Centipede (1998 PC Version)
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| Centipede | |
|---|---|
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| Developer(s) | Atari and Leaping Lizard |
| Publisher(s) | Hasbro Interactive |
| Designer(s) | Richard Rouse III (Lead Designer) Mark Bullock (Lead Level Designer) |
| Latest version | 1.00 |
| Release date(s) | 1998 |
| Genre(s) | shoot 'em up |
| Mode(s) | Single player and MP over IPX, TCP/IP, Modem or 2 player split screen. |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows XP, Windows 98 or Windows 95, |
| Media | CD (1) |
| Input | Keyboard |
Centipede is a remake of the 1980's classical game, produced by Atari and designed by Ed Logg and Dona Bailey. This version has multiple in-game innovations, with improved game play and graphics. It sticks to the original idea, of shooting the entire centipede repeatedly; even though the player plays as a futuristic vehicle named The Shooter rather than the original garden gnome.
It consists, basically, of a series of "rounds" which are completed once the player eliminates the centipede that winds down the playing field.
Contents |
[edit] Gameplay
[edit] Game modes
The game can be played in several game modes, marking quite a change from the original version, in which only one game mode was available.
[edit] Arcade
Only in this game mode does the player actually play what would be a remake of the Classical Game, since here movement around the map is also limited to a certain point and since only the classical enemies make their appearance in the playing field; of course, all in advanced graphics.
[edit] Campaign
In this game mode, the player plays a succession of levels all linked by a storyline; also, here the player or the players, since it can also be played on multiplayer mode, may encounter both "classical" and "new" enemies.
[edit] Rules and concepts
There is a series of concepts, which form the game, and rules, which hold together these concepts.
[edit] Points
Through out the game, the player gains points, which, once the game is over, form a final score which is input at the high scores list along with the player´s name.
The player gains points by shooting insects and mushrooms, and , if playing the campaign, by saving people and protecting buildings and other structures from swarms of insects. Whenever the player gains 20000 additional points, an additional shooter is gained.
[edit] Enemies
Insects are the main and only enemies (along with dangerous mushrooms) that the player must encounter; if they have contact with the shooter, the player loses a shooter or life; note that some insects can throw projectiles in order to destroy the shooter. Whenever the player shoots an insect, he gains a predetermined number of points, which may vary with every insect. Usually, the player aims for the centipede, which is the main enemy.
Enemies are divided into "classical" and "new" enemies; Classical enemies are those of whom its origin is traced back to the original Centipede; they are found in the campaign mode and they are the sole component of the arcade mode. New enemies are those originated in this version of Centipede; they are only found in campaign mode.
[edit] Technical features
One of the most notable innovations of this remake, towards previous versions, is that of the greatly improved 3D graphics.[1]
[edit] Reception
The game received mostly negative critics, since lots of promised improvemnts and new feautures were not made or were quite bad; and many reviewers even suggested that gamers go back to playing the original version.
But, a certain review stated that even though this remake for PC wasn´t so succesfull, its adaptations to the other consoles were quite impressive.[2]
Also, it received recognition for its graphics, which, even though weren´t as good as promised, they were described as "immensely more sophisticated" than the original version; but this led to an interrogant: Do the better graphics auctually make the game nay better? Later, this interrogant was to be aplied to all video games, leading to the analysis of the influence of the graphics over gameplay and the game itself. [3]
Gamespot gave it a rating of 6.9, which would be equal to "fair".[4]
