Distributor(s) Atari Inc. Mode(s) Multiplayer CPU discrete Developer Atari Platform Arcade game | Genre(s) sport Cabinet unique Initial release date February 1974 Publisher Atari, Inc. | |
Sound Amplified Mono (one channel) Similar Elimination, Gran Trak 10, Jet Fighter, Space Race, Gotcha | ||
Rebound is a 2 player arcade game by Atari Inc., originally released in February 1974. The game simulates a volleyball match, having players volley a ball back and forth over a net with their paddles. Rebound is also the first game that was cloned and released under the then hidden Atari subsidiary Kee Games, as Spike.
Contents
Technology
The original working name of Rebound was Volleyball. The game is housed in a custom cabinet that includes two paddles and a lit start button. The cabinet bezel is made of an orange tinted plastic, providing an orance colored overlay to the entire screen. The game PCB is composed of discrete technology. Steve Jobs signed off on the Jan 9, 1974 dated cabinet wiring diagram provided with the units.
Rebound is also available as an upgrade to Pong. As Pong starts immediately when a coin is dropped, the Rebound PCB also immediately starts game play without the presence of start button wiring.
Gameplay
Each player controls a horizontally displayed bat with their respective paddles. They then begin volleying a ball back and forth across a graphical representation of a net. When you hit the ball with your bat, it 'bounces' off at one of 5 different angles depending on the segment of the bat hit: two "forward" angles, straight up, and two angles "behind" you - away from the net. Each player can only hit the ball three times during a volley, the fourth bounce goes right through the paddle and your opponent scores. The size of the net also grows as volleys increase.
Spike
Spike is a clone of Rebound released under Kee Games, at that time a newly created subsidiary portrayed publicly as a competitor to allow Atari to get more of the arcade market. Besides a different cabinet design, the key distinction between the two was the addition of a "spike" button. According to Steve Bristow, the designer, "If you timed it right you could do a real killer spike.".