Gauntlet (1985 video game)
| Gauntlet | |
|---|---|
Arcade game flyer
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| Developer(s) | Atari Games |
| Publisher(s) | Atari Games, U.S. Gold |
| Designer(s) | Ed Logg |
| Series | Gauntlet |
| Platform(s) | Arcade, Various |
| Release | October 1985 |
| Genre(s) | Hack and slash, dungeon crawl |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, 4-player multiplayer |
| Cabinet | Custom upright |
| Arcade system | Atari Gauntlet |
| CPU | 1xMotorola 68010 @ 7.15909 MHz, 1x MOS Technology 6502 @ 1.789772 MHz |
| Sound | 1xYamaha YM2151 @ 3.579545, 1x Atari POKEY @ 1.789772 MHz, 1xTexas Instruments TMS5220@ 650.826 Khz |
| Display | Raster, 336×240 resolution |
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Publication | Score |
| CVG |
CPC464: 36/40 SMS: 92% |
| Crash | 92% |
| Dragon |   |
| Sinclair User | |
| Your Sinclair | 9/10 |
| ACE | 859 |
| Amstrad Action | 93% |
| Commodore User | 9/10 |
| Computer Gamer | 94% |
| The Games Machine | 72% |
| Joystick | 79% |
| Mean Machines | 94% |
| Mega | 90% |
| MegaTech | 94% |
| Your Computer | |
| Zzap!64 | 93% |
| Awards | |
|---|---|
| Publication | Award |
| Golden Joystick Awards | Game of the Year |
| ZX Computing | Smash Hit |
Gauntlet is a fantasy-themed hack and slash 1985 arcade game by Atari Games. Released in October 1985, Atari ultimately sold a total of 7,848 Gauntlet video game arcade cabinets. It is noted as being one of the first multi-player dungeon crawl arcade games.
The players, up to four at once in the arcade version, select among four playable fantasy-based characters: The Warrior, Wizard, Valkyrie, or Elf. Each character has his or her own unique strength and weaknesses. For example, the Warrior is strongest in hand-to-hand combat, the Wizard has the most powerful magic, the Valkyrie has the best armor and the Elf is the fastest in movement.
Upon selecting a playable character, the gameplay is set within a series of top-down, third-person perspective mazes where the object is to find and touch the designated exit in every level. An assortment of special items can be located in each level that increase player's character's health, unlock doors, gain more points and magical potions that can destroy all of the enemies on screen.
The enemies are an assortment of fantasy-based monsters, including ghosts, , demons, lobbers, sorcerers and thieves. Each enters the level through specific generators, which can be destroyed. While there are no bosses in the game, the most dangerous enemy is "Death", who can not only drain a character's health, but is difficult to destroy.
As the game progresses, higher levels of skill are needed to reach the exit, with success often depending on the willingness of the players to cooperate by sharing food and luring monsters into places where they can be engaged and slaughtered more conveniently. While contact with enemies reduces the player's health, health also slowly drains on its own, thus creating a time limit. When a character's health reaches zero, that character dies. The character can be revived in place with full health by spending a game credit (i.e. inserting a coin) within a certain short time window after it died. This allows even the least proficient players to keep playing indefinitely, if they are willing to keep inserting coins.
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Wikipedia