Atari’s 1984 arcade hit was a very early proponent of isometric (meaning: “equal measure“) graphics, with a viewpoint that takes an overhead, three-quarter perspective of the gameplay area, and as a result was a huge influence on many games that followed it.

It wasn’t the first isometric game ever made, but it was certainly one of the first really popular ones.

The aim is to race your marble down the landscape, avoiding hazards as you go, and make it to the goal area before the timer runs down. Which sounds easy, but in practise is very difficult.

Two players can play simultaneously or one player can play alone. Both players use a trackball to control the marble.

Marble Madness still stands up extremely well today, being very playable and beautifully constructed. It has also been converted to many home computers and console over the years. It remains a much-moved and iconic video game from the 1980s and is a definite retro gaming classic.

More: Marble Madness on Wikipedia