Starship 1 - MAME machine

Arcade Video game published 45 years ago:

Starship 1 © 1977 Atari.

The object is to destroy alien spacecraft while maneuvering the Starship through star and asteroid fields, 'saving the Federation'.

TECHNICAL
Game ID: 007513-007531

Main CPU: MOS Technology M6502 (@ 750 Khz)

Players: 1
Control: Stick (Steering Yoke for X-Axis, Throttle stick (fast/slow) for Y-Axis)
Buttons: 3 (Button 1= Fire, Button 2= Torpedo, Button 3= Brake(?) )

The game uses a half-silvered mirror to reflect the image over a black light lit space background. The monitor has a ''+'' (a target crosshairs) taped directly onto the monitor to aid in lining up enemy ships.

TRIVIA
Starship 1 was released in July 1977.

It is another fantastic Atari first. This incredibly realistic video sensation (at its time) goes where no game has gone before. 3500 units were produced.

After a nearly 50-year run, the mid-1970s video games like Starship 1 spelled the end of the electro-mechanical arcade games (such as "Killer Shark" seen in the movie Jaws). Video games would spawn a nation-wide phenomenon which has gone on to this day.

Starship 1 was one of many mid-1970's Atari games such as "Night Driver", "Sprint 2" and "Drag Race" which were often found at carnivals and bowling alleys. Kids would flock to these establishments just to get an opportunity to play the games rather than the primary source of entertainment they offered. When the 80's arrived, video games could be found everywhere including grocery stores and kids didn't have to go very far to play their favorite game.

At the end of a game, two different sayings will be displayed. One simply saying to deposit a quarter to be the captain of Starship 1, the other saying that "Sensors detect another quarter in your pocket, deposit it to be the captain of Starship 1". Pretty funny the first time you see it!

A Starship 1 unit appears in the 1978 movie "Dawn of the Dead".

TIPS AND TRICKS
Easter Egg:
Disable the 'Bonus Time' DIP switch. Hold the Phasor and Start buttons down. Drop a quarter in the Coin 1 slot, then quickly let up the buttons and slam the Slow control. The words 'Hi Ron!' will appear on the screen, and you will get 10 free credits.

STAFF
Designed and programmed by: Ron Milner, Steve Mayer, Dave Shepperd, Dennis Koble (at Grass Valley)

CONTRIBUTE
Edit this entry: https://www.arcade-history.com/?&page=detail&id=2626&o=2