Created by Eugene Jarvis and his Vid Kidz team at Williams Electronics and released in 1982, Robotron: 2084 was one of the most intense, claustrophobic arcade games ever.
Set over 100 years in the future, it depicted a world where robots turned against humans, aiming to wipe out mankind or convert them into mindless “Progs”.
Your mission was to fight back with a multi-directional laser gun and save the last human family – Daddy, Mommy, and Mikey (there were actually several hundred Daddies, Mommies and Mikeys, and you were charged with saving them all).
The game threw hundreds of Robotrons and missiles at you across 255 waves, making every level chaotic.
You started each wave in the middle of a storm of enemies, and the pressure mounted as new armadas arrived.
Your goal: eliminate all Robotron enemies, except the indestructible Hulks.
Enemies came in different types on subsequent levels: swarms of red-suited Grunts were the most common (and least sophisticated); Hulks were bulky, indestructible and lethal; Spheroids spawned Enforcers who hunted you down with guided “Enforcer Sparks”; Quarks created Tanks firing bouncing bombs; and Brains could turn humans into “Progs”, forcing you to kill innocents. Amidst this chaos, deadly mines, electrodes and other hazards awaited.
To progress, you had to clear all enemies on each level.
The game’s unique dual-joystick control – one moved your character, the other fired in eight directions – was revolutionary, offering the precise control necessary to survive the relentless onslaught.
Robotron: 2084 was a hit, and its influence persisted. Its gameplay and control scheme inspired the 1990s game Smash TV. Today, it remains a collector’s favourite and a timeless classic for arcade fans, known for its rapid-fire action and nightmare-inducing scenario.
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Your mission was to fight back with a multi-directional laser gun and save the last human family – Daddy, Mommy, and Mikey (there were actually several hundred Daddies, Mommies and Mikeys, and you were charged with saving them all).
