Video (Games) Killed the Radio Star Quiz

Answer: An aeroplane and missile game

The "Cathode Ray Tube Amusement Device" was a missile simulator game inspired by radar displays from World War II. Because technology was not yet available for graphics, screen overlays were used. The beam was aimed at a dot on the screen, and the target destroyed.

Answer: 3,333,360

Assuming the player eats every dot, fruit, power pellet and ghost, completes 255 levels and does not lose a life, a score of 3,333,360 can be achieved. Billy Mitchell of Florida, USA took approximately six hours to achieve this perfect score in July 1999. A decade later in 2009, David Race of Ohio, USA set the fastest time record of 3 hours 41 minutes 22 seconds.

Answer: Princess Toadstool

The objective is for Mario (or Luigi, a younger brother operated by a second player) to navigate his way through the Mushroom Kingdom to save Princess Toadstool. This compelling game was the best-seller of all time for over twenty years. Released in 1985, "Super Mario Brothers" was credited with ending the video game console crash of 1983.

Answer: Burger Time

"Burger Time" (originally named "Hamburger", but changed prior to release in the USA) is a six-stage game in which chef Peter Pepper goes about his business of making burgers while dodging three enemies-- Mr. Hot Dog, Mr. Pickle and Mr. Egg. Enemies can be killed, stunned or avoided. Most points are scored when an ingredient falls on the enemy. Each stage becomes more difficult, presenting more enemies and burgers, making it easier for chef Peter Pepper to become cornered, and lose a life. The highest score recorded was 11,512,500, a record set in 2008.

Answer: Chiller

This game, believed to be the first showing "blood and gore", consists of multiple screens, mimicking the sets of horror movies and dungeons. The victims are shown bound or shackled in medieval torture devices. The player has to determine how to kill the victim in the shortest possible time.

Head and body shots do not necessarily eliminate the victim, and use of the torture devices will result in a better score.

Answer: Space Invaders

"Space Invaders" is a two dimensional shooting game. The player controls the laser cannon, used to eliminate the encroaching aliens. The aliens appear in five horizontal lines, and move from side to side, occasionally firing at the cannon. They also move downward, and the object of the game is for the player to eliminate all the aliens, before they encroach on the player's line of play, destroying the cannon.

As the movement of the aliens speeds up, the game increases in difficulty.

Answer: Dig Dug

Developed and first published by Namco, and later released by Atari, this action game requires the player to dig tunnels underground, and drop rocks on the enemies. The fire breathing dragon, known as Fygar, can cause the player to lose a life by igniting it if they come in contact.

The player has the ability to inflate Fygar until it pops. In the coin operated version, Round 256 is a "kill screen", meaning that the player and enemy open in exactly the same place, and with nowhere to escape to, the game is over!

Answer: Frogger

This arcade game was released in 1981, requiring the player, who starts with three lives, to navigate a frog safely over a busy road, dodging cars, buses, trucks, bicycles, motorcycles etc which move horizontally across the screen. Once safely past the traffic, the frog then has to jump on crocodiles, turtles and logs, to reach one of 5 frog homes - all within the allotted time.

In the "Seinfeld" episode titles "The Frogger", George and Jerry go to a Pizzeria before it closes down, and George, whose initials still appear as the highest score, purchases the "Frogger" machine, which is destroyed by a truck, as he, in "Frogger" style, tries to navigate the machine across a busy road.

Answer: Popeye

This arcade game is controlled with an eight-way joystick, requiring the player (controlling Popeye) to navigate his way up and down a series of stairs set on a sail boat. The object is to collect objects depending on the level, for example hearts, released from music playing at the bottom of the screen, or letters making up the word "help".

Whilst collecting these, Popeye needs to avoid enemies Sea Hag and Brutus, as well as bottles and vultures. A can of spinach on each screen, gives him the super strength he needs to maintain his advantage over then enemy.

Answer: Centipede

The centipede, when shot, divides it into two separate pieces. It moves horizontally, turning and moving down a level when it reaches one of the many mushrooms on the screen. The mushrooms can be removed, taking four shots before disappearing. The object of the game is to eliminate the centipede before it reaches the bottom of the screen. Once it collides with the laser shooter, a life is lost.

The player has three lives, before it is "Game Over".