Is Centipede a SHMUP?

Ceph · Post by **Ceph** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 10:04 pm

Is it?

DC906270 · Post by **DC906270** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 10:08 pm

I would say it is not a proper shmup, more of a maze/puzzle game like dig dug or pacman or a maze/puzzle/shmup hybrid of some sort

gameplay is definately very old and stale now tho, personally speaking of course

Ceph · Post by **Ceph** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 10:27 pm

But isn't centpede actually a lot like Space Invaders? (Only not as boring, of course)

Ex_Mosquito · Post by **Ex_Mosquito** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 10:31 pm

Does it matter?:x

Ceph · Post by **Ceph** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 10:33 pm

Yes, to me it does. Because if it is, then 'Centipede' was my first SHMUP.

DC906270 · Post by **DC906270** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 10:35 pm

Does it matter?

Yes, because if we can work out the answer to this, then one day we may be a able to provide solutions to a cure for aids, and world hunger

Alpolio · Post by **Alpolio** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 10:49 pm

Yeah, it's a classic shmup. In fact, I'd say that it's a cute'em up version of Space Invaders. Probably the first cute'em up of them all.

Turrican · Post by **Turrican** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 10:58 pm

I'd say yes, mostly.

I believe the word "shmup" was invented in british mags a lot later than 1980, hence the difficulty to fit it to many classic arcades. Also, those were times of great creativity and many games are hard to fit into a proper category/genre. However, in the case of Centipede, most of the gameplay elements are there, not to mention the important "fast pace" of the action.

Turrican · Post by **Turrican** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 11:00 pm

Alpolio wrote:Yeah, it's a classic shmup. In fact, I'd say that it's a cute'em up version of Space Invaders. Probably the first cute'em up of them all.

Hmm. I don't know. Judging from the game's artwork, the insect setting was not meant to be cute, but rather weird and menacing. I don't think you would define Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind's creatures "cute" right?

edit: I'd add, you won't define Galaga "cute" until Galaga'88, right? Same thing with Centipede, then. Except it didn't get a cute sequel, I guess.

dave4shmups · Post by **dave4shmups** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 11:30 pm

Turrican wrote:
Alpolio wrote:Yeah, it's a classic shmup. In fact, I'd say that it's a cute'em up version of Space Invaders. Probably the first cute'em up of them all.
Hmm. I don't know. Judging from the game's artwork, the insect setting was not meant to be cute, but rather weird and menacing. I don't think you would define Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind's creatures "cute" right?

edit: I'd add, you won't define Galaga "cute" until Galaga'88, right? Same thing with Centipede, then. Except it didn't get a cute sequel, I guess.

I would tend to agree with Apollo. The game's graphics were purposefully done in pastel colors to appeal to women, and it ranks as the second most popular all-time video game for women:

http://www.klov.com/TOP100.html

Not that women are the only ones who play cute'em-ups, of course. I would say that it's a shmup, because it does include scrolling-the enemies scrolling down towards you, ala Space Invaders, only much faster.

Alpolio · Post by **Alpolio** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 11:41 pm

Did you know that Centipede was the first arcade game designed by a women? Her name is Dona Bailey. Take a close look at the product... Pastel mushrooms? Shoot the little bugs & bouncing spiders? Hello? Cute'em up alert! And I had a girlfriend who played it all the time because she said it wasn't yucky like Galaga or Defender.

Besides, an 1980 arcade board ain't going to make anything much more cuter than this.

Awww..... he's so cute!

Specineff · Post by **Specineff** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 11:50 pm

Does a bear crap in the woods?

JBC · Post by **JBC** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 11:51 pm

... i always found centipede to be terrifying when i was little. It was my favorite...

Turrican · Post by **Turrican** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 11:57 pm

Alpolio wrote:Did you know that Centipede was the first arcade game designed by a women? Her name is Dona Bailey.

What?!? No, I thought Centipede was designed by legendary Ed Logg!

Alpolio wrote:Take a close look at the product... Pastel mushrooms? Shoot the little bugs & bouncing spiders? Hello? Cute'em up alert! And I had a girlfriend who played it all the time because she said it wasn't yucky like Galaga or Defender.

Besides, an 1980 arcade board ain't going to make anything much more cuter than this.

Awww..... he's so cute!

Heh, I stay of my opinion, thanks. Today Space Invaders aliens may seem cute super deformed chaps, but they were frightening enough back then. And you shouldn't underestimate the importance of cabinet artworks for the overall feel of a product.

EDIT:

www.ionpool.net/arcade/atari/ed_logg_interview.pdf

Here's an interesting interview with Ed Logg that covers Centipede in depth. Yeah, I forgot the Dona Bailey part. However, please notice how he explains Centipede's popularity with women in a variety of ways, like that women are comfortable killing bugs... but it doesn't mention the cuteness factor.

MASTER SATAN · Post by **MASTER SATAN** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 12:21 am

I always liked how awesome the picture on the atari 2600 cartridge made centipede look. i remember it had an elf firing fireballs out of a magic wand in the middle of a hectic battle with garden insects. Then you put it in and it's nothing like what the box/cartridge art depicts(usually the case with 2600 games). Though it does help you imagine what the game's grafx are supposed to be representing.

MY VOTE: BORDERLINER

It's not a shump due to the abscense of a scrolling background yet it does have basic shump gameplay mechanics(though most video games of the late 70's/early 80's did). I remember it was one of my favorite games to play when i was a small child. Then the video game crash of '84 hit with the NES coming out a year later. Soon all my atari 2600 games became part of my dismantled-for-the-hell-of-it collection of electronics.

professor ganson · Post by **professor ganson** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 12:25 am

Interesting question whether this is a cute 'em up. Maybe we need a poll. I certainly never thought of it that way before, but I wouldn't dismiss the suggestion out of hand.

Turrican · Post by **Turrican** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 12:29 am

professor ganson wrote:Interesting question whether this is a cute 'em up. Maybe we need a poll. I certainly never thought of it that way before, but I wouldn't dismiss the suggestion out of hand.

I don't dismiss it either. There's enough room to debate this. I'm leaning toward the opposite position, but yes, it's an interesting topic.

Btw, Ed Logg is one of the very greatests imho!!

Alpolio · Post by **Alpolio** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 12:54 am

1up has a nice article about Centipede.

[url]http://crucialclassics_11.1up.com/[/url]

Dylan1CC · Post by **Dylan1CC** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 1:02 am

As long as Space Invaders and Galaga are considered shmups then I would say yes. Shooter-maze game. gasp Maybe the real precursor to Guardian Legend?

it290 · Post by **it290** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 1:21 am

I've never seen any Centipede artwork that could be considered 'cute', and aside from that, it would be damn near impossible to make a centipede cute anyway.

As for the main question of the topic, I would certainly consider Centipede a shmup. I believe Galaga and Space Invaders are shmups as well, but Centipede even has the two planes of movement (albeit in a limited area of the screen) that some believe are a requirement for shmupiness. It lacks scrolling, but hey, rRootage doesn't scroll either and I don't think there's any debate about that one.

Vexorg · Post by **Vexorg** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 1:36 am

Dylan1CC wrote:As long as Space Invaders and Galaga are considered shmups then I would say yes. Shooter-maze game. gasp Maybe the real precursor to Guardian Legend?

Got that one covered too.

http://crucialclassics_23.1up.com/

ROBOTRON · Post by **ROBOTRON** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 1:42 am

I'd say yes...but a hybrid.

MILLIPEDE wuz the junk.

Turrican · Post by **Turrican** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 1:46 am

Alpolio wrote:1up has a nice article about Centipede.

[url]http://crucialclassics_11.1up.com/[/url]

Good reading, I forgot about that one... at least this artwork supports your theory a bit:

http://www.1up.com/media?id=1724413

Would be cool to learn from which version of the game was it taken. Seems heavy japanese-ish...

Blade · Post by **Blade** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 1:58 am

It's always been my experience that anything that shoots upwards is considered a shmup.

Just saying.

CMoon · Post by **CMoon** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 2:03 am

Although I have no problem calling centipede a shmup, to my knowledge it has no bullets coming at you.

Am I wrong in thinking that Centipede would be alone in being the only shmup without bullets?

Alpolio · Post by **Alpolio** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 2:08 am

Turrican wrote:
Alpolio wrote:1up has a nice article about Centipede.

[url]http://crucialclassics_11.1up.com/[/url]
Good reading, I forgot about that one... at least this artwork supports your theory a bit:

http://www.1up.com/media?id=1724413

Would be cool to learn from which version of the game was it taken. Seems heavy japanese-ish...

It's from the 7800 cartridge box art. Linkage.

Turrican · Post by **Turrican** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 2:16 am

Alpolio wrote:It's from the 7800 cartridge box art. Linkage.

Oh, great thanks!

It's seven years after the coin-op so it's a pretty distant artwork from the original feeling. But still nice to know!

ED-057 · Post by **ED-057** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 3:43 am

Centipede is like an endless boss fight (hence the stationary background) with some dangerous fast-moving insects instead of bullets. I still play it on my Atari 800XL sometimes. Never thought there was anything cute about the gfx though.

dave4shmups · Post by **dave4shmups** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 4:04 am

Alpolio wrote:Did you know that Centipede was the first arcade game designed by a women? Her name is Dona Bailey. Take a close look at the product... Pastel mushrooms? Shoot the little bugs & bouncing spiders? Hello? Cute'em up alert! And I had a girlfriend who played it all the time because she said it wasn't yucky like Galaga or Defender.

Besides, an 1980 arcade board ain't going to make anything much more cuter than this.

Awww..... he's so cute!

Interesting; I thought that River Raid was the first video game disigned by a woman.

I want the side cab. art for my room!

THAT would be cool!

it290 · Post by **it290** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 4:20 am

I haven't played Centipede in forever, but I thought one of the insects shot bullets at you. Maybe my memory is clouded, I used to play some Centipede clone on the Apple IIs at school all the time and I may be getting it confused with that. Incidentally, does anyone know what that clone is called? It was fairly famous back then. The right side of the screen was all score and life information like a lot of Genesis verts or PC shooters like Imperishable Night, etc. I remember thinking it was faster and better than the arcade Centipede.