Trog is an arcade maze game developed by Midway Manufacturing and distributed on their Bally Midway label in 1990. It caters for up to four simultaneous players and features “Claymation” characters and cut scenes (although they call it “PLAYmation” on the title screen, probably because the word “Claymation” is trademarked). Claymation is when all the characters are made of, and animated with, plasticine or coloured clay (think Wallace & Gromit and you’ll get it).
Category Archives: Williams Electronics
Zero Wing, Arcade
Zero Wing is a side-scrolling bullet hell shooter developed by Toaplan and distributed into arcades by Namco in Japan and Williams Electronics in North America in 1989.
Doom, PlayStation
The PlayStation version of Doom was was coded by Aaron Seeler for Williams Electronics and first published in 1995. The game runs on a modified version of the Atari Jaguar Doom engine and was the first time Ultimate Doom and Doom II were packaged together in one release.
Joust 2: Survival of the Fittest, Arcade
Joust 2: Survival of the Fittest is the sequel to the arcade classic, Joust, and was developed and manufactured by Williams Electronics in 1986. John Newcomer was again the lead designer of the game.
Doom, Super Nintendo
The Super Nintendo conversion of id Software‘s classic Doom was developed by Sculptured Software and published by Williams Electronics in 1995. It uses the Super FX chip to help render the 3D graphics, but in truth: even with the extra processing power it’s a pretty poor effort.
Stargate, Arcade
Also known as Defender II, Stargate is the 1981 sequel to Williams Electronics‘ Defender, which was released earlier the same year.
Stargate was designed and programmed by Eugene Jarvis and Larry DeMar of Vid Kidz, for Williams, and it features the same superfast blasting action as Defender, but with subtle differences.
Narc, Arcade
Created by Williams Electronics in 1988, Narc is a side-scrolling run-and-gun shooter that attracted a lot of controversy when it first came out.
Sinistar, Arcade
People forget how early Sinistar was – 1983. Which was a hell of a year for old arcade shooters!
Of the first colour arcade shooters, the class of 1983 were definitely second or third generation – in terms of ideas, patterns, movement, challenge, and sophistication. Graphically they were becoming a great improvement over early shoot ’em ups.
Sinistar is a good example of this. The graphics are much more detailed and colourful than the old arcade shooters of 1980/81.
Moon Patrol, Arcade
Moon Patrol is an early colour arcade shooter, released by Irem in 1982.
It was distinctive because you drove a vehicle, at the bottom of the screen, and had to jump over craters and obstacles, as well as shoot aliens in the sky. So you are keeping an eye on the road, while at the same time shooting enemies flying above you. This was a neat innovation at the time and earned Irem some respect.
Defender II, Atari 2600
The original Defender on the Atari 2600 is rubbish, but Defender II is the shizzle.
The King of Grabs 