Fonz (video game)

Fonz
Arcade flyer
Developer(s) Sega
Publisher(s) Sega-Gremlin
Platform(s) Arcade
Release Road Race
February 1976
Moto-Cross
1976
Man T.T.
August 1976
Fonz
Genre(s) Motorbike racing game
Mode(s) Single-player
Arcade system Sega Discrete Logic
Display Raster

Fonz is a 1976 arcade racing video game developed by Sega and published by Sega-Gremlin. The game was based on the hit TV show Happy Days and the slogan was "TV's hottest name, Your hottest game." The game itself was simply a rebranded variant of Sega's earlier 1976 game Moto-Cross, also known as Man T.T. (released August 1976),[1] in a customized arcade cabinet. In turn, Moto-Cross and Man T.T. were motorbike variants of Road Race, a car driving game released in February 1976.[2][3] Sega was allowed to rebrand their game as Fonz because its American branch at the time was owned by Charles Bluhdorn's Gulf+Western Company and thus had access to Paramount Television's intellectual property.

Overview

Moto-Cross / Fonz is an early black-and-white motorbike racing game, most notable for introducing an early three-dimensional third-person perspective. Both versions of the game display a constantly changing forward-scrolling road and the player's bike in a third-person perspective where objects nearer to the player are larger than those nearer to the horizon, and the aim was to steer the vehicle across the road, racing against the clock, while avoiding any on-coming motorcycles or driving off the road.[4] The game also introduced the use of haptic feedback, which caused the motorcycle handlebars to vibrate during a collision with another vehicle.[5]

Gameplay

Arcade Cabinet Fonz

The general premise has the player controlling the Fonz on a motorcycle with handlebars on the cabinet.

The player has to go as fast as possible without skidding off the road or colliding with other racing bikes on the screen. Turn the handlebars, and the bike will corner and bank. Twist the handle throttle open, and it will accelerate. When a collision with another bike occurs, the handlebars vibrate and the screen flashes a reverse image. To increase the challenge, the size of the bike can be regulated by the operator.

Game time is adjustable from 45 to 100 seconds.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.arcade-history.com/?n=man-t.t.&page=detail&id=26084
  2. ↑ http://www.arcade-history.com/?n=road-race&page=detail&id=14493
  3. ↑ Road Race at the Killer List of Videogames
  4. ↑ Moto-Cross at the Killer List of Videogames
  5. ↑ Mark J. P. Wolf (2008), The video game explosion: a history from PONG to PlayStation and beyond, p. 39, ABC-CLIO, ISBN 0-313-33868-X
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