Which came first, Robotron or Black Widow?

[NeoZeedeater]

Both are similar games with a 1982 copyright. Does anyone know which came out first?

[chadtower]

Hard to say, since who knows how long they took to design them and what type of attrition either company had during that timeframe.

A better question would be, if I see where you're going with this, is are those really the first two with that dual stick control scheme?

[Graham Mitchell]

I'm not claiming to be an expert on this subject, but I had always thought Robotron was the first because of the story of how it was developed. Eugene Jarvis broke his arm, and wanted make a game he could play while in a cast. That's how he got the idea for the dual joystick control. It makes sense, but that doesn't necessarily mean I'm right.

[GamerNerd]

Robotron: 2084 came 1st to say the least.

[Arcade Antics]

Robotron: 2084 came 1st to say the least.
How about a little more info than the least? Sounds interesting!

[Lady Jaye]

I'm not claiming to be an expert on this subject, but I had always thought Robotron was the first because of the story of how it was developed. Eugene Jarvis broke his arm, and wanted make a game he could play while in a cast. That's how he got the idea for the dual joystick control. It makes sense, but that doesn't necessarily mean I'm right.

Another factor was that he didn't like how, in games like Berzerk, you can only shoot in the direction you're running (which I agree with... I hate that too in Tutankham). Hence, the shoot in any direction, regardless of the direction the character's heading, control.

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

Unless you're limiting yourself to run-and-shoot games, just remember: Crazy Climber came before both of those.

[Arcade Antics]

Just wanted to bump this one with a little more info. :)

Robotron:2084 (as suspected) did come first. Robotron was released in March 1982; Black Widow was released in December 1982.

(Possibly) further backing up the chronology, (and as most probably already know) Black Widow was essentially a quick-fix conversion kit for the wonderful-yet-commercially-unsuccessful Gravitar. Gravitar was released in August 1982, also post-Robotron.

More fun facts: Robotron is the single greatest videogame of all time. ;)

[Kid Ice]

More fun facts: Robotron is the single greatest videogame of all time. ;)

Did you always feel that way? I ask because I was not very much into Robotron back in the day, I really didn't discover it until the first Williams collection on the PSX came out. My enthusiasm for the game has died down quite a bit in the last year or so. I wonder if I took to it simply because it's so immediate and visceral juxtaposed to the slower-paced and theatrical games of the day...kind of a backlash to the way games have evolved. I happen to be getting a better retro-buzz from Defender at the moment (and before Robotron it was Galaga).

[Arcade Antics]

Did you always feel that way?
I think so, memory's so hazy these days. LOL But yeah -- from the first time I played it way back when all the way up through now, I can't think of a more "perfect" vision of exactly what a game should be. Tough, but fair. Easy to learn / tough to master. And freakish killer robots.

Though I've recently re-discovered Gaplus for the third time now. Gaplus is pretty durn amazing, it's much tougher than Galaga, and I prefer the bonus stages and power up sequences too. Aaah, but what do I know? I like Stargate over Defender and Millipede over Centipede. ;)

[Graham Mitchell]

More fun facts: Robotron is the single greatest videogame of all time. ;)

Did you always feel that way? I ask because I was not very much into Robotron back in the day, I really didn't discover it until the first Williams collection on the PSX came out. My enthusiasm for the game has died down quite a bit in the last year or so. I wonder if I took to it simply because it's so immediate and visceral juxtaposed to the slower-paced and theatrical games of the day...kind of a backlash to the way games have evolved. I happen to be getting a better retro-buzz from Defender at the moment (and before Robotron it was Galaga).

Same here, Kid Ice. I discovered it from the first PSX comp. I couldn't believe that I hadn't played it before. It became a passion of mine. Before that, I always said Y's Book I and II was the greatest game ever made (and it's still high on the list).




Though I've recently re-discovered Gaplus for the third time now. Gaplus is pretty durn amazing, it's much tougher than Galaga, and I prefer the bonus stages and power up sequences too. Aaah, but what do I know? I like Stargate over Defender and Millipede over Centipede.

I too recently rediscovered Gaplus. It is bitch hard, but after about 8 years of struggling with it, I've finally gotten a modest amount of skill with it, and it's gotten a lot more fun. A very well done game. Oh, and Millipede kills Centipede anyday. The DDT makes all the difference (and the extra legs).