Carnival is an arcade game made by Gremlin/Sega in 1980. It was the first game to include a bonus round. It is for one or two players (one at a time) to shoot moving targets with the gun at the bottom of the screen. It was programmed by Medo Moreno with the support of Murphy Bivens and Helene Schlein. Carnival was ported to the Atari 2600, ColecoVision, and Intellivision by Coleco.
The music is Over the Waves (Sobre las Olas) by Juventino Rosas which was the tune commonly associated with carnivals.
The arcade version came in Upright and Cocktail Cabinets running the Sega VIC Dual, Z80 @1.9 Mhz CPU[1] and the display was a Rater 224 x 256, 64 colors (6 used). Ports were made to consoles in 1982. Electronic Games magazine called the Colecovision port of Carnival, “a letter perfect recreation of the arcade original that’s not to be missed.” It was one of the first video games with a bonus round. Carnival is one of the few games that has two different PCBs[2], one for each version; normally a game only has one PCB with a DIP switch that sets it to either upright or cocktail mode.
The upright and cocktail cabinets each come in two varieties, one woodgrain and the other painted orange and white. Carnival is my favorite arcade game. I played many a quarter/token in those machines and had the high scores at every console I played. Occasionally someone would top me, or the arcade would lose power, and I would have to play until I was high score again.
When Colecovision announced Carnival, I bought the console immediately and never regretted the decision. I’m sure this purchase saved me money too! The way the game plays is that you have a fixed gun at the bottom that can
only move left or right, with your ammo displayed as individual bullets. Hitting rabbits, bears, ducks, according to which row they’re on awards you points. If you shoot the letters, in order B O N U S, will award you bonus points. There are also blocks with 5 or 10, hitting these get you that many more bullets. There is an ever-changing box to the top left that has – or + bullets/points so you have to be careful and hit it on the plus sign.
The Spinning wheel has 8 spokes, 2 each of 4 colors. If you hit them, getting the same color back to back, you get a bonus. The ducks, reaching the bottom, will cause them to fly. You can still shoot them , but if you miss they will eat 10 bullets. Clearing everything and having bullets remaining will win the level. The bonus round is a bear that walks across the screen.
When you shoot him he roars and goes the other way, faster and faster. As you clear the screens you get more bears, up to four. As the game goes on, there are more ducks and less extra-bullet targets so your aim becomes a premium! If you’ve never played, give it a try!
Footnotes
- The Sega VIC Dual is an arcade system board developed by Sega in the late 1970s. It featured a Zilog Z80 CPU running at a clock speed of 1.9 MHz. This hardware platform was used for various arcade games during its time, showcasing Sega’s early contributions to the gaming industry. The Z80 processor, a popular choice for arcade systems and home computers in that era, provided the necessary computing power for running games and handling graphics. While specific game titles may vary, the Sega VIC Dual played a role in establishing Sega’s presence in the arcade gaming scene. [Back]
- A printed circuit board (PCB) is a fundamental component in electronic devices, serving as a substrate for connecting and supporting various electronic components. It is a flat board made of non-conductive material, typically fiberglass or composite epoxy, with conductive pathways etched or printed onto its surface. These pathways, known as traces, provide the electrical connections between different components such as integrated circuits, resistors, and capacitors. PCBs play a crucial role in the miniaturization and organization of electronic circuits, facilitating efficient and reliable connections. They are designed using computer-aided design (CAD) tools and undergo manufacturing processes involving layering, etching, and drilling. PCBs come in various types, including single-layer, double-layer, and multi-layer boards, depending on the complexity of the circuit. Their widespread use contributes to the production of compact, reliable, and cost-effective electronic devices. [Back]
Further Reading
Sources
- “Printed circuit board” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Printed_circuit_board
- “Carnival (video game)” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnival_(video_game)
- “Carnival (1980 Arcade Review)” https://indiegamerchick.com/2023/01/05/carnival/
- “Carnival – Atari 2600” https://www.retrogames.cz/play_282-Atari2600.php?language=EN
- “Carnival (arcade game)” https://segaretro.org/Carnival_(arcade_game)
- “Carnival (arcade game)” https://videogamehistory.fandom.com/wiki/Carnival_(arcade_game)
- “Carnival” https://strategywiki.org/wiki/Carnival
