Distributor(s) Atari Inc. CPU discrete Developer Atari Platforms Atari 2600, Arcade game | Cabinet unique Initial release date 1976 Genre Shooter game Publishers Atari, Sears | |
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Sound Amplified Mono (one channel) Display Horizontal orientation, raster (black and white), Standard Resolution. Similar Golf, Casino, Street Racer, Bowling, RealSports Football | ||
Outlaw is a single-player arcade game by Atari Inc., originally released in 1976. It simulates an Old West fast draw duel between the player and the computer. Outlaw was a response to Gun Fight, released by Midway in North America the year before.
Contents
Technology
The game is housed in a custom cabinet that includes a light gun. The game PCB is composed of discrete technology, with game sprites stored in ROM. Playfield graphics are provided by a screen overlay representing an Old West town street.
Gameplay
Players select one of two characters: Half-fast Pete or Billy-The-Kid. Pete is more accurate while Billy can draw faster. An outlaw appears somewhere in the town, the object being to fast draw your gun as soon as he draws his. Shooting him before he shoots you scores points, with points counting toward end-of-game ratings such as "Dude", "Greenhorn", and "Top Gun".
Atari 2600 Port
A home console port was developed for the Atari 2600 by then-Atari employee David Crane. This version is more directly comparable to Midway's Gun Fight, allowing two players to engage in a shoot-out using 2600's joysticks. There are also multiple types of game play, that differ slightly from the arcade version, in this Atari 2600 port. Among these game types include target practice and versions with obstacles that must be shot around or shot through.
The Atari 2600 version was also made available on Microsoft's Game Room service for its Xbox 360 console and for Windows-based PCs on March 24, 2010.