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Outlaw (arcade game)
Encyclopedia
Outlaw is a single-player arcade game
by Atari Inc.
, originally released in 1976. It simulates an Old West
fast draw
duel between the player and the computer. Outlaw was a response to Midway
's Gun Fight
, released the year before.
. The game PCB
is composed of discrete technology, with game sprites stored in ROM
. Playfield graphics are provided by a screen overlay representing an Old West town street.
A home console port was developed for the Atari 2600
by then-Atari employee David Crane
. This version is more directly comparable to Midway's Gun Fight, allowing two players to engage in a shoot-out using the 2600's joysticks. There are also multiple types of game play, that differ slightly from the arcade version, in this Atari 2600 port. Among these game types include target practice and versions with obstacles that must be shot around or shot through.
The Atari 2600
version was also made available on Microsoft's
Game Room
service for its Xbox 360
console and for Windows-based
PC
s on March 24, 2010.
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
by Atari Inc.
Atari
Atari is a corporate and brand name owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by Atari Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of the French publisher Atari, SA . The original Atari, Inc. was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It was a pioneer in...
, originally released in 1976. It simulates an Old West
American Old West
The American Old West, or the Wild West, comprises the history, geography, people, lore, and cultural expression of life in the Western United States, most often referring to the latter half of the 19th century, between the American Civil War and the end of the century...
fast draw
Gunslinger
Gunfighter, also gunslinger , is a 20th century word, used in cinema or literature, referring to men in the American Old West who had gained a reputation as being dangerous with a gun...
duel between the player and the computer. Outlaw was a response to Midway
Midway Games
Midway Games, Inc. is an American company that was formerly a major video game publisher. Following a bankruptcy filing in 2009, it is no longer active and is in the process of liquidating all of its assets. Midway's titles included Mortal Kombat, Ms.Pac-Man, Spy Hunter, Tron, Rampage, the...
's Gun Fight
Gun Fight
Gun Fight, known as Western Gun in Japan and Europe, is a 1975 arcade shooter game designed by Tomohiro Nishikado, and released by Taito in Japan and Europe and by Midway Games in the United States. It was a historically significant game, and a success in the arcades. It was later ported to the...
, released the year before.
Technology
The game is housed in a custom cabinet that includes a light gunLight gun
A light gun is a pointing device for computers and a control device for arcade and video games.Modern screen-based light guns work by building a sensor into the gun itself, and the on-screen target emit light rather than the gun...
. The game PCB
Printed circuit board
A printed circuit board, or PCB, is used to mechanically support and electrically connect electronic components using conductive pathways, tracks or signal traces etched from copper sheets laminated onto a non-conductive substrate. It is also referred to as printed wiring board or etched wiring...
is composed of discrete technology, with game sprites stored in ROM
Read-only memory
Read-only memory is a class of storage medium used in computers and other electronic devices. Data stored in ROM cannot be modified, or can be modified only slowly or with difficulty, so it is mainly used to distribute firmware .In its strictest sense, ROM refers only...
. Playfield graphics are provided by a screen overlay representing an Old West town street.
Gameplay
Players can select one of two characters: Half-fast Pete or Billy-The-Kid. Pete is more accurate while Billy can draw faster. An outlaw appears somewhere in the town, the object being to fast draw your gun as soon as he draws his. Shooting him before he shoots you scores points, with points counting toward end-of-game ratings such as "Dude", "Greenhorn", and "Top Gun".Atari 2600 Port
Atari 2600
The Atari 2600 is a video game console released in October 1977 by Atari, Inc. It is credited with popularizing the use of microprocessor-based hardware and cartridges containing game code, instead of having non-microprocessor dedicated hardware with all games built in...
by then-Atari employee David Crane
David Crane (programmer)
David Crane is a video game designer and programmer.Crane started his programming career at Atari, making games for the Atari 2600. After meeting co-worker Alan Miller in a tennis game, Miller told Crane about a plan he had to leave Atari and found a company that would give game designers more...
. This version is more directly comparable to Midway's Gun Fight, allowing two players to engage in a shoot-out using the 2600's joysticks. There are also multiple types of game play, that differ slightly from the arcade version, in this Atari 2600 port. Among these game types include target practice and versions with obstacles that must be shot around or shot through.
The Atari 2600
Atari 2600
The Atari 2600 is a video game console released in October 1977 by Atari, Inc. It is credited with popularizing the use of microprocessor-based hardware and cartridges containing game code, instead of having non-microprocessor dedicated hardware with all games built in...
version was also made available on Microsoft's
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
Game Room
Game Room
Game Room is a gaming service for the Xbox 360 video game system, Microsoft Windows PCs, and Windows Phone 7. Launched on March 24, 2010, Game Room lets players download classic video games and compete against each other for high scores...
service for its Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
console and for Windows-based
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
s on March 24, 2010.