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Centipede (1998 video game)
Encyclopedia
Centipede is a remake of the 1980 arcade game
of the same name
, produced by Atari
and designed by Ed Logg
and Dona Bailey
. This version has multiple in-game innovations, with improved gameplay and graphics. It retains the original idea of shooting the entire centipede repeatedly. The player assumes the role of a futuristic vehicle named "The Shooter", rather than the original garden gnome
.
Gameplay consists of a series of "rounds" which are completed once the player eliminates the centipede
that winds down the playing field. Obstacles such as spider
s, flea
s, and scorpion
s complicate the game. At the same time, a population of mushroom
s grows between the player and the centipede.
. Only in the arcade mode does one play what would be considered a Centipede remake, as movement around the map is restricted and only the classic enemies make an appearance. In the campaign, one completes a series of levels linked by a storyline. Here the player encounters both the original enemies (centipede, spider, flea, scorpion, poisonous mushroom) and a new array as well (dragonfly, butterfly, firebug, icebug, killer mushroom, etc.), of whom some are capable of throwing projectiles to destroy the shooter and others of altering mushrooms. If an enemy or projectile contacts the shooter, the player loses a life.
The player gains one point for each mushroom they kill (except for poisonous and killer mushrooms, which count as more) and a set of points for each insect, the amount depending on the type of insect they shoot, and, if playing the campaign, by saving people and gathering talismans, as well as protecting buildings, "star crystals", and other structures from swarms of insects. Whenever the player gains 20,000 additional points, an additional "shooter" (life
) is obtained.
The player plays as Wally, the chosen hero to fight the insects that century, who is to take control of the shooter, a vehicle made for, as its name indicates, rendering shots against the insect menace. Thus, the player embarks a journey across five worlds: Weedom, Frostonia, Inferium, Enigma, and Evile (each consisting of about 5 levels each, with the final level of each including a boss
that must be defeated), in order to end the curse forever.
Apart from the appearance of additional foes and bonus points awarded at the end of each level if certain tasks are accomplished (rescuing villagers, extracting star crystals, etc.), the adventure mode also differentiates from the arcade mode by the presence of power-ups, triggered by shooting down flashing mushrooms, which enhance the shooter's shooting abilities (equipping it with double shots, triple shots, rockets, explosives, etc.).
One of the most notable innovations of this remake, relative to previous versions, is that of the greatly improved 3D graphics
. The game's campaign also includes first-person and third-person view
, apart from the default "over-the-shoulder" perspective. Nevertheless, bugs with the new views have been cited by critics, such as when the player enables the first-person view, the shooter is destroyed easily by insects attacking from behind, out of the player's sight.
Some put the game slightly better than Frogger
, seeing as an interesting game for Centipede fanatics but beneath the standards of most occasional gamers.
One review stated that even though this remake for personal computers wasn't successful, its adaptation to home consoles were quite impressive.
It received recognition for its graphics, which were described as "immensely more sophisticated" than the original version; but this led to the question: "Do the improved graphics actually make the game any better?"
Gamespot
gave it a rating of 6.9, equivalent to "fair".
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
of the same name
Centipede (video game)
Centipede is a vertically-oriented shoot 'em up arcade game produced by Atari, Inc. in 1980. The game was designed by Ed Logg along with Dona Bailey, one of the few female game programmers in the industry at this time. It was also the first arcade coin-operated game to have a significant female...
, produced by Atari
Atari
Atari is a corporate and brand name owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by Atari Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of the French publisher Atari, SA . The original Atari, Inc. was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It was a pioneer in...
and designed by Ed Logg
Ed Logg
George Edward Logg born in Seattle in 1948 is a retired arcade video game designer, employed first at Atari and after at Atari Games. He co-developed the video game Asteroids with Lyle Rains...
and Dona Bailey
Dona Bailey
Dona Bailey is a game programmer who, along with Ed Logg in 1981, created the video game Centipede. Centipede is one of the first video games to incorporate Artificial intelligence . She was one of the only female game programmers in the industry at that time...
. This version has multiple in-game innovations, with improved gameplay and graphics. It retains the original idea of shooting the entire centipede repeatedly. The player assumes the role of a futuristic vehicle named "The Shooter", rather than the original garden gnome
Garden gnome
A garden gnome or lawn gnome is a figurine of a small humanoid creature, usually wearing a pointy hat, produced for the purpose of ornamentation and protection from evil sorcery, typically of gardens or on lawns....
.
Gameplay consists of a series of "rounds" which are completed once the player eliminates the centipede
Centipede
Centipedes are arthropods belonging to the class Chilopoda of the subphylum Myriapoda. They are elongated metameric animals with one pair of legs per body segment. Despite the name, centipedes can have a varying number of legs from under 20 to over 300. Centipedes have an odd number of pairs of...
that winds down the playing field. Obstacles such as spider
Spider
Spiders are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, and chelicerae with fangs that inject venom. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species diversity among all other groups of organisms...
s, flea
Flea
Flea is the common name for insects of the order Siphonaptera which are wingless insects with mouthparts adapted for piercing skin and sucking blood...
s, and scorpion
Scorpion
Scorpions are predatory arthropod animals of the order Scorpiones within the class Arachnida. They have eight legs and are easily recognized by the pair of grasping claws and the narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward curve over the back, ending with a venomous stinger...
s complicate the game. At the same time, a population of mushroom
Mushroom
A mushroom is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or on its food source. The standard for the name "mushroom" is the cultivated white button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus; hence the word "mushroom" is most often applied to those fungi that...
s grows between the player and the centipede.
Gameplay
The game can be played in two game modes, "arcade" and "adventure", the latter marking a departure from the original versionCentipede (video game)
Centipede is a vertically-oriented shoot 'em up arcade game produced by Atari, Inc. in 1980. The game was designed by Ed Logg along with Dona Bailey, one of the few female game programmers in the industry at this time. It was also the first arcade coin-operated game to have a significant female...
. Only in the arcade mode does one play what would be considered a Centipede remake, as movement around the map is restricted and only the classic enemies make an appearance. In the campaign, one completes a series of levels linked by a storyline. Here the player encounters both the original enemies (centipede, spider, flea, scorpion, poisonous mushroom) and a new array as well (dragonfly, butterfly, firebug, icebug, killer mushroom, etc.), of whom some are capable of throwing projectiles to destroy the shooter and others of altering mushrooms. If an enemy or projectile contacts the shooter, the player loses a life.
The player gains one point for each mushroom they kill (except for poisonous and killer mushrooms, which count as more) and a set of points for each insect, the amount depending on the type of insect they shoot, and, if playing the campaign, by saving people and gathering talismans, as well as protecting buildings, "star crystals", and other structures from swarms of insects. Whenever the player gains 20,000 additional points, an additional "shooter" (life
1-up
1-up , pronounced "one up", is a term in console video gaming that commonly refers to an item that gives the player an extra life, to complete the game. In certain games, it is possible to receive multiple extra lives at once...
) is obtained.
Campaign
The story tells of a group of villages, Weedom, all living in harmony with one another and nature. However, according to the legend, every hundred years a group of "armored beasts" emerge from "the dark core of the earth" to serve their master, the Queen Pede, and aid her in the destruction of the Wee people. Every time this happens a magic stick is employed to find a hero to defend them. Every time the insects are defeated, the villagers believe that the threat has permanently ended; but they always return, as the legend indicates.The player plays as Wally, the chosen hero to fight the insects that century, who is to take control of the shooter, a vehicle made for, as its name indicates, rendering shots against the insect menace. Thus, the player embarks a journey across five worlds: Weedom, Frostonia, Inferium, Enigma, and Evile (each consisting of about 5 levels each, with the final level of each including a boss
Boss (video games)
A boss is an enemy-based challenge which is found in video games. A fight with a boss character is commonly referred to as a boss battle or boss fight...
that must be defeated), in order to end the curse forever.
Apart from the appearance of additional foes and bonus points awarded at the end of each level if certain tasks are accomplished (rescuing villagers, extracting star crystals, etc.), the adventure mode also differentiates from the arcade mode by the presence of power-ups, triggered by shooting down flashing mushrooms, which enhance the shooter's shooting abilities (equipping it with double shots, triple shots, rockets, explosives, etc.).
Technical features
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
. The game's campaign also includes first-person and third-person view
Third-person shooter
Third-person shooter is a genre of 3D action games in which the player character is visible on-screen, and the gameplay consists primarily of shooting.-Definition:...
, apart from the default "over-the-shoulder" perspective. Nevertheless, bugs with the new views have been cited by critics, such as when the player enables the first-person view, the shooter is destroyed easily by insects attacking from behind, out of the player's sight.
Reception
The game received mostly negative criticism, since many promised improvements and feature additions went unimplemented or were implemented poorly. Many reviewers suggested that gamers go back to playing the original version.Some put the game slightly better than Frogger
Frogger
Frogger is an arcade game introduced in 1981. It was developed by Konami, and licensed for worldwide distribution by Sega/Gremlin. The object of the game is to direct frogs to their homes one by one. To do this, each frog must avoid cars while crossing a busy road and navigate a river full of...
, seeing as an interesting game for Centipede fanatics but beneath the standards of most occasional gamers.
One review stated that even though this remake for personal computers wasn't successful, its adaptation to home consoles were quite impressive.
It received recognition for its graphics, which were described as "immensely more sophisticated" than the original version; but this led to the question: "Do the improved graphics actually make the game any better?"
Gamespot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
gave it a rating of 6.9, equivalent to "fair".
External links
- Ign's entry for the game
- Trygame's entry for the game
- Gamespot's entry for the game
- Paranoid Production's entry for the game
- Video game critic's entry for the game
- Game Developer Magazine Post-Mortem written by lead designer Richard Rouse IIIRichard Rouse IIIRichard Rouse III is an American video game designer and writer best known as the designer of The Suffering games and the author of Game Design: Theory & Practice.-Life and career:...