Sprint 8 (play tag & chase)

Arcade Video game published 47 years ago:

Sprint 8 (c) 1977 Atari.

In this game you control a race car on a semi-complicated track. You are looking down on the action from above. Your only goal is to drive around the track as many times as possible, and as fast as you can. There will be eight cars on the track at all times. With the computer controlling cars for missing players. The sheer number of cars can make this game a little confusing. All the cars have minor variations to set them apart from the others, but are similar enough that you simply cannot look away from the track for a second. If you are used to the other Sprint games, you will find that this one is a bit different, the graphics are slightly higher in resolution, and the tracks are much more complex, and have a different look to them, not to mention the fact that this version adds a brake pedal that was absent in the other Sprint titles. The game has several different tracks available, and you can select them with a button at the start of a match. The graphics are simple black and white with two shades of gray thrown in for good measure. They are simple, but they get the job done. The game will rate you at the end, you can get rated Granny, Rookie, or Pro, and getting a score over 250 points will extend the game an extra 30 seconds.

- TECHNICAL -

Sprint 8 came in one form, that of a huge black and tan standing cocktail table, this thing is larger than your dining room table. It has a large four sided marquee raised up above the table on posts to a height of about seven feet. Scattered all around the table are steering wheels, gas pedals, and coin mechs. Each side of the table is equipped with driving stations for two players, with each station having a steering wheel, two pedals, a four position shifter, a start button, and a level select button. The game computer is contained on a single pcb like all late 1970's Atari games with an onboard voltgae regulator. The pcb is nothing like any indy/sprint series game and has an 88pin edge conenctor.

Main CPU : M6800 (@ 1.005 Mhz)

Screen orientation : Horizontal
Video resolution : 496 x 232 pixels
Screen refresh : 60.00 Hz
Palette Colors : 18

Players : 8
Control : dial
Buttons : 2

- TRIVIA -

Released in May 1977, selling at an MSRP of $5495.

- SERIES -

1. Sprint 2 (1976)
2. Sprint 8 (1977)
3. Sprint 4 (1977)
4. Sprint One (1978)
5. Super Sprint (1986)
6. Championship Sprint (1986)