A Journey Through The "Journey" Arcade Game Quiz

Answer: Groupoids

The instruments are not just regular instruments, but "Super Charged" instruments. These instruments shoot projectiles that help the band member get back to the ship.

As the quiz goes on, I'll try to offer helpful hints on playing the game. I'll try to avoid the snide remarks my fellow players and I uttered while playing the game, but I'm not promising anything.

Answer: The instrument is found on the galaxy

As the polyphonic version of the Journey song "Lights" plays, the band members jump into the "Scarab Ship" to retrieve their instruments. Only the band member who plays the instrument can get it back.

The "Scarab Ship" appears on many Journey albums from the Steve Perry era.

Answer: True

The machine will give a "reasonable" amount of time to make a choice before a timer appears. When the timer runs out, the choice is made for you.

As I got better at playing the game, I let the machine decide in the earlier rounds. It built up the suspense.

"Lights" plays polyphonically both at the beginning of the game and as you're deciding which galaxy to play.

Answer: He has to go through swinging gates

As his microphone moves side to side at the bottom of the screen, Steve Perry has to negotiate his way through gates. These gates open at various speeds and in different directions. There are also single gates in between the rows of gates, just to annoy you.

After you get the microphone, a greenish yellow line appears from the "Scarab Ship". This is the goal line you much reach to accomplish the task. The line can appear either at the top or bottom of the screen.

Answer: Lines of gates

The good thing is you can shoot the lines with your microphone. A better thing is as you get better at the game, you can earn more points by staying close to the bottom and shooting the lines. One drawback: the longer you take, the faster the lines move and the harder it is to reach the goal.

It was interesting to see the reaction of people when you lost a life with Steve Perry. Ladies were disappointed, while the guys seemed happy. No other member got this reaction.

Answer: Boxes that spring him into the air

At the top of the screen, Ross Valory's bass is moving side to side. The bass is the only other instrument, along with Steve Perry's microphone, that moves. The other three instruments are stationary.

Even though jumping on the boxes seems easy, there is a possibility you could miss a box and lose a life.

Answer: Bombs shot by the boxes

The most aggravating thing is when you're about to reach the yellow line and a bomb comes out of the far right box and hits you in the back of the head. In subsequent rounds, things speed up for Ross as well. You can shoot the bombs for points, but I was interested in surviving.

Another problem my friends and I had was trying to figure out the song playing in the background. I found out it's "Keep On Runnin'" while researching this quiz. Better late than never.

Answer: Jump over moving hurdles

Jonathan Cain must run down three ramps, jumping hurdles as he goes, to reach his piano. The hurdles move faster as he progresses down the ramps.

A piece of advice if you ever play the game. as you finish the second ramp, jump out onto the bottom ramp, instead of straight down. I don't know how many times the last hurdle of the second ramp got me.

Answer: Bubbles

Jonathan Cain is between two columns of bubbles. You can shoot the bubbles, but you have to hit them twice. Hitting them once makes the bubbles smaller and faster.

When I played,I shot the lower bubbles of the right hand column and moved through the opening. I was then confronted with another column of bubbles. My advice: don't stop shooting.

The polyphonic version of "Stone in Love" plays while you try to reach the ship.

Answer: A jet pack

Neal Schon's guitar is situated above a large outcropping in the cave. In later rounds, the guitar is below the outcropping. This is the only instrument that moves in later rounds.

As I got better at the game, I would let Neal free fall into the cave. The suspense factor was part of it, but it's also to save fuel.

Answer: Bombs from wall fixtures

You can shoot the bombs and you get points for doing so. In the earlier rounds, you hover above the outcropping and shoot at the fixtures. The game will let you know when the jet pack is running out of fuel. The soundtrack to this challenge is "Chain Reaction", polyphonically, of course.

The bombs don't increase in speed in the later rounds, but they are released more frequently.

Answer: True

I learned this by accident on the Neal Schon stage. If a bomb flies through his hair, above the hairline, he continues on. If it strikes below the hairline, he lands at the bottom of the screen and you pick a galaxy again. It should be the same for every band member.

Answer: Bounce off floating drums

One bounce on a drum turns its rim from red to blue. Bounce on a blue drum and it disappears, thus increasing the degree of difficulty. Once all the remaining drums are turned blue, you get a 1,000 point bonus and Steve Smith flies into his drum kit in the upper right hand corner.

In the early rounds, there is a stationary drum at the bottom. In later rounds, it moves from side to side.

Answer: Flying things

In the early rounds, Steve Smith is attacked by two "V" formations. In later rounds, they attack in three inverted "Y" formations. I wish I knew what they are called, but I don't.

All this goes on while the appropriate, polyphonic "Wheel In The Sky" plays in the background.

Answer: Herbie

As the band plays "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)", the Groupoids try to steal the instruments by rushing the stage. Standing in their way, guarding the three access doors to the stage, is Herbie the roadie. At first it's easy, the aliens bounce off Herbie, but their speed is increasing. Finally as the roadie is blocking the far left door, the aliens go through the far right door. Herbie exits to the right, flailing his arms, as the Groupoids reclaim the instruments.

"Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)" is the only album track used in the game.