Wacko
Encyclopedia
Wacko is a 1983 arcade game
by Bally Midway. It debuted during the "Golden Age of Arcade Games
". It featured a unique angled, or "sloped" cabinet design and a combination of trackball
and joystick controls.
. The goal of each level is to eliminate the monsters, accomplished by shooting twin pairs in succession. As the player progresses, shooting monsters out of order creates mutants that must be unmatched before they can be eliminated.
Shooting a different monster, on later boards, results in the two becoming a mutant—the head on one joins with the torso on the other, and vice versa. To eliminate these mutants one must either "unmix" them, by shooting the same pair again, or produce a second set of identical mutants which can then be paired up with the respective members of the first pair. Eliminating a pair of mutants is worth more points than eliminating a pair of non-mutants.
As the player advances from board to board, the following additional transformations appear, introduced one at a time:
Each new form requires only one shot to be either destroyed or changed into the next one. All monsters on the screen must be turned into the next form before any of them can be destroyed or further transformed.
, for the GameCube, PlayStation 2
, and Xbox
; and Midway Arcade Treasures Deluxe Edition
for the PC.
1,608,100 points playing Wacko at the NKC Pro Bowl in Kansas City
, Missouri
, USA, on March 31, 1983.
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...
by Bally Midway. It debuted during the "Golden Age of Arcade Games
Golden Age of Arcade Games
The golden age of video arcade games was a peak era of video arcade game popularity, innovation, and earnings. Although there is no consensus as to its exact time period, most sources place it around the early 1980s.-Overview:...
". It featured a unique angled, or "sloped" cabinet design and a combination of trackball
Trackball
A trackball is a pointing device consisting of a ball held by a socket containing sensors to detect a rotation of the ball about two axes—like an upside-down mouse with an exposed protruding ball. The user rolls the ball with the thumb, fingers, or the palm of the hand to move a cursor...
and joystick controls.
Description
The player assumes the role of Kapt'n Krooz'r, a small, green alien within a bubble-topped spaceshipSpacecraft
A spacecraft or spaceship is a craft or machine designed for spaceflight. Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, earth observation, meteorology, navigation, planetary exploration and transportation of humans and cargo....
. The goal of each level is to eliminate the monsters, accomplished by shooting twin pairs in succession. As the player progresses, shooting monsters out of order creates mutants that must be unmatched before they can be eliminated.
Gameplay
The player moves Kapt'n Krooz'r with the trackball and fires using either joystick. (A similar shooting scheme was used in Robotron 2084, although in 8 directions rather than 4.) Shooting a single monster stuns it for a few seconds. Krooz'r must then shoot the monster's twin before the first one recovers in order to eliminate the pair.Shooting a different monster, on later boards, results in the two becoming a mutant—the head on one joins with the torso on the other, and vice versa. To eliminate these mutants one must either "unmix" them, by shooting the same pair again, or produce a second set of identical mutants which can then be paired up with the respective members of the first pair. Eliminating a pair of mutants is worth more points than eliminating a pair of non-mutants.
As the player advances from board to board, the following additional transformations appear, introduced one at a time:
- Matched pairs of large monsters become tiny and fly around the screen
- Tiny monsters turn into eggs and run around
- Eggs turn into bats
Each new form requires only one shot to be either destroyed or changed into the next one. All monsters on the screen must be turned into the next form before any of them can be destroyed or further transformed.
Ports
Wacko is available as a part of two compilations of arcade games: Midway Arcade Treasures 2Midway 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...
, for the GameCube, 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...
; and 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...
for the PC.
Highest score
Steve Harris of Missouri, USA, scored a world recordWorld record
A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...
1,608,100 points playing Wacko at the NKC Pro Bowl in Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, USA, on March 31, 1983.