Electronic Games Issue 11

PRIMARY SYSTEMS COVERAGE THIS ISSUE

• Atari VCS - Atari 2600
• Atari 5200
• Vectrex
• Intellivision
• Atari 400 - 800
• Apple II
• Odyssey2
• Astrocade
• ColecoVision
• stand-alones
• arcade
• pinball

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(TOC excerpts follow, with (notes) and bullet lists added for clarity)

Switch On! - Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow (editorial by Arnie Katz; predictions for '83)

Electronic Games Hotline (news section)

• More Sun To Come (world's 1st solar-powered handhelds; Invaders of the Mummy's Tomb, Escape from the Devil's Doom by Bandai)
• New Remote Control Joystick (Cynex Manufacturing Game Mate II remote controller)
• The National Vanity Board (high scores)
• Pitfall Tops Popularity Poll (most popular video games)
• Pac-Man Scores! (Pac-Man (VCS) awarded best cart by Video Software Dealers Assn.)
• E.G. Readers Pick Their Favorite Games (top lists)
• The National Arcade Scoreboard (high scores)

Readers Replay (letters column)

SPECIAL REPORT - The 1983 Arcade Awards

Here's the lowdown on the best videogame carts, coin-ops, stand-alones and computer games of '82.

• Videogame of the Year - Demon Attack (VCS)
• Best Science Fiction/Fantasy Videogame - Defender (VCS)
• Most Innovative Videogame - Great Wall Street Fortune Hunt (Ody2)
• Best Solitaire Videogame - Donkey Kong (Col)
• Best Multi-Player Videogame - The Incredible Wizard (Astro)
• Best Videogame Audio/Visual Effects - Smurfs (Col)
• Best Arcade-to-Home Videogame Translation - Frogger (VCS)
• Best Action Videogame - Chopper Command (VCS)
• Best Adventure Videogame - Pitfall (VCS)
• Best Sports Videogame - Hockey (VCS)
• Most Humorous Home Arcade Game - Megamania (VCS)
• Computer Game of the Year - David's Midnight Magic (Apple II)
• Best Computer Adventure - Deadline (Apple II)
• Best Science Fiction/Fantasy Computer Game - Star Warrior (Atari computers)
• Best Arcade/Action Computer Game - K-razy Shoot-out (400,800)
• Best Solitaire Computer Game - Snack Attack (Apple II)
• Best Computer Sports Game - Cyber Bowl (400,800)
• Best Computer Audio/Visual Effects - Night Mission (Apple II)
• Most Innovative Computer Game - Moonbase Io (400,800)
• Coin-Op Game of the Year - Tron
• Best Action Coin-Op Game - Robotron
• Best Science Fiction/Fantasy Coin-Op Game - Bosconian
• Most Innovative Coin-Op Game - Tempest
• Best Coin-Op Game Audio/Visual Effects - Turbo
• Stand-Alone Game of the Year - Galaxian (Coleco)
• Best Electronic Boardgame - Electronic Stratego (M.B. Electronics)
• Best Mini-Arcade Game Cartridge - Scramble (G.C.E. Vectrex)

Programmable Parade

Those videogame carts just keep on comin'! Our reviewing tandem helps chart a safe path through them. ('Attack the Enemy on Land and Sea!;' console video game reviews)

• Cosmic Avenger (Col)
• Infiltrate (VCS)
• Nexar (VCS)
• Super Challenge Football (VCS)
• Frogger (VCS)
• Berzerk (VCS)

SYSTEM CLOSE-UP - Atari 5200: Checking Out The Super Systems

Can Atari's new high-powered videogame system dominate home arcading the way the VCS has? ('Is This the Videogame of the 1980's?' by Arnie Katz)

SPECIAL SECTION - The Players Guide To Climbing Games

EG's magazine-within-a-magazine lets you in on the ground floor of one of the fastest-rising types of electronic games. (sections:)

• Scale the Heights! - The Video and Computer Games
• Rise To The Top - With Coin-Op Climbing Games
• Tabletop Climbing

The 21st Century Arcade

Tomorrow's commercial arcades may make present-day fun palaces look quaint by comparison. Here's a glimpse at arcading in the next century. ('A Time Trip to the Game Parlor of the Future' by Rich Pearl)

Computer Gaming

Our critics weigh the pros and cons of the newest game software for microcomputer systems. (computer game reviews)

• Preppie! (400,800 disk)
• Choplifter (Apple II disk)
• Pac-Man (400,800 cart)
• Soccer (400,800 cassette or disk)
• Abuse (Apple II,400,800 disk)
• Firebug (Apple II disk)
• Sea Fox (Apple II disk)
• Pig Pen (Apple II disk)
• Trivia Trek (400,800 disk)

Insert Coin Here

Let's put the new coin-ops to the test. ('Fight for Your Life Against the Sinister Serpents!' by Bill Kunkel; arcade game reviews with control descriptions; review of Slither (shown))

Strategy Session

Keep from letting Berzerk drive you crazy with these hints for improving your play on the VCS cartridge. ('Tips for Berzerk-ers!' by Frank Tetro Jr.; game strategies)

• Berzerk (VCS)
• Venture (Col)

Pinball Palace

Videogames are booming in the arcades, but there's still plenty of life in pinball, as this year's survey indicates. ('1982's Greatest Hits!' by Roger C. Sharpe; pinball game reviews)

• Eight Ball Deluxe (shown)
• Viper (shown)
• Black Hole (shown)
• Centaur

Q&A (by the Game Doctor)

Coin-Op Classroom

Get your name onto the vanity board with some sound tactical advice. ('Earth Versus the Floating Fortress in the Sky!' by Bill Heineman; Zaxxon game strategies)

Test Lab

Our technical whiz peels back the casing of the ColecoVision to see what really makes it tick. ('"Third Wave" Videogaming Comes to Market' by Henry B. Cohen)

Stand-Alone Scene ('Destroy the MCP in Tron!' by Joyce Worley; stand-alone reviews; all shown)

• Tron (Tomytronic tabletop)
• Electronic Battleship (Milton Bradley electronic boardgame)
• Defender (Entex handheld)

Inside Gaming ('Rob Fulop: Arcade Noir' by Will Richardson; game developer profile; discussion commentary)

Reader Poll