Trackballs were first used in games such as Centipede and Liberator, both Atari arcade games. Other games to implement trackball hardware were Quantum and Marble Madness. In more recent years, golf games have incorporated trackball hardware into their designs. You might not be aware of these games, but they all utilize trackball technology. Let’s take a look at some of the more popular games that have used a trackball.
Discs of Tron
Discs of Tron is an arcade game based on the 1982 Disney film Tron. It was the sequel to Tron, which also used a trackball. This game was inspired by a sequence in the film where Flynn battles Crom, using discs thrown at each other. In addition to using the trackball for control, Discs of Tron also uses a spinner to facilitate gameplay. While this game may seem tame by today’s standard, at the time, Discs of Tron was at the peak of technological innovation and provided a unique gaming experience in mixing moviegoing with the gaming world.
Centipede
The Centipede arcade game is one of the most popular arcade games to use a trackball. It was produced by Atari in the early 1980s and was one of the most successful games during the golden age of arcade gaming. The player controls a bug blaster using the trackball to fire darts at the segmented centipede while zigzagging through a field of mushrooms. Players must avoid enemies to make their way to the exit of the level. Depending on the level of the game, a new centipede will spawn at the top and alternate with the current centipede.
Golden Tee 3D Golf
Largely considered one of the best arcade games of the 90s, Golden Tee uses a trackball to provide players a realistic golf experience, arcade-style. The trackball used by Golden Tee gives the player ultimate control over their swing, power, and direction. Certain roll combinations produce different directional or spin results. Players control the ball just like a real golf club does. In addition, the game features several modes, including Stroke Play, Skins, and a single-player game.
Golden Tee is the first golf simulator to use a trackball, rather than a traditional putting device. It also features a virtual version of Fazio and Ross. While this may sound odd, it makes sense if you’ve never played a PGA Tour game before. It’s the closest the game has come to replicating the physics of golf. The trackball also allows players to choose the difficulty level of the game. Fortunately, if you want to play the retro version of Golden Tee, Arcade1Up has released a version intended specifically for home arcade systems instead of the prohibitively expensive commercial models.
Irritating Maze
Irritating Maze is a video arcade game developed by Saurus and published by SNK. The game was first released in arcades in 1997. The game was later ported to the PlayStation and other consoles, including the NES. The aim is to guide an electrode rod through a course without touching the walls. A trackball is used for guiding the electrode rod, and the player must be quick enough to avoid collisions with the walls and metallic frames.
The trackball is used to move the ball through a maze. The game also features music, changing backgrounds, and a score counter. The game was designed to be played by two players or by one. In the 1980s, arcade games were the most popular form of entertainment in the US. The popularity of these games led to a bubble of sorts in the arcade industry, and competition became intense.
Marble Madness
The original Marble Madness arcade game uses a trackball to control the game’s motion. The Amiga release of the arcade game used the trackball as well. The trackball is used to control the movement of the marbles around the playfield. Unlike many other games that use a joystick or other control method, this game requires a controller and a trackball. The trackball is also useful for controlling the pace of the player’s moves.
The first version of the Marble Madness arcade game used a trackball to control the movement of the marble. This control method was later replaced with a directional pad, which allowed players to compete against one another. But there are some limitations to this control method. Specifically, it is difficult to control the marble by using the computer’s arrow keys or a console’s control pad.
