Millipede: Atari’s Bug Problem Got Even Bigger...at Arcade 92
Millipede: Atari’s Bug Problem Got Even Bigger...at Arcade 92
If you thought Centipede was stressful, Atari had a simple solution:
More bugs.
Released in 1982, Millipede was Atari’s follow-up to the hugely successful Centipede. Instead of simply repeating the formula, Atari made everything faster, busier, and more chaotic.
The basic idea is familiar. You control your shooter with a trackball at the bottom of the screen while a giant millipede works its way downward through a field of mushrooms. Your job is to destroy it before it reaches you.
Of course, Atari did not stop there.
The screen quickly fills with spiders, beetles, mosquitoes, dragonflies, earwigs, inchworms, and other enemies all trying to ruin your day. In other words, Atari turned pest control into an arcade game.
One of the best parts of Millipede is the classic trackball control. Instead of moving slowly with a joystick, you can whip your character across the screen as fast as your hand can move. It gives the game a physical feel that is hard to reproduce with a modern controller.
It also means that when things get crazy, you may look like you are trying to start a lawn mower.
Like many great arcade games from the early 1980s, Millipede is incredibly easy to understand and incredibly difficult to master. There are no tutorials, no long introductions, and no giant map telling you where to go.
You walk up, grab the trackball, start shooting, and try to survive.
And when the game ends, there is always that dangerous thought:
I could definitely do better if I played one more time.
That was part of the magic of the golden age of arcades. Games were built around improving your score, learning patterns, and trying to beat the person who played before you.
Millipede is also a great example of how creative Atari was during this era. Their games often used unusual controls and simple ideas that became instantly recognizable. The colorful cabinet, strange creatures, frantic sound effects, and trackball all give Millipede that unmistakable early-80s arcade feel.
And the premise is wonderfully simple.
Modern games ask you to save kingdoms, fight gods, and explore entire galaxies.
Millipede basically says:
There are too many bugs. Do something about it.
More than 40 years later, that still works.
So next time you are at Arcade 92, give Millipede a shot.
Grab the trackball.
Clear the mushrooms.
Destroy the bugs.
And when everything suddenly starts moving faster than your brain can process, just remember:
That is exactly how Atari wanted you to feel.
🕹️🐛🐞
Arcade 92: Retro Arcade Fun in McKinney and Flower Mound
Looking for something fun, nostalgic, and a little different? Arcade 92 brings classic arcade gaming, pinball, drinks, and all-day entertainment to North Texas with two locations: Historic Downtown McKinney and Lakeside Village in Flower Mound, TX. With more than 100 retro and modern games, all-day play for one price, and no game cards or pay-per-play machines, Arcade 92 makes it easy to get together and play.
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If you're searching for an Arcade McKinney TX locals love, Arcade 92 is right in Historic Downtown McKinney. It's a great choice for Things to do in McKinney TX, whether you're planning Family activities McKinney TX, looking for Things to do with kids in McKinney, or planning a night out with friends.
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With classic cabinets, modern games, and plenty of Pinball Flower Mound TX, it's a Retro arcade Flower Mound TX experience with something for everyone. Arcade 92 also offers a dedicated party room for celebrations, making it a convenient Private event venue Flower Mound TX and option for Corporate events Flower Mound TX. We're also a convenient Arcade near Lewisville TX and Arcade near Highland Village TX.
Whether you're in McKinney or Flower Mound, Arcade 92 is all about bringing people together to play again.
