Name This Game

Name This Game and Win $10,000
Developer(s) James Wickstead Design Associates
Publisher(s)
  • US Games (USA)
  • Carrere Video Distribution (Europe)
Platform(s) Atari 2600
Release
Genre(s) Action
Mode(s) Single player

Name This Game and Win $10,000 is a video game developed by US Games for the Atari 2600. In Europe, it was published by Carrere Video Distribution under the title Octopus.

In the game, the player controls a scuba diver who must protect a treasure from an octopus at the top of the screen: The octopus tries to capture the treasure with its tentacles. Meanwhile, a great white shark tries to distract the diver by swimming back and forth toward the bottom of the screen.

The diver loses a life if he is captured by the shark or the octopus's tentacles, or if the air meter runs out. The diver can refill his air meter by touching a long pole which extends from a boat that appears from time to time.

History

The game was conceived by Rob Furen in February 1982. He offered it to Parker Bros., who owned the video game license for Jaws at the time.[1] After Parker Bros. lost the license, the game was shown to Jim Wickstead of James Wickstead Design Associates, who programmed it from August to October 1982. Originally developed as Treasures of the Deep, the game was picked up by US Games as Guardians of Treasure.

US Games decided to create a contest around the game,[2] releasing it as Name This Game and Win $10,000 with a cash prize to be awarded to the winning name after April 30, 1983. However, before the contest was completed, US Games ceased operation.

In 1994, Digital Press held its own naming contest for the game. The winning title, coined by Russ Perry Jr., was Going Under, which alluded not only to the game content, but to the final days of its publisher.[3]

Carrere Video Distribution released the game in Europe as Octopus. Amiga also planned to include the game in its Power Play Arcade #2 cartridge under the name Galleon's Gold, but development did not proceeed past the prototype stage.[4]

References

  1. ↑ http://guide.digitpress.com:8080/DP/cmf/game.cmf?gameid=24723
  2. ↑ Katz, Arnie; Kunkel, Bill (June 1983). "Programmable Arcade". Electronic Games. pp. 38–42. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  3. ↑ http://guide.digitpress.com:8080/DP/cmf/game.cmf?gameid=24144
  4. ↑ http://www.atariprotos.com/2600/software/powerarcade/powerarcade.htm
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