Machine Guides

Game History

Tempest is a classic tube shooter arcade game developed and released by Atari in October 1980. It was designed by Dave Theurer, who had previously created the groundbreaking Missile Command, and was one of the first games to use Atari's innovative Color Quadrascan vector display technology. The game's unique perspective, which simulated a three-dimensional tube viewed from above, set it apart from other shooters of its era.

The game's development began under the working title "Vortex" before being changed to Tempest, with Theurer drawing inspiration from a dream he had about monsters emerging from a hole in the ground. The game featured a distinctive control scheme with a rotary spinner controller that allowed for precise 360-degree movement along the edges of geometric shapes, which served as the game's playing fields.

Tempest was a commercial success, with Atari selling approximately 29,000 units worldwide and the game becoming one of the highest-grossing arcade titles of 1980.

How to Play

Objectives

The main goal of Tempest is to survive waves of enemies that emerge from the center of geometric playing fields and travel toward your position at the edge. You must destroy all enemies in each wave before they reach you or overrun the playing field. The game emphasizes fast-paced shooting and precise movement along the edges of geometric shapes.

Controls

• Rotary Spinner: Use the spinner to move your blaster clockwise or counterclockwise along the edge of the geometric shape
• Fire Button: Press to shoot your weapon at enemies approaching from the center
• Superzapper Button: Press to activate a limited-use smart bomb that clears most enemies on screen

Gameplay

• Starting the Game: Press the Start Button to begin your battle against alien invaders.

• Geometric Fields: Navigate the edge of various geometric shapes that serve as your playing field, including tubes, funnels, and other abstract forms.

• Enemy Elimination: Shoot enemies as they emerge from the center and travel toward you along the surfaces of the geometric shape.

• Movement Control: Use the rotary spinner to move quickly and precisely along the edge to position yourself for optimal shooting.

• Enemy Types: Face different enemy types including Flippers, Pulsars, Tankers, and Spikers, each with unique movement patterns and behaviors.

• Superzapper Usage: Use your limited Superzapper ability strategically to clear the screen of overwhelming enemy attacks.

• Wave Progression: Complete increasingly difficult waves with more enemies and faster gameplay as you advance.

• Bonus Stages: Play special bonus stages between certain waves that offer additional scoring opportunities.

• Increasing Difficulty: Progress through levels with faster enemies and more complex geometric shapes.

• Game Over: The game ends when you lose all your lives. Your final score is displayed based on enemies destroyed and waves completed.