1970s Video Games Trivia Quiz

Answer: Pong

"Pong" is a very simple sport-themed game using two dimensional graphics. Players play against each other, controlling a paddle and hitting a ball back and forth using the paddle. A player earns a point when they fail to hit the ball back with the paddle.

The video game was originally released by Atari in 1972. In 1975 and just in time for Christmas, a home game version was made available at Sears. "Pong" is in the Smithsonian Institution for its cultural impact.

Answer: Space Invaders

"Space Invaders" is my absolute favorite video game. Players control a laser cannon at the bottom of the video screen and fire at rows aliens as they descend down the screen, trying to hit the aliens to destroy them. If the aliens make it to the bottom of the screen, the player dies.

The better a player does, the faster the aliens move down the screen making the game more difficult. Sometimes a special alien ship moves across the screen. If it's hit, the player gets bonus points.

Answer: Death Race

This game was a modified version of a 1975 game called "Destruction Derby." In that 1975 game, players drive using a steering wheel and a pedal to crash into cars and get points. In "Death Race", the object is to hit 'gremlins' to get points. The subjects that are hit are human-like and the game was controversial for encouraging violence.

The publicity around the controversy actually helped the game gain notoriety and it was the eighth highest grossest arcade game of 1976 (according to "RePlay" magazine) in the United States.

Answer: The Oregon Trail

The object of the game "The Oregon Trail" is to get from Independence, Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon as the leader of a covered wagon party. Players need to make decisions about the best options to keep everyone safe while hunting for food and buying supplies. Obstacles are faced along the way including disease, bad weather, and wagon mishaps.

There is an entire series of games based on "The Oregon Trail" as well as spinoffs and the series is inducted into the World Video Game Hall of Fame.

Answer: Super Bug

Players drive a little yellow Volkswagen around a black and white course, trying to avoid crashing into the sides of the course and obstacles such as oil patches. The game is over when the car runs out of fuel. The game was originally called "City Driver" and was quite successful. It was named the fifth highest grossing arcade game of 1978 according to "RePlay" magazine.

Answer: Asteroids

In this game, the player shoots at moving asteroids from a triangle shaped ship in the middle of a video screen. Asteroids come at the ship from all directions and as they are hit, reduce in size until they are small enough to be destroyed. Occasionally flying saucers appear on the screen and come at the ship as well. If the player ship is hit, it is destroyed.

As the player moves on through the game, more and more asteroids appear, making it more difficult.

Answer: Breakout

This is another fun game for those of who like simple graphics and simple play! This game is similar to "Pong" however "Breakout" is a single player game. The player controls a panel and hits a ball upwards toward a layer of bricks. The ball hits a brick, which disappears and the ball ricochets back toward the players paddle.

The better the player does, the faster the ball moves, making it more challenging. If a player misses the ball with the paddle, they lose a life.

Answer: Gun Fight

This is a two player game where players square off against each other in a gun fight. If a character is hit, they fall down and the words "Got me!" appear and music is played. Players can move their fighter with a joystick and obstacles appear between the players to block shots, such as cactuses and wagons.

In the version called "Western Gun", players could move their characters around the screen but in "Gun Fight", fighters are restricted to a small area.

Answer: Galaxian

In "Galaxian", rows of alien spaceships move back and forth horizontally across the top of the video screen as the fighter shoots at them, trying to hit them. Occasionally an alien ship will break from the pack, shoot at the players ship and aim at the players ship who tries to shoot it and also avoid getting hit by it. Sometimes more than one ship will break from the pack to attack the players ship.

The aim is to destroy all alien ships in the pack.

Answer: Triple Hunt

What made this game unique was the fact that it was three games in one. In "Hit the Bear" the player shoots at an animated bear walking in the forest. In "Raccoon Hunt" the player shoots at raccoons that are climbing up the screen. In "Witch Hunt" the player shoots at characters that appear on screen such as bats, witches and ghosts. For all three games the players uses a light gun and an operator needs to switch out each game by changing the graphics panels.