MMMC - Teeter Torture

[scooterb23]

I'm so glad Ed Oscuro nominated this game.

This game is a brutal old-school space shooter, with the added factor that your ship is on a teeter totter, precariously balanced over a keg of dynaite. Let the teeter totter stay to one side too long, and BOOM! Also, the aliens you are shooting have hooks on their heads. Meaning that they try and drag the balance over to one side.

This game is quick, fun, and a total joy. Give it a try!

http://drop.io/dpmameclub

download the ROM there!

[InsaneDavid]

Don't you mean Teeter Torture?

I love this game! I had a blast (haha) last year playing what I believe is the lone existing arcade cabinet at California Extreme. The cabinet uses a unique control method, essentially like a caster wheel on its side that you spin back and forth to move your cannon.

[scooterb23]

I do mean Teeter Torture, I don't know what I was thinking...changing now

That cab seems like a neat control method, would like to try it

[Rifter01]

I've never heard of this game before, and I will try it out. Exidy games are particularly interesting to me, so this is awesome to find a "new-to-me" Exidy game!

[InsaneDavid]

I've never heard of this game before, and I will try it out. Exidy games are particularly interesting to me, so this is awesome to find a "new-to-me" Exidy game!

If I remember correctly the story goes that even Exidy forgot they developed the game until the cabinet showed up at California Extreme years ago.

Info here (with pictures of the cabinet and control panel) (http://maws.mameworld.info/minimaws/set/teetert) and here (http://mamedev.org/roms/teetert/). The interesting thing about the control method is the tactile feedback you get from it. The little dial is metal and once you get it spinning it builds up quite a bit of momentum so going back the other direction isn't instantaneous. Due to this you attempt to keep your movements short and smooth since a long run to an edge of the platform often means not being able to get back to the other side in time.

[jb143]

I like these types of early games. It's a pretty creative and clever space invaders type. I couldn't imagine playing it with the spinner thing but that does sound pretty cool. Almost like an early force feedback using the natural physical properties of a flywheel.

It's pretty tough but I did get to level 7...that was mainly once I figured out you can shoot those warp things to advance.

[Ed Oscuro]

I found this game as a counterpart to Bubbles. I simply felt that this was an excellent example of great design that's simple to understand - the "enemies" have hooks as part of their design. It's obvious (just like the plungers on the TNT barrels!), but that suits the gameplay style - it's fast so there's no reason to be ambivalent about anything that's happening. Yet the gameplay is not reflexes-only; you have to think a little because you'll never shoot down all the little hangers-on, and where in the beam they hit seems to make a difference (as does where you roll the cannon). I have no complaints about the gameplay. Perhaps a little variety or something extra could have pushed it over the edge into "unforgettable classic" territory, but it's competent at what it does, and cute; that's enough for me!

It also didn't hurt that it's an Exidy game. I was looking recently at the run of Exidy games in MAME and this one was a shock - it's not one of the complicated gun shooters (I kind of like them in a "so bad they're good" way, though most are great fun), and it's not Top Secret, a game whose design choices baffle me.

Actually, I think I ought to make a High Scores thread over at Shmups Forum. I'll keep everyone posted. Edit: Done.

Also, I don't think there's any space / aliens theme here, just outright crazy fantasy. The player's avatar is a circus-style cannon on wheels, the closest counterpart I can think of is the contraption from King & Balloon. (Bye Bye!)

[Rifter01]

I got 37070, and made it to Level 11. This has to be one of the first games that has a warp, and once I found it it made it pretty easy to go up in score, and occasionally get killed going for it, (by the little gremlins all falling down on the lever on the other side).

[Ed Oscuro]

It's been up a while but I have a highscore thread going here (http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=31992).

Current highscore over 380K! Not too hard to get that high with a good modern mouse actually - the secret ingredient is to keep shooting everything and let extends carry you along.

[scooterb23]

Very cool. Just giving the heads up that a new MMMC game will be going up late tomorrow. I still have an old list, but if anyone has more suggestions, please post them here.

[talmadgetab]

Love this shooting game Teeter Torture, but with a unique twist. Your cannon is sitting atop a teeter totter.