Insert Coins to Continue (1984) Quiz

Answer: It had two monitors

Nintendo's "Punch-Out!!" was one of the most visually distinctive arcade cabinets ever produced. Instead of a single display, it used two stacked monitors. The upper monitor displayed your opponent while the lower monitor showed your boxer from behind and displayed game information. This clever design made the action easier to follow and helped the game stand out in crowded arcades.

Answer: A futuristic jet fighter

Konami's "Time Pilot '84" was the sequel to the popular 1982 game "Time Pilot". Unlike the original, which moved through several historical eras, the sequel took place entirely in a futuristic setting and featured advanced jet fighters battling enemy aircraft over varied terrain.

As in the original game, players could fly in any direction while remaining centered on the screen. Enemy fighters approached from all sides, and after destroying enough of them, a larger boss ship would appear. Defeating it allowed players to advance to the next stage.

Answer: Isaac Asimov

Released by Atari in 1984, "I, Robot" took its title from the famous collection of science fiction stories by Isaac Asimov, but it was not based on any specific story. Instead, the game borrowed the general idea of robots questioning authority and acting against their programming.

Players controlled an ox-headed robot named "Interface Robot" whose task was to evade the watchful eye of "Big Brother". Each level required the robot to flip enough tiles to turn them red while avoiding detection. Once the required tiles had been changed, the player entered a shooting stage and battled enemy forces before advancing to the next level.

The game's theme of a robot rebelling against a controlling authority was broadly inspired by ideas explored in Asimov's stories, though it did not use his characters, plots, or famous Three Laws of Robotics. The game is perhaps best remembered today for being one of the first arcade games to feature real-time, filled polygon 3D graphics, years before such visuals became commonplace.

Answer: True

Released by Capcom, "Vulgus" was the company's first arcade game. Players piloted a starfighter against an alien race whose ships were designed to resemble various insects. Among the enemies encountered were creatures inspired by moths, butterflies, beetles, dragonflies, and wasps, making the game visually distinct from many other space shooters of the era.

As the screen continuously scrolled upward, players fought through waves of insectoid attackers while destroying ground installations and avoiding enemy fire. At the end of each stage, players could collect a power-up that increased the size and firepower of their ship, giving them a better chance against the increasingly aggressive alien swarms.

Answer: Win a karate tournament

Released by Data East in 1984, "Karate Champ" is widely regarded as the first one-on-one fighting game. Rather than defeating waves of enemies, players competed in a series of karate matches against a single opponent, scoring points for successful kicks, punches, and other techniques.

Unlike later fighting games that focused on depleting an opponent's health bar, "Karate Champ" used a point-scoring system similar to real martial arts competitions. The first contestant to earn two points won the match and advanced through the tournament. The game's success helped establish many of the conventions that would eventually lead to fighting game classics such as "Street Fighter" and "Mortal Kombat".

Answer: A platform game

Rather than navigating mazes, Pac-Man ran and jumped through side-scrolling levels inspired by the animated television series. His quest involved escorting a fairy safely back to her home while avoiding ghosts, obstacles, and other hazards along the way.

"Pac-Land" would later influence many platform games, including Nintendo's "Super Mario Bros.", which adopted several ideas concerning continuous side-scrolling movement.

Answer: The Pacific Theatre

Players controlled an American fighter aircraft battling Japanese forces. Named after the year 1942, the game was loosely inspired by aerial combat in the Pacific Theatre during World War II and became one of Capcom's most successful early titles.

The player's plane could perform a barrel roll to evade enemy attacks while battling waves of aircraft, warships, and larger enemy bombers. The success of "1942" eventually led to a long-running series of sequels.

Answer: Rescue his girlfriend Sylvia

Known as Thomas in the Western release, the hero fought his way through five floors of a martial arts temple, defeating numerous enemies and bosses in an effort to rescue Sylvia.

Each floor ended with a powerful boss battle, while ordinary enemies attacked in groups using punches, kicks, knives, and other weapons. The game is often considered one of the earliest examples of the side-scrolling beat-'em-up genre.

Answer: Giant enemy marbles

In "Marble Madness", players guided a marble through hazardous isometric courses filled with ramps, gaps, and enemies. Among the most memorable hazards were hostile marbles that tried to knock your marble off the course.

Each course had to be completed before time ran out, with any remaining seconds carrying over to the next stage. The game's trackball controls gave players unusually precise control of their marble and helped make it one of Atari's most distinctive arcade titles.

Answer: Destroy or disable opposing vehicles

Inspired by real demolition derby competitions, players scored points by crashing into opponents while trying to avoid too much damage themselves.

The game consisted of two events. In the demolition derby mode, players attempted to disable rival vehicles, while the racing mode challenged them to avoid collisions and complete laps as quickly as possible. The game was an early example of vehicle combat, a theme that would later become popular in many arcade and console games.