Genre(s) Torpedo Publisher Sega Platform Arcade game | Initial release date 1966 Developers Sega, David Rosen | |
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Similar Sea Wolf, SubRoc‑3D, Gun Fight, Die Hard Arcade, Astron Belt | ||
Periscope (Arcade Game)
Periscope (ペリスコープ) is an arcade game released in Japan by Sega Enterprises in 1966.
Contents
Play
The electro-mechanical game was released in the era prior to true video games. It consists of a backdrop representing the ocean, where cardboard cutouts of ships are moved horizontally on chains. In front of this is a horizontal board with a grid of lights that represents the torpedoes moving toward the ships in side-scrolling fashion. The game is played looking through a simulated submarine periscope that limits the field of view so the horizontal and vertical playfields appear to be almost continuous. Due to the relatively large horizontal surface, and the machinery behind the vertical surface, the game cabinet is very deep, two to three times the depth of a conventional arcade game.
Reception
The game encountered great success in Japan, and was released in the United States the following year. The game found further success in the US and in Europe. The book The Rise and Fall of Sega described the game as having been "an instant hit". Rosen later said, "If you talk to the old timers in the industry, they will tell you that The Periscope was a turning point in the industry."
