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Big Top (video Game)
''Big Top'' is a circus-themed platform game for the IBM PC family of computers, written by Michael Abrash and published by Funtastic in 1983. The game was distributed on a self-booting disk A self-booting disk is a floppy disk for home or personal computers that loads directly into a standalone application when the system is turned on, bypassing the operating system. This was common, even standard, on some computers in the late 1970 .... Gameplay ''Big Top'' features a circus "big top" theme. The user plays the part of a clown with the job of gathering all the hats on each ladder-filled level—where, in keeping with the theme, levels are called ''rings''. Each ring spans across at least two screens and has an upper and lower level. Obstacles include evil clowns, cannons, and rolling barrels. Reception See also *'' Sammy Lightfoot'', a similarly-themed game also from 1983 References External links ''Big Top''blog entry at Bunny Abandonware {{DEFAULTSORT:Big Top ( ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Michael Abrash
Michael Abrash is a programmer and technical writer specializing in code optimization and 80x86 assembly language. He wrote the 1990 book ''Zen of Assembly Language Volume 1: Knowledge'' and a monthly column in '' Dr. Dobb's Journal'' in the early 1990s. A later book, ''Zen of Graphics Programming'', applied these ideas to 2D and 3D graphics prior to the advent of hardware accelerators for the PC. Though not strictly a game programmer, Abrash has worked on the underlying technology for games, such as '' Quake'', for much of his career. Since 2014, he has been the chief scientist of Oculus VR, a subsidiary of Meta Platforms Game programmer Abrash was a game programmer in the early days of the IBM PC. His first commercial game was a clone of ''Space Invaders'' published by Datamost in 1982 as '' Space Strike''. He co-authored several games with Dan Illowsky, who had previously written the successful ''Pac-Man'' clone ''Snack Attack'' for the Apple II. Abrash and Illowsky worked to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1983 In Video Gaming
1983 has seen many sequels and prequels in video games, such as ''Mario Bros.'' and '' Pole Position II'', along with new titles such as '' Astron Belt'', ''Champion Baseball'', ''Dragon's Lair'', ''Elevator Action'', ''Spy Hunter'' and ''Track & Field''. Major events include the video game crash of 1983 in North America, and the third generation of video game consoles beginning with the launch of Nintendo's Family Computer (Famicom) and Sega's SG-1000 in Japan. The year's highest-grossing video game was Namco's arcade game ''Pole Position'', while the year's best-selling home system was Nintendo's Game & Watch for the third time since 1980. Financial performance * In the United States, arcade video game revenues are worth $2.9 billion (equivalent to $ adjusted for inflation). * In the United States, home video game sales are worth $2 billion (equivalent to $ adjusted for inflation). * In Japan, home video game sales approach ¥400 billion (equivalent to at the time, or $ a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Platform Game
A platform game (often simplified as platformer and sometimes called a jump 'n' run game) is a sub-genre of action video games in which the core objective is to move the player character between points in an environment. Platform games are characterized by levels that consist of uneven terrain and suspended platforms of varying height that require jumping and climbing to traverse. Other acrobatic maneuvers may factor into the gameplay, such as swinging from vines or grappling hooks, jumping off walls, air dashing, gliding through the air, being shot from cannons, or bouncing from springboards or trampolines. Games where jumping is automated completely, such as 3D games in ''The Legend of Zelda'' series, fall outside of the genre. The genre started with the 1980 arcade video game, '' Space Panic'', which includes ladders, but not jumping. '' Donkey Kong'', released in 1981, established a template for what were initially called "climbing games." ''Donkey Kong'' inspired many clon ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Single Player
A single-player video game is a video game where input from only one player is expected throughout the course of the gaming session. A single-player game is usually a game that can only be played by one person, while "single-player mode" is usually a game mode designed to be played by a single player, though the game also contains multi-player modes. Most modern console games and arcade games are designed so that they can be played by a single player; although many of these games have modes that allow two or more players to play (not necessarily simultaneously), very few actually require more than one player for the game to be played. The ''Unreal Tournament'' series is one example of such. History The earliest video games, such as ''Tennis for Two'' (1958), ''Spacewar!'' (1962), and ''Pong'' (1972), were symmetrical games designed to be played by two players. Single-player games gained popularity only after this, with early titles such as ''Speed Race'' (1974) and ''Space Invade ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
IBM PC
The IBM Personal Computer (model 5150, commonly known as the IBM PC) is the first microcomputer released in the IBM PC model line and the basis for the IBM PC compatible de facto standard. Released on August 12, 1981, it was created by a team of engineers and designers directed by Don Estridge in Boca Raton, Florida. The machine was based on open architecture and third-party peripherals. Over time, expansion cards and software technology increased to support it. The PC had a substantial influence on the personal computer market. The specifications of the IBM PC became one of the most popular computer design standards in the world. The only significant competition it faced from a non-compatible platform throughout the 1980s was from the Apple Macintosh product line. The majority of modern personal computers are distant descendants of the IBM PC. History Prior to the 1980s, IBM had largely been known as a provider of business computer systems. As the 1980s opened, their ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Platform Game
A platform game (often simplified as platformer and sometimes called a jump 'n' run game) is a sub-genre of action video games in which the core objective is to move the player character between points in an environment. Platform games are characterized by levels that consist of uneven terrain and suspended platforms of varying height that require jumping and climbing to traverse. Other acrobatic maneuvers may factor into the gameplay, such as swinging from vines or grappling hooks, jumping off walls, air dashing, gliding through the air, being shot from cannons, or bouncing from springboards or trampolines. Games where jumping is automated completely, such as 3D games in ''The Legend of Zelda'' series, fall outside of the genre. The genre started with the 1980 arcade video game, '' Space Panic'', which includes ladders, but not jumping. '' Donkey Kong'', released in 1981, established a template for what were initially called "climbing games." ''Donkey Kong'' inspired many clon ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Self-booting Disk
A self-booting disk is a floppy disk for home or personal computers that loads directly into a standalone application when the system is turned on, bypassing the operating system. This was common, even standard, on some computers in the late 1970s to early 1990s. Video games were the type of application most commonly distributed using this technique. The term PC booter is also used, primarily in reference to self-booting software for IBM PC compatibles. On other computers, like the Apple II and Atari 8-bit family, almost all software is self-booting. On the IBM PC, the distinction is between self-booting software and that which uses DOS-compatible operating systems. The term "PC booter" was not contemporary to when self-booting games were being released. Benefits * The software starts automatically, without any further action required by the user. * Copy prevention, because self-booting floppies often use a nonstandard filesystem or format. * Bypassing the normal operating sy ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sammy Lightfoot
''Sammy Lightfoot'' is a video game written by Warren Schwader for the Apple II and published by Sierra On-Line in 1983. It is a multi-screen platform game (or "climbing game", as the genre was called in the US in 1983), in the vein of '' Donkey Kong''. ''Sammy Lightfoot'' follows the travails of a circus worker who jumps and climbs through a number of perilous situations. It was initially ported to the Commodore 64 followed by ColecoVision and the PC-8800 series. Reception ''The Commodore 64 Home Companion'' stated that ''Sammy Lightfoot'' captures the cartoon spirit and graphic style of ''Donkey Kong'' without being a simple donkey clone". See also *''Apple Cider Spider ''Apple Cider Spider'' is a three-screen platform game written for the Apple II by Ivan Strand and published by Sierra On-Line in 1983. A Commodore 64 port followed. The player takes the role of a spider in an apple cider factory. The goal is t ...'', another Apple II platform game released by Sierra On ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1983 Video Games
The year 1983 saw both the official beginning of the Internet and the first mobile cellular telephone call. Events January * January 1 – The migration of the ARPANET to TCP/IP is officially completed (this is considered to be the beginning of the true Internet). * January 24 – Twenty-five members of the Red Brigades are sentenced to life imprisonment for the 1978 murder of Italian politician Aldo Moro. * January 25 ** High-ranking Nazi war criminal Klaus Barbie is arrested in Bolivia. ** IRAS is launched from Vandenberg AFB, to conduct the world's first all-sky infrared survey from space. February * February 2 – Giovanni Vigliotto goes on trial on charges of polygamy involving 105 women. * February 3 – Prime Minister of Australia Malcolm Fraser is granted a double dissolution of both houses of parliament, for elections on March 5, 1983. As Fraser is being granted the dissolution, Bill Hayden resigns as leader of the Australian Labor Party, and in the subsequent lea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Platform Games
Platform may refer to: Technology * Computing platform, a framework on which applications may be run * Platform game, a genre of video games * Car platform, a set of components shared by several vehicle models * Weapons platform, a system or structure that carries weapons * Web platform * Platform economy (or Platform capitalism, Platformization), a structure of internet business Physical objects and features * Carbonate platform, a type of sedimentary body * Cargo platform, a pallet used to ship cargo and heavy machines by forklift or manual lift * Diving platform, used in diving * Jumping platform, naturally occurring platforms, or platforms made in an ''ad hoc'' way for cliff jumping * Oil platform, a structure built for oil production * Platform, a component of scaffolding * Platform (geology), the part of a continental craton that is covered by sedimentary rocks * Platform (shopping center) in Culver City, Greater Los Angeles, California * Theatre platform, a standa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
