Kozmik Kroozr - MAME machine

Arcade Video game published 42 years ago:

Kozmik Krooz'r © 1982 Bally Midway.

Kozmik Krooz'r is a shoot-'em-up game in which players guide Kapt. Krooz'r to a rotating mothership at the top of the playfield, one which can only be entered when its tractor beam is operational. Players can also shoot enemies in one of eight directions and deflect firepower during their journey. Every fifth round there is a bonus round where Kapt. Krooz'r must pick up space junk.

TECHNICAL
[Game No. 639]
Cabinet dimensions: 71,75'' High x 25'' Wide x 40'' Deep.

The cabinet design was unique for its time, as the mothership is not stored as part of the game's graphics. The spaceship is a physical plastic object. A series of mirrors projects the mothership just above the game's monitor, giving a much sharper and smoother image as it rotates more than what could be achieved on the hardware at the time. Very few Kozmik Krooz'r cabinets were manufactured, making a working copy of the game very rare.

Bally Midway MCR 2 hardware

Main CPU: Zilog Z80 (@ 2.496 Mhz)
Sound CPU: Zilog Z80 (@ 2 Mhz)
Sound Chips: (2x) General Instrument AY8910 (@ 2 Mhz)

Screen orientation: Horizontal
Video resolution: 512 x 480 pixels
Screen refresh: 30.00 Hz
Palette colors: 64

Players: 2
Control: 8-way joystick with a trigger, spinner knob

TRIVIA
The game was originally called Mother-ship, and the mechanics were developed by Marvin Glass. However, the realistic-looking game did not test very well, it was supposed to use a mirror to reflect the image of a ship onto the play-field. In an attempt to save the project, Bill's new design of the game introduced the cute green alien called Kapt. Krooz'r that Bally Midway executives hoped would be the next fad like "Pac-Man" was for Namco (NOTE: Kapt. Krooz'r's next appearance was in "Wacko").

SCORING
Ram Ship: 100 points
Shooter Ship: 200 points
Strike Ship: 200 points
Scout Ship: 300 points
Speed Demon: 2,500 points
Space Mine: 100 points
Formation Fighter: 100 points
Mine Layer: 200 points
Spy Ship: 300 points

STAFF
Lead programmer: Richard Clark (Sarge)
Artist / Animator: Brian Colin

PORTS
Kozmik Krooz'r was not released for home systems, though was included in the 2004 release of Midway Arcade Treasures 2. Here the mothership is represented by 3-D polygons.

• CONSOLES:

Sony PlayStation 2 [AU] (2004) "Midway Arcade Treasures 2"
[US] Microsoft XBOX (oct.11, 2004) "Midway Arcade Treasures 2 [Model MWO-3201W]"
Nintendo GameCube [US] (oct.11, 2004) "Midway Arcade Treasures 2 [Model DOL-GAYE-USA]"
[US] Sony PS2 (oct.11, 2004) "Midway Arcade Treasures 2 [Model SLUS-20997]"
[EU] Microsoft XBOX (oct.29, 2004) "Midway Arcade Treasures 2"
[EU] Sony PS2 (oct.29, 2004) "Midway Arcade Treasures 2 [Model SLES-52844]"

• COMPUTERS:

[US] PC [MS Windows, CD-ROM] (feb.17, 2006) "Midway Arcade Treasures Deluxe Edition"
[EU] PC [MS Windows, CD-ROM] (mar.17, 2006) "Midway Arcade Treasures Deluxe Edition" by Zoo Digital Publishing

CONTRIBUTE
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