Space Zap

SpaceZap is a reflex action arcade game developed by Game-A-Tron and licensed to Bally Midway in 1980.^[1][2] Having the uniqueness of a four way button control instead of a joystick, and is available on three different machines, mini-myte, Cocktail table and standard arcade.^[2]

Gameplay

Space Zap is a space themed arcade game purely based on player reflexes. The goal of the game is to defend an anchored base from the alien attackers as they shoot from random sides.^[2] The base is in the center of the screen having unlimited ammo defending from the spaceships that appeared on the north, south, east, and west sides of the screen. If the player failed to shoot a mine the base would explode. The game is set with waves, after the player successfully defended the base they would encounter an attack satellite that would fly around the spaceship until the player hits them or until satellite hits the base. The player would start out with three lives at the beginning of the game.

The game allowed up to two players on every machine. The cocktail table was the only machine to have two control schemes.^[2]

The player receives points when they shoot a mine or, if lucky, hit the alien ship itself. The points were set with 250 for shooting a mine, 500 for the ship, and 2,000 for the attack satellite. The player would receive an extra base at the scores of 75,000, 150,000, and 300,000.^[2][3]

Technical details

The control of the game is set up with four directional buttons and a fire button. Every machine had the same control setup. The game's display was on a raster display with 352 by 240 resolution.^[4]

References