Word Zapper

Word Zapper is an Atari 2600 game written by Henry Will IV[2] and published under the Vidtec label of U.S. Games in 1982. Word Zapper is a mixture of spelling and arcade gaming, in which a word appears at the bottom of the screen and then letters scroll across the top which can be shot to spell words.[3]

Word Zapper
Developer(s)James Wickstead Design Associates[1]
Publisher(s)U.S. Games
Designer(s)Henry Will IV[2]
Platform(s)Atari 2600
Release1982
Mode(s)Single-player

Gameplay

The player controls a spaceship-like "Zapper" which can move about the screen and shoot up, left, and right. The objective is to shoot the letters that spell the current word, in order, while shooting or avoiding asteroids in the lower portion of the screen.[4] There are four types of asteroids, and each has a different effect if it comes into contact with the Zapper. The "Doomsday" asteroid ends the game. The "Scroller" asteroid mixes up the scrolling letters for five seconds. The "Zonker" and "Bonker" asteroids knock the Zapper to the side.

The game ends after being hit by a doomsday asteroid, after the 99 second timer runs down, or the ultimate goal of completing three words.[4]

Reception

Richard A. Edwards reviewed Word Zapper in The Space Gamer No. 59.[3] Edwards commented that "It is difficult to make a statement concerning recommendation. Word Zapper is innovative enough to draw attention at first, but it will depend on the individual gamer whether another arcade shooting match with letters is worth the price tag."[3]

In the 1983 Arcade Awards, Word Zapper was one of two runners-up for the "Most Innovative Videogame" category.[5]

gollark: Nebulae would win fights by saying "Hey, stop fighting me! Look at this cool constellation here? See that star there? It's 500 light-years from this planet, and the latest data shows that it might have habitable planets! Cool, right?" and distracting their opponents.
gollark: ```Despite their great size and strength, Celestial Dragons are a peaceful breed named for their spectral, starry appearance. Little else is known about them, as they spend the vast majority of their lives partially phased out of the plane of existence through the use of powerful magic. Celestial Dragons are thought to assume their corporeal form only long enough to reproduce or to die; the rest of the time, they resemble living, breathing constellations, impervious to all physical and magical harm.```
gollark: And don't forget celestials.
gollark: Actually, Bolts can do stun, which might help in a fight.
gollark: I suppose they're mostly just checked for grammar, time-matchingness and slight sanity.

References
  1. Stilphen, Scott (2014). "Interview with Todd Marshall". Atari Compendium.
  2. Hague, James. "The Giant List of Classic Game Programmers".
  3. Edwards, Richard A. (January 1983). "Capsule Reviews". The Space Gamer. Steve Jackson Games (59): 46, 48.
  4. "Word Zapper Manual". archive.org. U.S. Games.
  5. Katz, Arnie; Kunkel, Bill (January 1983). "1983 Arcade Awards". Electronic Games. 1 (11): 23–24.
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