: The and/or larger than the standard enemies.
Shadow Falls, and Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure.
Business Simulator: A game that tries to emulate Atari Lynx: Released in 1989, the Atari Lynx was the real-world business, such as investing in stocks,
first handheld game system to boast a color LCD
building a corporation, or managing a company.
display. Games in the Lynx library relevant to this
Strategy is usually involved.
book include: Double Dragon, Joust, Klax, and Pa-Button-Masher: A game that requires little to no perboy, among others.
strategy, but success can be obtained by lots of
Atari 7800: See the Atari 7800 chapter in this book.
shooting, punching, or other mindlessly fast but-
Atari 2600: Released in 1977, the Atari 2600 (then ton pushing. In the non-pejorative sense, a but-called the Atari VCS) popularized home video
ton-masher can simply refer to a game that requires
games. It was followed by the Atari 5200 and the
quick, frequent pushes of one or more buttons.
Atari 7800. Games in the 2600 library relevant to
Card Game: A game that uses virtual versions of this book include: Dark Chambers, Defender, Pac-traditional playing cards (aces, hearts, jacks, etc.), Man, and Popeye, among others. See Classic Home but with no gambling involved.
Video Games: 1972–1984 for more info.
Cartridge: The plastic casing with ROM chip that Backward-Compatible: Describes a video game
is plugged into a video game console. Cartridges
system that can play a previously released system’s
usually have labels on them bearing artwork and
games (in addition to its own, of course). For ex-
the game’s title. It is recommended that the game
ample, the Atari 7800 is backward-compatible with
system be turned off when a game cartridge is being
the 2600. Also refers to such joysticks and other
inserted or pulled out of the console cartridge slot
peripherals.
or port.
Ball-and-Paddle: Pong- or Breakout- like games in Casual Gamer: In general terms, a casual gamer which players maneuver a paddle or other imple-plays video games only infrequently, or only de-
ment to rebound a bouncing ball across the screen
sires to play the less challenging or less complicated (usually toward a paddle controlled by the other
titles.
GLOSSARY
257
CD-i: Short for Philips CD-i.
Continue: Many games offer one or more “contin-Character Racing : Non-sports racing in which
ues” after the player has run out of lives. This lets players control a person, animal, or other charac-the player continue from the last level (or other
ter instead of a vehicle.
area) where the previous game left off.
Cheap Hit: Refers to the effects caused by a poorly Control Pad: A flat controller that contains a direc-programmed projectile, enemy attack, or other ob-
tional pad and [usually two or more] action but-
stacle that is virtually (if not entirely) unavoidable.
tons.
Cheat Codes: Specific, secretive combinations of Controller: A joystick, trackball, control pad, or button presses (oftentimes entered at the title
other instrument used to maneuver onscreen ob-
screen) that result in unlocking special occurrences
jects.
(i.e. cheats) in a video game, such as starting the
Credits: The people or companies who designed, game with extra lives, unlimited continues, special
published, or were otherwise involved in the mak-
powers, or the ability to level-select. Cheat code
ing of a game. In many games, the credits roll after
documentation is not in the purview of this book,
a game has been beaten, similar to credits rolling
but gamers can consult www.gamefaqs.com for a
after the end of a movie.
wide variety of cheats for various consoles.
Cursor: A pointer, plus symbol, or other such ob-Checkpoint: a place in a video game, usually de-ject that moves freely around the screen via the
noted by some type of graphical icon, where the
controller. Cursors are frequently used as aiming
game will save automatically (or at least continue
devices for first-person or light gun shooting
from that point) if the player’s character or other
games, where they oftentimes appear as a crosshair
onscreen object reaches that area. After the player
or a gun sight.
dies, play begins from that checkpoint (unless a
Cut Scene: Between levels of certain games (such further checkpoint has been passed).
as the Ninja Gaiden series for the NES), movie-like Climbing: A game in which the primary activity is sequences (animated or static) called cut scenes
climbing ladders, ropes, vines, or other such ob-
will sometimes play, telling the game’s storyline and jects. The goal in many climbing games (such as
providing added visual flair.
Donkey Kong) is to reach the top of the playfield, but D-pad: Short for directional pad.
it can also involve collecting items, jumping over
obstacles, hitting (or otherwise defeating) enemies,
Dancing Simulator: A game that lets players
and much more.
choreograph or program various dance routines.
Clone: A game that copies a previously released Dedicated Unit : A game system that only plays game in a number of obvious ways.
built-in games and does not accept such media as
Coin-op: Short for coin-operated video game. Also cartridges or discs.
known as arcade game.
Demolition/Combat Racing: Racing that involves ColecoVision: Released in 1982, the ColecoVision crashing into, shooting, or otherwise damaging the
was considered to be the first home game system to
other vehicle(s).
boast arcade-quality graphics. Games in the Cole-
Developer: A company or person who played a key coVision library relevant to this book include:
role in the actual designing of a game. If the com-
Boulder Dash, BurgerTime, One-on-One, and Zax-pany that developed the game is unknown, the
xon, among others. See Classic Home Video Games: publisher is usually given the credit, making the
1972–1984 for more info.
publisher a “ghost developer” of sorts.
Collision Detection: How accurate the onscreen Directional Pad: Replacing the joystick as the dig-objects are in coming in contact with or otherwise
ital input mechanism of choice, directional pads
relating to each other in terms of the visual images
(also called control pads) are utilized by most game
they project to the player. A game with poor colli-
systems from the mid–80s to the present. A d-pad
sion detection can result in unwarranted deaths,
is a flat, thumb-operated, plus-shaped (usually)
such as a missile that appears to miss the player,
object that allows players to move onscreen objects
but kills him
or her anyway.
up, down, right, and left (and oftentimes diago-
Console: The base, or main part, of a video game nally be using combinations of two buttons). The
system, irrespective of the wiring or controllers.
NES popularized this type of controller.
Also used to refer to a game system in general.
Double Jump: Pressing the jump button a second Does not refer to computers or handheld systems.
time while the character is already in mid-air (from
258
GLOSSARY
the previous jump) in order to get that character to
Pressing this button (or buttons) causes onscreen
jump again is a double jump, sending the charac-
objects to shoot, jump, or otherwise react.
ter even higher. Usually seen in platform games.
First-Party Company: A company that develops
Drag Racing: Racing against the clock or another or publishes a game for their own video game sys-player(s), using dragsters.
tem.
Dreamcast: Released in 1999, the Dreamcast was First-Person Graphic Adventure: A game like Déjà Sega’s follow-up to the Saturn. Games in the
Vu or Shadowgate, in which players perform such Dreamcast library relevant to this book include:
tasks as pointing and clicking on useable objects, se-Gauntlet Legends, Midway’s Greatest Arcade Hits: lecting from a list of text-based commands, col-Vol. 2, Namco Museum, and Phantasy Star Online, lecting items via an inventory system, solving puz-among others.
zles and mysteries, and exploring various areas
DS: Short for Nintendo DS.
(most of which have static backgrounds) to un-
cover clues. The action is viewed through the eyes
Dungeon Crawler: A term referring to the type of of the protagonist.
action-oriented role-playing game in which the
hero navigates labyrinthine dungeons, caverns,
First-Person Role-Playing Game: Although the
and/or other such areas, collecting treasures and
perspective can change at times (such as during
battling enemies along the way. Oftentimes, dun-
battle sequences or while purchasing items from
geon crawlers are light on plot and heavy on kills.
shops), this type of game largely features a first-
person viewpoint, in which players view the action
Educational: A game in which the intended out-
as the character would see it.
come is for the player to learn about words, num-