Nibbler (video game)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Nibbler | |
|---|---|
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| Developer(s) | Christoph van Rhein and Roman Majer |
| Publisher(s) | Mozaik Software |
| Designer(s) | Christoph van Rhein and Roman Majer |
| Release date(s) | 1984 |
| Genre(s) | Arcade game |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Platform(s) | Amstrad CPC |
| Input | Keyboard |
Nibbler is a simple video game, and is the basis for the popular MS-DOS game, Nibbles, which is likely the reason that the very similar video game Snake is a popular game on today's mobile phones. Its object is to navigate a virtual snake (or worm) through an enclosed space, while consuming dots along the way. Usually, the length of the snake increases with each object consumed, making the game more difficult. The player must also avoid colliding with walls or obstacles, and must also avoid colliding with the snake's own body sections. After a certain number of objects have been eaten, the player progresses to the next level, usually involving harder obstacles and/or higher game speeds.
Nibbler experienced a revival in the early 21st century thanks to the proliferation of mobile phone versions of the game, where it is usually known as Snake.
Nibbler is actually a copy/enhancement of a 1977 arcade game called Hustle.
In 2005, JMD made a themable clone of Nibbler for the Sega Dreamcast. The Dreamcast version won first place in the amateur game division of the second annual Dream On Contest, held by Cyberdog Castle and The GOAT Store.
[edit] Nibbler's Significance in Video Game History
Nibbler was the first video game that allowed the player to score a ten-digit score -- one billion points. This threshold was reached by Tim McVey at the Twin Galaxies Intergalactic Scoreboard in Ottumwa, Iowa, (The Video Game Capital of the World) on January 17, 1984, scoring 1,000,042,270 points. News of his accomplishment was carried by the wire services and a feature story on his feat was published in the July, 1984 issue of Computer Games Magazine. McVey became the first video game player in gaming history to have a civic day set aside in his honor: "Tim McVey Day," January 28, 1984. Officials from Rock-Ola, the game's manufacturer, were in attendance to award McVey with a free copy of the game for his accomplishment. See these External News Resources:
- History's First Billion-Point Video Game Performance (Jan. 16, 1984) Computer Games magazine, July 1, 1984
- History's First Official Day to Honor a Video Game Player (Jan. 28, 1984) Tim McVey Day Poster, January 28, 1984
- Twin Galaxies Scoreboard for Nibbler World Records
