Starship 1

Arcade Video game published 47 years ago:

Starship 1 (c) 1977 Atari.

The object is to destroy alien spacecraft while maneuvering the Starship through star and asteroid fields, 'saving the Federation'.

- TECHNICAL -

Game ID : 007513-007531

Main CPU : MOS Technology M6502 (@ 750 Khz)

Players : 1
Control : Stick (Steering Yoke for X-Axis, Throttle stick (fast/slow) for Y-Axis)
Buttons : 3 (Button 1= Fire, Button 2= Torpedo, Button 3= Brake(?) )

The game uses a half-silvered mirror to reflect the image over a black light lit space background. The monitor has a ''+'' (a target crosshairs) taped directly onto the monitor to aid in lining up enemy ships.

The game also makes use of placing layered artwork between the monitor bezel and the screen, giving the game more of a 3D look that is lost in emulation. This use of art was also used in Atari's Destroyer and Sky Raiders, which used similar cabinets.

- TRIVIA -

Starship 1 was released in July 1977, selling at a MSRP of $1445. Approximately 3500 units were produced.

It is another fantastic Atari first. This incredibly realistic video sensation (at its time) goes where no game has gone before. This is one of, if not the, first game to use sprite scaling to increase the size of the 2D objects in the game as they get closer to the player.

After a nearly 50-year run, the mid-1970s video games like Starship 1 spelled the end of the electro-mechanical arcade games (such as "Killer Shark" seen in the movie Jaws). Video games would spawn a nation-wide phenomenon which has gone on to this day.

Starship 1 was one of many mid-1970's Atari games such as "Night Driver", "Sprint 2" and "Drag Race" which were often found at carnivals and bowling alleys. Kids would flock to these establishments just to get an opportunity to play the games rather than the primary source of entertainment they offered. When the 80's arrived, video games could be found everywhere including grocery stores and kids didn't have to go very far to play their favorite game.

At the end of a game, two different sayings will be displayed. One simply saying to deposit a quarter to be the captain of Starship 1, the other saying that "Sensors detect another quarter in your pocket, deposit it to be the captain of Starship 1". Pretty funny the first time you see it!

A Starship 1 unit appears in the 1978 movie "Dawn of the Dead".

Heavily influenced by the original Star Trek TV series, the game debuted a style of spacecraft not seen in that show but would appear five years later in the movie Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan as the Miranda-class vessel, the USS Reliant.

- TIPS AND TRICKS -

Easter Egg:
Disable the 'Bonus Time' DIP switch. Hold the Phasor and Start buttons down. Drop a quarter in the Coin 1 slot, then quickly let up the buttons and slam the Slow control. The words 'Hi Ron!' will appear on the screen, and you will get 10 free credits.

- STAFF -