''TX-1'' is an arcade
racing
In sport, racing is a competition of speed, in which competitors try to complete a given task in the shortest amount of time. Typically this involves traversing some distance, but it can be any other task involving speed to reach a specific goa ...
simulation game
Simulation video games are a diverse super-category of video games, generally designed to closely simulate real world activities. A simulation game attempts to copy various activities from real life in the form of a game for various purposes such ...
developed by Tatsumi and released in 1983. It was licensed to
Namco
was a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational video game and entertainment company, headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo. It held several international branches, including Namco America in Santa Clara, California, Namco Europe in London, Na ...
,
[ who in turn licensed it to ]Atari, Inc.
Atari, Inc. was an American video game developer and home computer company founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. Atari was a key player in the formation of the video arcade and video game industry.
Based primarily around the Sunny ...
for release in the United States,[ thus the game is considered a successor to '']Pole Position
In a motorsports race, the pole position is usually the best and "statistically the most advantageous" starting position on the track. The pole position is usually earned by the driver with the best qualifying times in the trials before the rac ...
'' and '' Pole Position II''.[ It was also released in the United Kingdom, Ireland and mainland Europe via Atari Ireland.
''TX-1'' placed a greater emphasis on realistic simulation racing than previous games in the genre, with details such as forcing players to brake or downshift the gear during corners to avoid the risk of losing control, and let go of the accelerator when going into a skid in order to regain control of the steering. It was also the first car driving game to use ]force feedback
Haptic technology (also kinaesthetic communication or 3D touch) is technology that can create an experience of touch by applying forces, vibrations, or motions to the user. These technologies can be used to create virtual objects in a computer ...
technology, which caused the steering wheel to vibrate, and the game also featured a unique three-screen arcade display for a more three-dimensional
Three-dimensional space (also: 3D space, 3-space or, rarely, tri-dimensional space) is a geometric setting in which three values (called ''parameters'') are required to determine the position of an element (i.e., point). This is the informal ...
perspective of the track. It also introduced nonlinear gameplay
A video game with nonlinear gameplay presents players with challenges that can be completed in a number of different sequences. Each player may take on (or even encounter) only some of the challenges possible, and the same challenges may be played ...
by allowing players to choose which path to drive through after each checkpoint, eventually leading to one of eight possible final destinations.
A sequel, ''TX-1 V8'', was released in 1984. Both ''TX-1'' and its sequel were highly successful in Japan, where they were the top-grossing upright/cockpit arcade cabinet
An arcade cabinet, also known as an arcade machine or a coin-op cabinet or coin-op machine, is the housing within which an arcade game's electronic hardware resides. Most cabinets designed since the mid-1980s conform to the Japanese Amusement Ma ...
s for a combined sixteen months between 1983 and 1985. However, the sequel was not licensed by Atari for North American release.
Gameplay
Gameplay is similar to ''Pole Position'', in that the player, piloting a Formula One
Formula One (also known as Formula 1 or F1) is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The World Drivers' Championship, ...
racecar, needs to reach a check point
Check Point is an American-Israeli multinational provider of software and combined hardware and software products for IT security, including network security, endpoint security, cloud security, mobile security, data security and security managem ...
in a certain period of time in order to continue playing. While negotiating the course, the driver needs to exercise caution in the turns, as excessive speed will cause the car to skid; additionally, the driver needs to pass slower cars carefully to avoid a fiery crash.
Unlike ''Pole Position'', each stage ends at a branch point; depending on which way the driver turns, the course will be substantially different. The final two stages of this five-stage game were based upon famous Formula One races of the time and are identified by the name of the country; the path chosen during the previous three stages determines which "races" can be run in the final two stages. ''TX-1'' was a pioneer in this style of play, which would be copied by myriad other games, especially Sega
is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational video game and entertainment company headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo. Its international branches, Sega of America and Sega Europe, are headquartered in Irvine, California and London, r ...
's successful ''Out Run
(also stylized as ''OutRun'') is an arcade driving video game released by Sega in September 1986. It is known for its pioneering hardware and graphics, nonlinear gameplay, a selectable soundtrack with music composed by Hiroshi Kawaguchi (comp ...
'' series.
Development
Though ''TX-1'' uses raster graphics
upright=1, The Smiley, smiley face in the top left corner is a raster image. When enlarged, individual pixels appear as squares. Enlarging further, each pixel can be analyzed, with their colors constructed through combination of the values for ...
similar to the 1982 release ''Pole Position
In a motorsports race, the pole position is usually the best and "statistically the most advantageous" starting position on the track. The pole position is usually earned by the driver with the best qualifying times in the trials before the rac ...
'', developed by Namco and published by Atari, ''TX-1'' uses a unique surround-style, sit-down three-screen display. In this design, the primary monitor is mounted directly in front of the steering wheel and secondary monitors, angled at thirty degrees, are mounted both to the left and the right of the primary monitor. At the top of the left monitor is a display of the score and the car's current position; at the top of the right monitor is a running total of cars passed during the race. A display of stage, speed, and time remaining is at the top of the primary screen. The immense size of the cabinet limited the number of arcades which could display this game.
Reception
''Game Machine'' listed ''TX-1'' as Japan's top-grossing upright/cockpit arcade cabinet
An arcade cabinet, also known as an arcade machine or a coin-op cabinet or coin-op machine, is the housing within which an arcade game's electronic hardware resides. Most cabinets designed since the mid-1980s conform to the Japanese Amusement Ma ...
of December 1983. ''TX-1'' continued to top the Japanese upright/cockpit arcade charts for six months into 1984, through January, February, March and April up until May. It was later Japan's tenth highest-grossing upright/cockpit arcade game during the latter half of 1986.
Upon release, ''Computer and Video Games
''Computer and Video Games'' (also known as ''CVG'', ''Computer & Video Games'', ''C&VG'', ''Computer + Video Games'', or ''C+VG'') was a UK-based video game magazine, published in its original form between 1981 and 2004. Its offshoot website ...
'' magazine called it "possibly the most sophisticated racing simulation game on the market to date" and said it was "a thrilling game!"
''TX-1 V8''
A sequel, ''TX-1 V8'', was released by Tatsumi in 1984 and was licensed to Namco
was a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational video game and entertainment company, headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo. It held several international branches, including Namco America in Santa Clara, California, Namco Europe in London, Na ...
. In Japan, it topped the ''Game Machine'' upright/cockpit arcade charts for about ten months, from September 1984, through October, November and December, up until July 1985. Both ''TX-1'' games topped the ''Game Machine'' upright/cockpit charts for a combined sixteen months between December 1983 and July 1985.
It was later Japan's eighth highest-grossing upright/cockpit arcade game during the first half of 1986. This game was not licensed by Atari
Atari () is a brand name that has been owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by French publisher Atari SA through a subsidiary named Atari Interactive. The original Atari, Inc. (1972–1992), Atari, Inc., ...
and was rare in North America.
See also
*''F355 Challenge
is a racing simulation arcade video game based on the actual race car and Ferrari event. It was developed by the AM2 division of Sega for the Sega Naomi Multiboard arcade system board under the direction of Yu Suzuki, and was later ported t ...
''
References
External links
*
A short video
from the Starcade
''Starcade'' is an American game show where contestants competed against one another by playing arcade video games. The series originally aired on WTBS from 1982 to 1983, followed by a run in syndication for the following season.
The series w ...
TV show
A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, or cable, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are typically placed betw ...
(navigate via the ''Game Movies'' link in the sidebar, then the ''TX-1'' link on the main panel)
{{Formula One games
1983 video games
Arcade video games
Arcade video games with multi-monitor setups
Arcade-only video games
Atari arcade games
Racing video games
Tatsumi (company) games
Formula One video games
Video games developed in Japan