Scramble (arcade game)

Infobox VG
title = Scramble


developer = Konami
publisher = Stern (North America)
Compu-Games A/S (Europe)
Artic (Asia)
designer =
released = ^JPN March, 1981
^NA 1981
^EU 1981
genre = Horizontal scrolling shooter
modes = Up to 2 players, alternating turns
platforms= Arcade, Tomy Tutor, Vectrex, Xbox Live Arcade
cabinet = Upright
arcade system =
cpu = Zilog Z80 @ 3.072MHz
Zilog Z80 @ 1.78975MHz
sound = 2x AY8910 @ 1.78975MHz
display = Raster, 224 x 256, vertical orientation
input = 8-way joystick, 2 buttons

"Scramble" is a 1981 horizontally scrolling shoot 'em up, arcade game. It was developed by Konami, and manufactured and distributed by Stern in North America.

Gameplay

The player controls a spaceship referred to in the game as a 'Jet' and has to guide it across a scrolling terrain, battling obstacles along the way. The ship is armed with a forward-firing weapon, and bombs; each weapon has its own button. The player must avoid colliding with the terrain and other enemies, while simultaneously maintain its limited fuel supply, which diminishes over time. More fuel can be acquired by destroying fuel tanks in the game.

The game is divided into six sections, each with a different style of terrain and different obstacles. There is no intermission between each section; the game simply scrolls into the new terrain. Points are awarded based upon the number of seconds of being alive, and on destroying enemies and fuel tanks. In the final section, the player must destroy a "base". Once this has been accomplished, a flag denoting a completed mission is posted at the bottom right of the screen. The game then continues by returning you to the first section once more, with a slight increase in difficulty.

Legacy

"Scramble" was cloned to many of the computer systems and game consoles of the time. Its direct sequel was the helicopter arcade game, "Super Cobra".

According to the Nintendo Game Boy Advance Gradius Galaxies intro and the "Gradius Breakdown" DVD included with "Gradius V", "Scramble" is considered the first in the "Gradius" series.However, the Gradius Portable guidebook issued a few years after by Konami, lists "Scramble" as part of their shooting history, and the Gradius games are now listed separately

"Scramble" was included on "Konami Arcade Classics" in 1999.

"Scramble" joined the Xbox Live Arcade library for the Xbox 360 on September 13 2006, its release having been delayed from September 6 2006 due to bugs.

Legal history

"Scramble" was the subject of an important court case in the field of Intellectual Property, specifically copyrights. In Stern Electronics, Inc. v. Kaufman, 669 F.2d 852, the Second Circuit held that Stern could copyright the images and sounds in the game, not just the source code that produced them. [cite web | url=http://www.patentarcade.com/2005/06/case-stern-elec-v-kaufman-2nd-cir-1982.html | title=Case: Stern Elec. v. Kaufman (2nd Cir. 1982) | publisher=Patent Arcade | author=Brandon Rash | accessdate=2006-09-16]

Notes and references

*cite book
year = 2006
title = Gradius Portable Official Guide
publisher = Konami
id = ISBN 4-86155-111-0

ee also

*"Cosmic Avenger"

External links

* [http://www.arcade-history.com/index.php?page=detail&id=2328 "Scramble"] at the Arcade History Database
*KLOV game|id=9447|name=Scramble