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A.P.B. (arcade game)
Encyclopedia
A.P.B. is a 1987 arcade video game by Atari Games
. In the game, the player assumes the role of "Officer Bob," a rookie police officer
.
. The player controls the car with a gas pedal and a steering wheel. The player receives "demerits" for accidental collisions, running over pedestrians, and failing to make quota. The player gains bonuses for a "perfect day" and each arrest over the quota. Picking up donut
s extends the time limit for a day. Driving through filling stations refuels the patrol car. Driving through the garage(once a day) upgrades the patrol car with brakes, guns, armor, radar, etc.
The game begins by having the player ticket common misdemeanor infractors (such as those litter
ing) by pulling up behind them, pushing the siren button and having them pull over. Eventually, the game gives the player the task of arresting fugitive felons. Every other day, starting on the third day, the player can go after an A.P.B. ("All Points Bulletin"). When a fugitive is caught and returned to the station, the player must "persuade" (i.e., rattle) a confession out of them before the Chief enters the room. This is done by filling the "Confess-O-Meter" by tapping alternatively on the "fire" and "siren" buttons.
The game ends when the player reaches his demerit maximum. When the demerit limit is reached, the game shows the player being pulled over and cuffed by other officers with the message "TOO MANY DEMERITS. YOU ARE FIRED."
The game cabinet is generally a standard upright. The main controls consist of a steering wheel, a siren button, a "fire" button (gun
) and an accelerator pedal. The cabinet has two lights on top, red and blue, which flash when the player presses the siren button. The cabinet has a detachable seat which can be used to convert the cabinet into a sit-down game.
Honkers. First seen on Day 4(Which is also when Bob can upgrade his car with a gun), these are slow-moving yellow taxis that disrupt the flow of traffic. 2 siren taps will pull them over.
Dopers. First seen on Day 6, these require 3 taps(by siren, gun or nudging with your car) to pull over. All dopers are drifting green vans with a figure on the roof, and spewing gray smoke. The response to the first tap is always the driver asking, "Who, me?"
Drunks. First seen on Day 8, these require 4 taps to pull over, and always initially respond with "No Way!". All are shown as brown pickups with bottles falling out of the back.
Hitchers. These have been around since the training day, but on day 10, Officer Bob is required to pick up 10 of them. They are usually found by overpasses or donut huts. Having no cars, they are shown as people standing with their thumbs out, and holding a suitcase. 1 touch will pick them up.
Speeders. First seen on Day 12, these are the only violators who do not all have the same appearance. Some are purple sports cars, some yellow sedans, and a few are brown jalopies. Radar is required to detect them, which will project the current speed onto the target car. 5 hits will pull them over, and while all are fast-moving, there are enough on the road to temper this level's difficulty.
Assaulters. First seen on Day 14, these are plentiful, but not easy to hit because of their small size. They are displayed as punks on motorcycles instead of cars, and often hit back with their fists when nudged from the side. 5 hits again are needed to pull them over, and always initially respond saying "MAKE ME!"
Murderers. First seen on Day 16, These would better be described as "Rioters", since they fight back by tossing sticks of dynamite out their windows(your patrol car will explode if hit with one, earning you a demerit). Displayed as gold armored sedans, they are the hardest violators to arrest(only 6 are needed on Day 16), as they cannot be pulled over with the siren. Like the A.P.B. fugitives, they must be rammed completely off the road.
After Day 16, no other petty violators are introduced. The daily quota will be a combination of those above, with a few "Helps"(stranded motorists) thrown in.
Candy Goodbody (Day 5, $2000) A full-lipped woman wanted for Hooking, she is the only female in the first 10 most wanted. Her car is a purple sports car which closely resembles the Speeders from Day 12.
Bernie Gasman (Day 7, $3000) A tiny man completely covered in ash, wanted(as his name implies) for Arson. He can be caught in the act in a forest along Hwy 20. His car is a pickup truck with an all-over flame job.
Phillip Fuse (Day 9, $4000) An old madman in a WWII miner's helmet wanted for Bombings. He also can be caught in the act on the Hwy 30 overpass. His car resembles an armored vehicle used by Ordnance Disposal crews, and is not easy to run down.
Cool Hand Duke (Day 11. $5000) A black or deeply tanned man in huge sunglasses wanted for Pimping. His car is a yellow sports coupe, and isn't easy to keep up with.
Buzz Geiger (Day 13, $6000) An older and somewhat deformed man wanted for Nuclear Fuel Theft. His car is a stolen red HAZMAT
truck, whose sheer size makes it very hard to ram off the road.
Joe Korncob (Day 15, $7000) A bald man in a lab coat wanted for Water Utility Fraud, he can be found by the aqueduct along the highway. He drives a purple truck with a yellow tank.
Luigi De Muccio (Day 17, $8000) A dark-skinned man in suspenders and shades similar to Cool Hand Duke's, wanted for multiple Car Thefts. He drives a fast yellow sedan which looks like the Day 12 Speeders.
Dick Slob (Day 19, $9000) A dark-haired, constantly drooling man wanted for Toxic Dumping. Like Joe Korncob, he can also be found by the aqueduct and drives a similar truck, but he drives much slower than most and can easily be overshot.
Iggi Ding Dong (Day 21, $10000) A baby-faced man with a mohawk and missing teeth wanted for Reckless Driving. He drives a well-smashed brown jalopy with white and blue details, and is extremely erratic, making him difficult(but not the hardest) to run down.
Juan Fingers (Day 23, $11000) A stubbly-faced Hispanic man smoking a cigarette wanted for Armed Robbery. He drives a white van with black graffiti on the roof, but is very difficult to find.
Hans Oop (Day 25, $12000) A wild-haired man in sunglasses wanted for Bank Jobs. He drives a white van similar to Juan Fingers's, and is also not easy to locate.
Fake Frank (Day 27, $13000) A possibly masked man with a large tongue wanted for Fraud. The chase begins soon as you leave the station, because Frank is driving a stolen(and extremely fast) police car!
Sid Sniper (Day 29, $14000) A wild-haired madman hippee in a bandanna wanted for Unregistered Firearms(given his name, that's probably the least of it!) He can be caught in the act on the Hwy 30 overpass, and drives an armored vehicle similar to the one Phillip Fuse drives.
The game enjoyed moderate success in the marketplace, as most Atari games did. Its high-resolution graphics and novel cabinet design, with the flashing lights atop, added to its initial appeal.
' s system hardware
used the Atari System 2, including:
and published by Domark
. It was also made available on Atari Lynx, GameCube
, PlayStation 2
and Xbox
as part of Midway Arcade Treasures 2
and PC
as part of Midway Arcade Treasures Deluxe Edition
.
Atari Games
Atari Games Corporation was an American producer of arcade games, and originally part of Atari, Inc..-History:When, in 1984, Warner Communications sold the Atari Consumer division of Atari Inc...
. In the game, the player assumes the role of "Officer Bob," a rookie police officer
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
.
Gameplay
The object of the game is to meet (or exceed) the daily quota of citing or arresting various types of law-breakers within a time limit for the day. The player is given an overhead view of Officer Bob's patrol car, number 54Car 54, Where Are You?
Car 54, Where Are You? is an American sitcom that ran on NBC from 1961 to 1963. Episodes had various directors, the most recognized being Al De Caprio. Stanley Prager and Nat Hiken also directed several episodes. Most of its filming was on location in The Bronx, and at Biograph...
. The player controls the car with a gas pedal and a steering wheel. The player receives "demerits" for accidental collisions, running over pedestrians, and failing to make quota. The player gains bonuses for a "perfect day" and each arrest over the quota. Picking up donut
DONUT
DONUT was an experiment at Fermilab dedicated to the search for tau neutrino interactions. Even though the detector operated only during a few months in the summer of 1997, it was largely successful. By detecting the tau neutrino, it confirmed the existence of the last lepton predicted by the...
s extends the time limit for a day. Driving through filling stations refuels the patrol car. Driving through the garage(once a day) upgrades the patrol car with brakes, guns, armor, radar, etc.
The game begins by having the player ticket common misdemeanor infractors (such as those litter
Litter
Litter consists of waste products such as containers, papers, wrappers or faeces which have been disposed of without consent. Litter can also be used as a verb...
ing) by pulling up behind them, pushing the siren button and having them pull over. Eventually, the game gives the player the task of arresting fugitive felons. Every other day, starting on the third day, the player can go after an A.P.B. ("All Points Bulletin"). When a fugitive is caught and returned to the station, the player must "persuade" (i.e., rattle) a confession out of them before the Chief enters the room. This is done by filling the "Confess-O-Meter" by tapping alternatively on the "fire" and "siren" buttons.
The game ends when the player reaches his demerit maximum. When the demerit limit is reached, the game shows the player being pulled over and cuffed by other officers with the message "TOO MANY DEMERITS. YOU ARE FIRED."
The game cabinet is generally a standard upright. The main controls consist of a steering wheel, a siren button, a "fire" button (gun
Gun
A gun is a muzzle or breech-loaded projectile-firing weapon. There are various definitions depending on the nation and branch of service. A "gun" may be distinguished from other firearms in being a crew-served weapon such as a howitzer or mortar, as opposed to a small arm like a rifle or pistol,...
) and an accelerator pedal. The cabinet has two lights on top, red and blue, which flash when the player presses the siren button. The cabinet has a detachable seat which can be used to convert the cabinet into a sit-down game.
Petty Violators
Litterbugs. First seen on Day 2, these are the easiest violators to arrest, 1 touch with the targeter(which flashes PULL OVER when the siren is depressed) will make them pull over(i.e., disappear). They are displayed as pink convertibles with passengers tossing cans out on the road.Honkers. First seen on Day 4(Which is also when Bob can upgrade his car with a gun), these are slow-moving yellow taxis that disrupt the flow of traffic. 2 siren taps will pull them over.
Dopers. First seen on Day 6, these require 3 taps(by siren, gun or nudging with your car) to pull over. All dopers are drifting green vans with a figure on the roof, and spewing gray smoke. The response to the first tap is always the driver asking, "Who, me?"
Drunks. First seen on Day 8, these require 4 taps to pull over, and always initially respond with "No Way!". All are shown as brown pickups with bottles falling out of the back.
Hitchers. These have been around since the training day, but on day 10, Officer Bob is required to pick up 10 of them. They are usually found by overpasses or donut huts. Having no cars, they are shown as people standing with their thumbs out, and holding a suitcase. 1 touch will pick them up.
Speeders. First seen on Day 12, these are the only violators who do not all have the same appearance. Some are purple sports cars, some yellow sedans, and a few are brown jalopies. Radar is required to detect them, which will project the current speed onto the target car. 5 hits will pull them over, and while all are fast-moving, there are enough on the road to temper this level's difficulty.
Assaulters. First seen on Day 14, these are plentiful, but not easy to hit because of their small size. They are displayed as punks on motorcycles instead of cars, and often hit back with their fists when nudged from the side. 5 hits again are needed to pull them over, and always initially respond saying "MAKE ME!"
Murderers. First seen on Day 16, These would better be described as "Rioters", since they fight back by tossing sticks of dynamite out their windows(your patrol car will explode if hit with one, earning you a demerit). Displayed as gold armored sedans, they are the hardest violators to arrest(only 6 are needed on Day 16), as they cannot be pulled over with the siren. Like the A.P.B. fugitives, they must be rammed completely off the road.
After Day 16, no other petty violators are introduced. The daily quota will be a combination of those above, with a few "Helps"(stranded motorists) thrown in.
A.P.B. Fugitives
Freddy Freak (Day 3, $1000) An aging hippie wanted for Drug Dealing, he is the easiest to arrest, but not the slowest. His car is a pink van decorated with Peace signs and other decals.Candy Goodbody (Day 5, $2000) A full-lipped woman wanted for Hooking, she is the only female in the first 10 most wanted. Her car is a purple sports car which closely resembles the Speeders from Day 12.
Bernie Gasman (Day 7, $3000) A tiny man completely covered in ash, wanted(as his name implies) for Arson. He can be caught in the act in a forest along Hwy 20. His car is a pickup truck with an all-over flame job.
Phillip Fuse (Day 9, $4000) An old madman in a WWII miner's helmet wanted for Bombings. He also can be caught in the act on the Hwy 30 overpass. His car resembles an armored vehicle used by Ordnance Disposal crews, and is not easy to run down.
Cool Hand Duke (Day 11. $5000) A black or deeply tanned man in huge sunglasses wanted for Pimping. His car is a yellow sports coupe, and isn't easy to keep up with.
Buzz Geiger (Day 13, $6000) An older and somewhat deformed man wanted for Nuclear Fuel Theft. His car is a stolen red HAZMAT
Hazmat
Hazmat, HazMat and similar terms can refer to:* Hazardous materials and items—see Dangerous goods** Hazchem—a system of hazardous chemical classification and firefighting modes** A hazmat suit is a type of protective clothing...
truck, whose sheer size makes it very hard to ram off the road.
Joe Korncob (Day 15, $7000) A bald man in a lab coat wanted for Water Utility Fraud, he can be found by the aqueduct along the highway. He drives a purple truck with a yellow tank.
Luigi De Muccio (Day 17, $8000) A dark-skinned man in suspenders and shades similar to Cool Hand Duke's, wanted for multiple Car Thefts. He drives a fast yellow sedan which looks like the Day 12 Speeders.
Dick Slob (Day 19, $9000) A dark-haired, constantly drooling man wanted for Toxic Dumping. Like Joe Korncob, he can also be found by the aqueduct and drives a similar truck, but he drives much slower than most and can easily be overshot.
Iggi Ding Dong (Day 21, $10000) A baby-faced man with a mohawk and missing teeth wanted for Reckless Driving. He drives a well-smashed brown jalopy with white and blue details, and is extremely erratic, making him difficult(but not the hardest) to run down.
Juan Fingers (Day 23, $11000) A stubbly-faced Hispanic man smoking a cigarette wanted for Armed Robbery. He drives a white van with black graffiti on the roof, but is very difficult to find.
Hans Oop (Day 25, $12000) A wild-haired man in sunglasses wanted for Bank Jobs. He drives a white van similar to Juan Fingers's, and is also not easy to locate.
Fake Frank (Day 27, $13000) A possibly masked man with a large tongue wanted for Fraud. The chase begins soon as you leave the station, because Frank is driving a stolen(and extremely fast) police car!
Sid Sniper (Day 29, $14000) A wild-haired madman hippee in a bandanna wanted for Unregistered Firearms(given his name, that's probably the least of it!) He can be caught in the act on the Hwy 30 overpass, and drives an armored vehicle similar to the one Phillip Fuse drives.
Popularity
Hardware
A.P.B.Arcade system board
An arcade system board is a dedicated computer system created for the purpose of running video arcade games. Arcade system boards typically consist of a main system board with any number of supporting boards...
used the Atari System 2, including:
- CPUCentral processing unitThe central processing unit is the portion of a computer system that carries out the instructions of a computer program, to perform the basic arithmetical, logical, and input/output operations of the system. The CPU plays a role somewhat analogous to the brain in the computer. The term has been in...
: T-11DEC T-11The T-11, also known as DC310, is a microprocessor that implements the PDP-11 instruction set architecture developed by Digital Equipment Corporation. The T-11 was code-named "Tiny". It was developed for embedded systems and was the first single-chip microprocessor developed by DEC...
(10 MHz) - SoundSoundSound is a mechanical wave that is an oscillation of pressure transmitted through a solid, liquid, or gas, composed of frequencies within the range of hearing and of a level sufficiently strong to be heard, or the sensation stimulated in organs of hearing by such vibrations.-Propagation of...
: 6502MOS Technology 6502The MOS Technology 6502 is an 8-bit microprocessor that was designed by Chuck Peddle and Bill Mensch for MOS Technology in 1975. When it was introduced, it was the least expensive full-featured microprocessor on the market by a considerable margin, costing less than one-sixth the price of...
(2.2 MHz), YM2151 (3.579545 MHz), 2 x POKEYAtari POKEYThe Pot Keyboard Integrated Circuit is a digital I/O chip found in the Atari 8-bit family of home computers and many arcade games in the 1980s. It was commonly used to sample potentiometers and scan matrices of switches...
(1.789772 MHz), TMS5220TMS5220The Texas Instruments LPC Speech Chips are a series of speech synthesizer DSP ICs created by Texas Instruments beginning in 1978. They continued to be developed and marketed for many years, though the speech department moved around several times within TI, until finally the speech department...
(625.00 kHz)
Ports
A.P.B. was ported to several home computer systems including Atari ST and Commodore Amiga. These ports were mostly developed by TengenTengen (company)
Tengen was a video game publisher and developer that was created by arcade game manufacturer Atari Games.-History:Atari had been split into two distinct companies. Atari Corporation was responsible for computer and console games and hardware and owned the rights to the Atari brand for these domains...
and published by Domark
Domark
Domark Software was a video games software house based in the United Kingdom. The name was derived from the given names of its founders, Dominic Wheatley and Mark Strachan...
. It was also made available on Atari Lynx, GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
, PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
and Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
as part of Midway Arcade Treasures 2
Midway Arcade Treasures 2
Midway Arcade Treasures 2 is the second collection of classic arcade games published by Midway for the GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox. This compilation includes 20 games that were not in the 2003 release of Midway Arcade Treasures or the 2005 release of Midway Arcade Treasures 3.The game plays...
and PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
as part of Midway Arcade Treasures Deluxe Edition
Midway Arcade Treasures Deluxe Edition
Midway Arcade Treasures Deluxe Edition is an arcade compilation released exclusively for the PC on February 17, 2006 in North America, and on March 17, 2006 in PAL regions. It is a compilation of Midway Arcade Treasures 2 and Midway Arcade Treasures 3, which had both been previously released on...
.
See also
- A.P.B.APB (computer game)APB: All Points Bulletin is a multiplayer online video game for Microsoft Windows based in urban sprawls and featuring two factions, Enforcers and the Criminals. Players can join either the Enforcers or the Criminals, and form sub-groups in either faction...
, developed by Real Time Worlds for Windows PCs, released and shut down in 2010.