Electronic Games Issue 10

PRIMARY SYSTEMS COVERAGE THIS ISSUE

• Atari VCS - Atari 2600 - Supercharger
• Atari 5200
• Microvision
• Arcadia 2001
• 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! - Inside the Arkies (editorial by Arnie Katz; arcade awards process; includes 'The Fourth Annual Arcade Awards' sidebar)

Electronic Games Hotline (news section)

• Milton Bradley Acquires G.C.E. (Vectrex)
• O2 Adds More Joy To Stick (Ody2 joystick price drop)
• Videogames Go To The Movies (videogames advertised in theaters)
• Atari Begins Greatest Adventure (Swordquest game series and contests; Earthworld prize shown)
• Saturday Morning Gobblers (Pac-Man cartoon show)
• Hunting A Hero (Greatest American Videogame Hero contest)
• The National Arcade Scoreboard (high scores)
• The National Vanity Board (high scores)
• E.G. Readers Pick Their Favorite Games (top lists)

Readers Replay (letters column)

FEATURE - ColecoVision: Next Step In Videogames?

Coleco promised its "third wave" system would play like a dream and look like a coin-op. Can it cash this check? ('Will This Be the Hot New System?' by Arnie Katz)

Gift Guide For Gamers

EG's second annual review of sure-fire presents for game-lovers. ('Our Second Annual Shopping List for Prospective Santas' by Henry B. Cohen; intro plus the following sections:)

• Systems and Cartridges
• The EG Collection
• Controllers
• Stand-Alones, Computers, and Electronic Fun Machines
• Other Christmas Goodies

You Can Become A Game Designer

Here's how you can plan now for a career designing electronic games! ('Plan Now for a Career in Gaming' by Harold Goldes)

Programmable Parade

The best - and worst - of new videogames, including a new look at ColecoVision carts. ('Go On Safari with the King of Swing!')

• Pitfall (VCS)
• Donkey Kong (Col)
• Space Hawk (Int)
• Shark Attack (VCS)
• Towering Inferno (VCS)
• Ladybug (Col)
• Gangster Alley (VCS)

SPECIAL SECTION - Players Guide To Programmable Videogame Systems

EG's magazine-within-a-magazine presents a comprehensive probe of the eight major systems. (divided into the following sections:)

• Atari VCS: The Most Popular System
   
  • VCS Hardware
  • The VCS Software Explosion
  • Supercharger: New Life For The VCS

• Odyssey2: The Family System

  • A Flexible Hardware System
  • Arcade-Style Software
  • The Master Strategy Series
  • The Odyssey2 Speaks

• Mattel: Super Graphics Galore (Intellivision)

  • Mattel's Modular Hardware
  • Superb Sports Simulations
  • Non-Sports Software
  • Words To Play By
  • Coping With Intellivision Controllers

• Astrocade: The Big Comeback

  • The Strange History Of Astrocade
  • The Hardware System
  • Accessories Add Dimension
  • Astrocade Software

• ColecoVision: Riding The Third Wave

  • A High-Powered System
  • Software Brings Coin-Ops Home
  • The Emulators Are Coming

• Atari's 5200: A Super System

  • Inside The Console
  • Atari 5200 Software

• Vectrex: The Programmable Stand-Alone

• Arcadia 2001: Portable & Powerful

• What's Next For Videogames?

Inside Gaming

Fernando Herrera proves nice guys can sometimes finish first. ('Fernando Herrera - First Star in the Atari Universe' by Will Richardson; game developer profile)

Insert Coin Here

Putting the new coin-ops to the test. ('1982 - The Year in Coin Ops' by Bill Kunkel; arcade game commentary)

Arcadia America

Our tour of the nation's fun palaces continues. ('The Best Little Arcade Club in California' by David Lustig)

Computer Gaming

Our critics weight the merits of the newest microcomputer game software. ('Can Your Combat Team Survive Galactic Gladiator's Deadly Arena?;' computer game reviews)

• Galactic Gladiator (Apple II disk)
• Delexe Computer Stocks & Bonds (400,800 disk)
• Starblaster (Apple II disk)
• Juggler (Apple II disk)
• Dogfight (Apple II disk)
• Moonbase 10 (400,800 cassette, disk with cassette)

Strategy Session

Learn how to get "The Force" on your side in Parker Brothers' The Empire Strikes Back. ('Striking Back - At Stars and the Empire!' by Frank Tetro Jr.; video game strategies)

• Star Strike (Int)
• The Empire Strikes Back (VCS) (Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back)
• Cosmic Avenger (Col)

Passport To Adventure

If you haven't tried to solve the mystery of Deadline, start warming up your computer! ('Solve the Crime and Beat the Deadline!' by Arnie Katz; Deadline (Apple II,400,800 disk) review)

Test Lab

Beamscope makes big pictures out of little ones. ('Through the Looking Glass with Beamscope' by Henry B. Cohen; TV screen magnifier)

The Ultimate Gaming Gift

Nothing can outshine this system in a suitcase. ('It's Here - a System in a Suitcase' by Henry B. Cohen; Arcadia 2001, portable Toshibia TV, carrying case self-made bundle)

Stand-Alone Scene ('Scramble: One Against the World' by Joyce Worley; stand-alone reviews)

• Scramble (Tomy tabletop, shown)
• Escape From the Devils Doom, Invaders of The Mummy's Tomb (Bandai handhelds, shown; combo-review)
• Casio VL-5 (electronic keyboard)

Coin-Op Classroom

Shooting your way through Robotron. ('Robotron: World-saving Made Easy' by Bill Heineman; arcade game strategies)

Mini-Arcade Gallery ('New Mindbusters for Microvision' by Joyce Worley; Microvision game reviews)

• Mindbuster (MV)
• Sea Duel (MV)
• Pinball (MV)

Q&A (by the Game Doctor)

Pinball Palace

Find out if coin-op flipper games will boom in 1983. ('Will Flipper Games Boom in 1983?' by Roger C. Sharpe; commentary and reviews)

• Cosmic Gunfight (shown)
• Spectrum
• Spirit (shown)

Reader Poll