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720°

720°
720°
Promotional artwork for the arcade game
Developer(s) Atari Games
Publisher(s) Atari Games
Designer(s) John Salwitz
Dave Ralston
Composer(s) Hal Canon, Earl Vickers, Brad Fuller (Arcade version), Neil Brennan (NES version)
Platform(s) Arcade game, Various
Release December 1986
Genre(s) Sports
Mode(s) Up to 2 players, alternating turns
Cabinet Upright
Arcade system Atari System 2
CPU T-11 @ 10 MHz
Sound Unamplified Stereo - YM2151 @ 3.579545 MHz, 2 × Pokey @ 1.789772 MHz, TMS5220 @ 625 KHz
Display Horizontal, Raster, medium resolution (Used: 512 × 384)
Review scores
Publication Score
CVG 28/40
Crash 81%
Game Informer 9.75/10
Sinclair User 10/10 stars
Your Sinclair 9/10
The Games Machine 83%
MicroHobby (ES) 5/5 stars
ACE 721

720 Degrees, or 720°, is a 1986 arcade game by Atari Games.720°, a skateboarding game, is notable in that it has a unique timed structure that requires the player score points in order to keep the game going. The game's name comes from the "ultimate" trick, turning a full 720° (two complete circles) in the air after jumping off a ramp. 720° has the player controlling a skateboarder ripping around a middle-class neighborhood. By doing jumps and tricks, the player can eventually acquire enough points to compete at a skate park.

From official materials:

The game begins with the player controlling a skateboarder skating around a middle-class neighborhood using common objects as ramps for jumps.

The player begins with a number of "tickets," each of which granting admission to one of four skate parks, or "events," in Skate City, the "hub" between the parks. When a park is entered, one ticket is expended. The player gains additional tickets from earning points. Whenever the player isn't in an event, a bar counts down the time remaining until the arrival of deadly, skateboarder-hungry killer bees. Once the bees arrive the player still has a small amount of time with which to get to a park, but the longer the player delays this the faster the bees become, until they are unavoidable. Getting caught by the bees ends the game, though on default settings the player may elect to continue his game by inserting more money. Reaching a park with a ticket gives the player the chance to earn points, medals and money with which to upgrade his equipment, and resets the timer.

The player is constantly racing to perform stunts, both in the events and in the park itself, in order to earn the points needed to acquire tickets. Thus, the player’s score is directly tied to the amount of time he has to play the game. In order to win, the player must complete a total of sixteen events through four hubs, a difficult task.

The game consists of four levels each consisting of four events:

Scattered through the levels are several 'map' icons placed on the ground which when activated show a map with the roads, parks, shops, and the player's location marked on it. Also scattered about the level are hazards and obstacles, jumping over hazards earns points.

The player earns points and money for high scores in each event, and doing well at the events earns the cash needed to buy equipment that improves player performance, and a chance at a bronze, silver, or gold medal. Completing all four events in all four classes completes the game.

There are four types of skating equipment to be purchased at different shops. The prices for each are the same, beginning at $25. Upon each return to Skate City after visiting a park, the price increases by $25, to a maximum of $250.


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Wikipedia

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