Preppie! (video game)

Preppie!
Developer(s) Star Systems Software
Publisher(s) Adventure International
Designer(s) Russ Wetmore[1]
Platform(s) Atari 8-bit
Release
Genre(s) Overhead view action

Preppie! is an action video game for the Atari 8-bit family published by Adventure International in 1982.[1] The game was created by Russ Wetmore as a re-themed version of Frogger. At the time of its release, it was considered to have some of the best visuals and audio for the Atari computers.

Preppie! was followed by Preppie! II, also by Wetmore, in 1983. The sequel is a maze game.[2]

In January 2016, Wetmore released the source code for Preppie!, Preppie! II, and Sea Dragon to the public on the Internet Archive.[3]

Gameplay

Preppie!'s gameplay follows the design established by Frogger: cross lanes of traffic, then maneuver across water by jumping on floating objects. The frog is recast as a preppy, and the setting moved to a country club where traffic consists of golf carts and reel mower-pushing groundskeepers, and canoes occupy the water (in addition to alligators and logs).

Instead of simply crossing from one side to the other, as in Frogger, the goal is to retrieve a golf ball from the top of the screen, then return it to the bottom of the screen. When all golf balls have been collected, the level is over. There are ten levels in all.[4]

Reception

In a 1982 review for Antic, Robert DeWitt concluded "Al has a real winner here, even if the 'cover' concept is only remotely related to the game."[5] In a subsequent issue, Preppie! was one of ten games chosen by Antic to be "among the most popular, interesting, and valuable programs yet written for your amusement."[6]

Bill Kunkel of Electronic Games wrote in 1983, "Sure it sounds familiar, but what elevates Preppie! from the score of Frogger-clones on the software market is the enchanting four-part harmony sound effects and the stunning graphics."[7] John J. Anderson of Creative Computing Video & Arcade Games stated that although gameplay was not original "the implementation is gorgeous".[8] A COMPUTE! review also lauded the graphics and stated, "this program easily ranks among the best games to appear for the Atari computer to date."[4] The Addison-Wesley Book of Atari Software 1983 gave an overall rating of "B-" writing, "Animation and graphics are very good" and "I can't say it's very original in design; but, like Frogger, it is lots of fun."[9]

Legacy

Preppie! II

Released in 1983,[10] Preppie! II is a similarly-themed maze game where the object is to paint the maze pink by moving over it.[11] Elements of the original return as obstacles, including giant frogs, golf carts, and lawn mowers.[11] The joystick button activates a time-limited cloak ability which allows the player to pass through the other occupants of the maze.

Preppie! 3

Wetmore mentioned a possible third game in the series when interviewed by Electronic Games in 1983, giving the tentative title as Preppies in Space.[12] He was asked about this in 2005, and his response was posted to the Atari Age forums:

Some conceptual work was done on Preppie 3, but nothing ever came of it. When I was interviewed for Electronic Games (the only place I ever mentioned P3) I was in New York for an awards ceremony and had just come from a brainstorming session to come up with some talking points for the press. The interview was more to generate buzz than to promote future products, and when the bottom fell out of the games market in the coming months, I gave up game writing to focus on other types of software, notably HomePak.[13]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Hague, James. "The Giant List of Classic Game Programmers".
  2. ↑ Mozejko, Michael. "Preppie! II". Retro Gamer.
  3. ↑ Garcia, Paulo (January 5, 2016). "Three Atari 8-bit games source code have been released". Vintage is the World.
  4. 1 2 Kinnamon, Mike (January 1983). "Preppie! For Atari". COMPUTE! (32): 140.
  5. ↑ DeWitt, Robert (December 1982). "8-Bit Product Reviews". Antic. 1 (5).
  6. ↑ Burns, Deborah (April 1983). "Antic Pix Ten". Antic. 2 (1): 57.
  7. ↑ Kunkel, Bill (January 1983). "Computer Gaming: Preppie!" (PDF). Electronic Games: 72.
  8. ↑ Anderson, John J.; Small, David; Wolcott, Eric F. (Spring 1983). "Atari Personal Computer Games". Creative Computing Video & Arcade Games. p. 93.
  9. ↑ The Addison-Wesley Book of Atari Software 1983 (PDF). Addison-Wesley. 1983. p. 121.
  10. ↑ "Preppie! II". Atari Mania.
  11. 1 2 Minter, Jeff (November 27, 2016). "Atarians of Note". Llamasoft Blog.
  12. ↑ Covert, Colin (September 1983). "Russ Wetmore: Prepped for Success". Electronic Games.
  13. ↑ "Preppie Three? - Atari 8-Bit Computer Forums". Atari Age. February 20, 2005.

Bibliography

  • Yuen, M.T. (May 1983). "Preppie! II review". Softline. Vol. 2 no. 3. p. 42.
  • "Computer '83 (Preppie! review)". Video Games. Vol. 1 no. 4. January 1983. p. 64.
  • "Atari Christmas (Preppie! review)". Softside. Vol. 6 no. 35. 1983. p. 90.
  • Reichmann, M. (December 1982). "Preppie! review". InfoAge. Vol. 1 no. 7. p. 29.
  • Olney, D. (March 1983). "Screenplay (Preppie! review)". Personal Computer World. Vol. 6. p. 153.
  • "Preppie! review". Computers & Electronics. No. 21. March 1983. p. 102.
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