Food Fight (rev 3)

Arcade Video game published 41 years ago:

Food Fight (c) 1983 Atari.

The player, as Charley Chuck, must dodge all kinds of flying fruit and vegetables and try to eat an ice cream cone before it melts. How many ice cream cones can he eat? Players will soon find out in this incredible video feast. As an ice cream cone melts on the other side of the screen, Charley Chuck just naturally has to go for it. But he must get past Oscar, Angelo, Jacques and Zorba, four chefs who unexpectedly pop out of holes, chase Charley Chuck, and throw food at him. They all have different personalities and they're all out to stop Charley Chuck if he isn't fast enough. There are piles of tomatoes, peas, bananas, pies and watermelon Charley Chuck can use to defend himself from the persistent chefs. The player controls Charley Chuck with an analog joystick, which allows 360 degree movement on the playfield, and a Throw button, used when Charley Chuck needs to throw food at one of the chefs.

- TECHNICAL -

Game ID : 136020

Main CPU : Motorola 68000 (@ 6 Mhz)
Sound Chips : (3x) POKEY (@ 600 Khz)

Players : 2
Control : stick
Buttons : 1 (THROW)

- TRIVIA -

Food Fight was released in March 1983 in the USA, even if the copyright year is 1982., selling at an MSRP of $2095 (uprights) and $1895 (cocktails). Exactly 2,051 units were produced (1951 uprights and only 100 cocktails).

It was designed for Atari by General Computer Corporation as part of a lawsuit settlement for an illegal speedup kit for "Missile Command", in which they affixed their copyright. This was one of two games; "Quantum" was the other. Inspired by the food fight scene in National Lampoon's Animal House.

This game has 125 recognized levels. On level 125 on the selection screen, it gives you the requisite free man with a ? above his head. While there are levels after 125, the game counter will not go that high. It should be noted that the gameplay on this high a level is very reflex/twitch oriented. Only those with ice coursing through their veins can decipher the action on the screen.

The game code shares a hidden message : HI JON.

Ken Okumura holds the official record for this game on 'regular' settings with 103,103,100 points.
Jon Dworkin holds the official record for this game on 'Tournament' settings with 1,234,100 points on June 3, 2001.

A Food Fight unit appears in the 1985 movie 'Real Genius'.

In 1982, Atari released a set of 12 collector pins including : "Missile Command", "Battle Zone", "Tempest", "Asteroids Deluxe", "Space Duel", "Centipede", "Gravitar", "Dig Dug", "Kangaroo", "Xevious", "Millipede" and "Food Fight".

- SCORING -

Hit chefs with food : 100 to 1,000 points.
Chef falls into hole : 200 points.
Eat the ice cream cone (levels 1-49) : Level x 500 points .
Eat the ice cream cone (levels 50 and above) : 25,000 points.
Unused food at end of level : 100 points each.

- TIPS AND TRICKS -

Free men are awarded at 25,000 and at 100,000 thereafter.

The best way to get the ice cream in the later levels (level 85 or above) is to use the diagonal method. If you are placed close to a corner, run diagonally toward the lower wall and then diagonally upward toward the cone. Hopefully there will be some food placed between you and the chefs.

In later levels, it is NOT advised to try and target the chefs coming toward you. The only chef you need to concentrate on is the one running toward the ice cream in front of you.

- STAFF -

Team Leader: John Ray

From High Score table:
Designer & programmer: Jonathan Hurd (JAH)
Hardware : Tom Westberg (TW), Larry Dennison (LRD)
Software support : Roland Janbergs (RBJ)
Assistant programmer : Bruce Burns (BGB)
Music composer : Patty Goodson (PRG)
Sound : Roy Groth (ROY)
Helped by : Dan Ludwig (DEL)
Graphics : Darrell Myers (DOG)
Hardware engineer : Art Ny (AYN)
Assistants : Ed Vallee (EDV), Maurice Vincent (MOE)

- PORTS -

* CONSOLES:
[US] Atari 7800 (1984) "Food Fight [Model CX7804]"
Atari XEGS

* COMPUTERS:
Tandy Color Computer [US] (1983) "Foodwar"
[US] Atari 800 (1987)

* OTHERS: