What a time that was. The movies were amazing, the music was amazing, and the arcades were spectacular. Great point you make about the symphony of sounds in the fist half of the 80's arcades. I would give all my money for a time machine ticket to go back for one day.
Grokme Amadeus u and me both my friend. I imagine u are probably in ur 30’s like I am. 👍🏽We grew up in a very special time. That excitement of hearing that amazing medley of game sounds clashing together as u walked in the arcade was like a symphony. I cherish it. We were apart of a time that will never be genuinely seen again.
The first time I saw this game I thought I had found a machine with The Devil himself living inside it. Thank you so much for this informative and interesting video, Patman~!
I still remember how this game scared the living hell outta me as a kid! BEWARE, I LIVE! I HUNGER! RUN, COWARD! AAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHH! Those phrases are burned into my brain!
Worked in an arcade where we got it in ... the first time people heard *that* voice, you could see them just fucking freak. Whether they were playing the game or not. There was a guy at a pinball machine beside it that heard the voice and just ran out, in the middle of his game.
Its a good pick-up line too. Get the number of a gal you like or walk up to one and give it a whirl! :-) (Disclaimer: Not responsible for restraining orders or drinks thrown in your face)
OH Man ! I played Sinistar back in the day loads of times in a couple of arcades and until THIS VIDEO... I did not know there was a cockpit cabinet version ! That would have been FRIGGEN' cool ! I LOVED Red Baron and Star Wars cockpit cabinets for their immersive experience !
Glad to have stumbled on this video! We used to have the stand up cabinet version of Sinistar in our basement in Chicago -- as a kid, basements were already creepy enough, but Sinistar made it absolutely terrifying to go down there. My dad worked on the game, specifically the joystick, (along with other games at Williams, like Joust), so have heard stories about the development, and have a big (frightened) soft spot for Sinistar. The game was intensely hard, and even playing without using quarters, we only got past the first level a handful of times. Sadly, the cabinet and game was damaged by flooding after a move.. but the memories live on, hahaha.. Thanks for the great video!
JUST discovered your channel yesterday and I'm going thru ALL your videos and it has been an absolute delight. A SIT DOWN SINISTAR??? Never saw one in the wild.
The cockpit one wasn't very common. They used it again to make three Blaster machines in that style. I've also heard of rumors of a cocktail version over the years but AFAIK one has yet to be confirmed to exist.
I ABSOLUTELY love your videos. I binge watch like no other. What makes me smile is yes... the history lesson that you provide. I REALLY enjoy that like no other. What I love is when you do a video & you bust out the year it came out in with a movie poster intact... with that, I know where I was at & how old I was. Maybe, if you do another video game... video in 1984, you can show the poster of Streets of Fire. If you never seen it, it's a forgotten gem for sure. None the less, your AMAZING videos are ABSOLUTELY entertaining to watch. I look forward when I get that "ring" from RUclips that a new video is available on YOUR channel. Anyways, keep up the fun & rad videos, Brother. Keep them coming!!!!!
Wow, that's extremely high praise. I'm glad you enjoyed the content so much. I have seen streets of fire growing up but it's been 30+ years since I seen it. I'll try to keep that in mind when I have a Game from 1984. Thank you very much
beejay27 finding out it was an actually lions roar is pretty freakin awesome. Makes more sense why it was terrifying. Can u imagine a lion chasing u and saying, “beware, I live”. Talk abt being scared as 💩. 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Thanks. Sinistar, eh? Sounds like they missed a great opportunity for a tie-in with breakfast cereal. Cinnamon-flavored Sinistar: eat it so you'll live! tavi.
I have a very strong visceral memory of Daytona USA's attract screen music. The summer that came out me and some friends drove down to Seaside Heights for the day and played the crap out of it at a couple of the boardwalk arcades..I put $20 into it that afternoon. To this day 26 years later I still hear the seagulls and the ocean waves smell the salty air and feel the sun on my shoulders all over again whenever I think of or hear "Daytonnnna! Lets go away! Daytonnnnnaaaa....."
I do that with my son when we are play fighting. Always toss in a couple BODY BLOW! For good measure. Now I have him saying it when he goes for a body shot. And he doesn't even know why, but I still laugh to this day! I also have him saying, Warrior is about to DIE when he is hungry for dinner.
James Noble loved hearing ur memory bro. There is nothing like what we got to experience in the 80’s and 90’s with arcades. It’s was such a fun time and I will never forget it. Hold on to those great memories my friend, it’s all we have.👍🏽
Not sure how accurate the storyline about the scream sound effect is. That scream sound effect features in American Tourister's 1980 commercial "Gorilla vs. Luggage" at about halfway throught the ad. It was repurposed for Sinistar.
Thank you for doing this game!! One of my favorite classic arcade games, spent lots of quarters, lots of frustration, and lots of high pulse rates on this game!!
@@PatmanQC-Arcade-Documentaries The Williams games were designed that way. The game itself would record how long each game lasted. Research indicated that a game time of 2 minutes, 30 seconds, was "peak" quarters. The game's operator auditing screen, which displayed # of free ships, and quarters deposited in each slot, also displayed the average game time / time per credit. The owner's manual recommended that if time played creeped up, you should raise the difficulty settings (difficulty outright, change the price per credit, or revise when extra lives were awarded). It was a business, remember. Operators had to recoup the $2000 they paid for the cabinet, along with paying the bills. Too short a game, people would give up. Too long a game, they'd get bored. And too long a game, nobody else can play...
I never got the chance to play this in arcades, but I can't deny the impact of that voice. Without even playing it first-hand hearing the Sinistar gives me chills.
This game used to scare the heck out of me when the Sinistar was roaring and chasing you down. Wizard of Wor, is still one of my most favorite games today. In fact, I enjoy the 8 bit Atari Computer version of Wizard of Wor more than the voiced arcade version. I had no idea that an unreleased version of Sinistar ever existed for the Atari 8 bit computer, for it actually looks fantastic. Fantastic video thank you!
I tell you man, you are an encyclopedia of classic arcade knowledge. I have these memories of a pinball game with a red devil on the front that would talk to you in a menacing voice, but until I saw this video I could not remember its name and even though I knew it started with the letter G I could not find it on the internet. I remember my parents looking at me funny because I thought he said "God Bless you!" And after looking it up I find out it was "Me Got You!". I also couldn't remember the name of the Dig Dug clone until I saw your Mr. Do video. The funny thing is all of the sound effects still triggered my memories.
Sinistar scared me also! I can also say Sinistar Unleashed was an awesome game too. - weapons, graphics, music, and the anxiety. The difference with this one is the workers are building a portal for a monster to come through, which is the Sinistar in the case. The music completely changes when it appears too. Super cool.
Oh man I remember this ... I always thought it was broken, as no matter how you played the faceship came out - you could only extend your quarters so far...
I love this channel! Hearing about all these old games which were slightly before my time is great but learning about all these consoles really sets this channel apart! If I wasn’t broke AF I would gladly support on Patreon but I try to help by sharing these videos. This is the only channel I share on my FB.
found this arcade version only once in my childhood miles from home at a theme park I went to , I was blown away , shit scared by the voice & totally hooked on how fun it was , spent most of the day playing it and never went on any rides . Never forgot it , 40yrs later and iam still looking to play it just found on MIDWAY ARCADE ORIGINS for ps3 ... cant tell you how excited iam
I love Sinistar! That scary voice, the hard at first but easy to learn controls, the frenetic gameplay, and the absolutely SATISFYING FEELING when you blow up Sinistar! Oh those were the days... great game and great vid 👍👍👍
I didn't know there was a PC reboot of Sinistar. That's cool, I always believed with the technology and graphics these days that a complete modern remake of Sinistar could be an awesome game to play.
Good vid. I never was good at it in the arcade, but I loved watching and hearing it being played at the time. Wasn't until the 16-bit console ports in the '90s that I could afford to play it and fully appreciate its design. My strongest memories are of it being randomly featured in Sheena Easton's Almost Over You music video where she single-handedly heaves a Defender arcade cab over a balcony!
I first played this in Coney Island's El Dorado Arcade in 1982, I loved this game, I never knew there was a remake that looked so damn good in 1999, Tempest, Centipede and Frogger came out with windows remakes, but I had no clue about Sinistar, Great video Patman!
A good run of Sinistar is a thing of beauty. You start sweating and shaking because of how hard the adrenaline is going through your veins. I grew up off the ps2 port on Midway Arcade Treasures Vol 1, which had a bunch of old Williams, Midway and Bally classics. It’s just an identical port of the arcade version. Still love having a beer and playing some Sinistar haha but I’m using an Xbox Series X controller now on mame so it’s super precise. I really appreciate that 49 way system on a high quality analog stick.
I won't lie that this game has left a long lasting impression on us all. Every now and again when I visit retro cabinet video gaming this game always pops into my head and I ask, "Does anyone remember Sinistar?"
@@PatmanQC-Arcade-Documentaries Oh yes it does! That roar is legendary. I remember watching people play. I didn't know how the game was played but watching games muttering under their breath as they were hurrying to do whatever the object to the game was before Sinistar shows up. Once you hear the "Beware I live..." you knew something was going to happen. The fact that you're still racing around and wondering which part of the screen he's going to appear from. Then the roar and then he appears chasing you all over the dang screen. Plus, I thought he was indestructible. Until I saw he could be killed and then it's back to the drawing board all over again. I did not know much about the history into making the game, gameplay or that it was that hard. But I got an idea of what was going on. And DEFINITELY a historical retro gaming impression that will haunt gamers and send shivers down your spine.
Arcade’s Greatest Hits on PS1 taught me so much about the game thanks to its interviews, which are not present on the SNES and Genesis. They were reused in Midway Arcade Treasures and Origins, and among other things that R.J. Mical talked about, he mentioned an Easter egg that would pop up the programmers’ credits. In those days, programmers were not allowed to put their credits into the games, and as I understand, the companies said it was to keep rival companies from trying to poach their best workers, but in a few games at the time, that was done, some examples being Adventure for the Atari 2600, and also Stargate and Robotron. Larry Demar, who I have had the pleasure of meeting, has said that they did it at Vid Kids partly to combat piracy, which was a big problem with arcade games back then, so if Stargate or Robotron were pirated, they could exploit the Easter egg and prove in court that it was their work. When it came to Sinistar, according to R.J. Mical, Noah Falstein was nervous about putting the Easter egg in because of the trouble they might get in, and R.J. said that Noah buried so deeply that he couldn’t remember the complex series of things you have to do, and he guaranteed that no one would ever find it. Well, it took another 13 years after that interview took place in 1995, but someone did eventually find the Easter egg in 2008, and the names come up in a cool crossword formation. For anyone who would like to try to exploit the Easter egg, instructions can be found here: midtownmax.tripod.com/siniegg.html Incidentally, I first played Sinistar on the SNES as part of Arcade’s Greatest Hits. I never saw an arcade cabinet of it until 2015 when I first went to Galloping Ghost Arcade, which at the time was the cockpit cabinet. They didn’t have an upright Sinistar yet. I freaked out when I saw it, because I thought I was looking at a 1 of 3 game, but then I realized that it was Blaster that had only had 3 cockpits made of it, not Sinistar. The first time I ever saw an upright Sinistar was at The Place in Cincinnati, which is an arcade I dearly miss. By the way, there are a very small number of duramold Sinistars out there I believe. Most often if you see a duramold cabinet, it’s either Blaster or Bubbles, but there are a few duramold Sinistars out there, probably less than you can count on one hand, two hands tops.
Subscribing to this channel now, this was a very informative video. I saw things about this game before but I was never exactly sure of it's origin. This video explained it perfectly
Thanks for another great video. I haven't read through all the comments so not sure whether anybody mentioned this but there was a version of this for the BBC Micro & Acorn Electron called Deathstar which I used to have. There was to be a conversion called Sinistar by Atarisoft butfor some reason it was never released, so Superior Software released Deathstar as a clone (possibly for legal reasons it couldn't have the same name). It didn't have speech as it was beyond the capabilities of both machines but (and very few people had this) if they had the machines fitted with a speech chip, it did say a couple of things which were notably different to the arcade game.
6:30 its interesting you mention the glitch with the 255 lives. back in the 80s, my dad frequented this pub. some guy approached him asking if he wanted to take over on the game because it had glitched out and wouldnt end. dad ended up playing and (i assume) lost the remaining lives left on the game. he tried to call the guy over to input a name, but his back was turned and i dont think he heard him, so dad put his own name in. pretty sure he had the top score for MONTHS before they finally reset the unit lmao
Great video. There was another official home version of Sinistar for the BBC Micro / Acorn Electron. IIRC it was due to be released by Atarisoft in the UK until they pulled out of the market, so was renamed Deathstar and released by Superior Software in 1985 (I think). The same code exists as both Sinistar and Deathstar.
My son is 5 and when we are play fighting I have him saying Body Blow! Body Blow! When he is hungry for dinner it is either, "I hunger!" Or Warrior is about to Die! Someday he will learn from where all these come from, but for now it is worth a good chuckle to me.
@@PatmanQC-Arcade-Documentaries Hey man, no thank you for what you are doing here! We are about the same age here and share the same passions. I subbed to your channel 3 nights ago. Yesterday I went to watch another video and noticed I was no longer subbed. So I hit that sub button and hit the bell. This morning I went to check, low and behold I was no longer subbed to your channel. This is the 3rd time I have done this. You Tube is up to no good. And it baffles me why they are doing this to your channel. You're not political, nor do you do anything but offer some wholesome content. Another reason why I enjoy this channel now. Meanwhile you have people like Shane Dawson, making content that is based around some really sick shit, Masterbating to young children, feeding young boys penis shaped cookies and a list of other horrible (jokes) being pushed by this platform. While suppressing great channels like yours. Honestly man it makes me sick! Do you have a bitchute channel? Might want to consider it. I know this was a long comment, longer than what I typically write on here, but I want you to know what is going on with your channel.
@@OldieWan First of all thanks for the nice words. That is very strange why you keep getting unsubscribed my channel. I don't swear or say anything controversy will so it baffles me why that would happen. No worries about the long content. I appreciate your thoughts and I read every single one. I also try to reply to them as well.Thanks again
I was 8 years old in 1982. I used to play this at a skating ring my babysitter's daughter has meets at, otherwise i would never have known this game. I played it all the time, though i always lost, not understanding the game. It was my favorite game nonetheless. I decided to purchase a classic collection on my daughter's xbox....the sounds bring back sweet memories! Now that i don't blow through my limited quantity of quarters, i will eventually, and finally beat this game!
So awesome and so ahead of it's time. I had always heard it was terrifying and intense, but only actually played it myself for the first time a couple years ago at the sick 1984 retro arcade in Branson. I was surprised how much it felt like a modern phone game or an indie arcade style game. The depth of strategy is my favorite part- you can choose to focus on gathering Sinibombs as fast as you can and trying to keep Sinistar from being completed in the first place, you can just try to keep the number of construction drones down, you can find a balance between attacking Sinistar and attacking his construction drones, or you can just do the noob thing and fly around shooting things until Sinistar is completed and then it's like OBJECTIVE: SURVIVE Shit's cash
The game play on Sinistars was so smooth and the enemy ships really hassled you. Impressive for the early 1980s. Sinistar, Robotron, and Defender took many of my quarters.
Sinistar was a classic tough game but cool. I like the introduction with the voices in arcade games. Wizard of Wor was a favorite for the voices, more than the gameplay itself.
My brother and I had a paper route growing up the kids, I remember the endless quarters we used to put into these arcade machines , sinistar was our favorite!!!
The first time you heard that HOWL, you wanted to run home and hide under the bed. This game ROCKED. I actually got pretty good at it, well, compared to other Williams releases. I remember it always being LOUDER than anything else in the arcade, except for that intro tune to Spy Hunter, which you could hear in the next state.
I played this on the ps1 in midway's arcade greatest hits. I was a kid still living with my bio parents at the time. Thanks for the story behind it. Now I'm inspired to finish the update to my game.
Rare game at the time downUnder, & when the shop proprietor had had the volume turned right down I knew the attractMode had to be saweet Another superb production, kudoses bLoke
I still say “I Hunger”, when I go to a restaurant. I miss hearing this game at an arcade!
Oh, so that's where it comes from. Heard that line for Sam & Max Save the World episode 5 Reality 2.0.
LOL
Same when I’m hungry... as well as “RUN COWARD!” “RUN RUN” And “RAAAAAAH” when screwing around and chasing things/people. XD
I like to say "Wizard needs food, badly!" - 25% of the time it gets a laugh from some random Gen Xer.
I do that when i am hungry too
Awww, I'm flustered, COWARD
LOL
You still hungry, Sinistar?
Nope nope nope nope nope.... I'm running...
Sinistar now that I am a grown man, u don’t scare me.😳🥺 nope not one bit.😢
Fuck that 😂
Mine the asteroids for Cinnebon.
"I HUNGER... FOR FROSTED PASTRIES!"
Oh our favorite austre political analyst has arrived!
Yo don’t walk run wassup!
A trick : watch series on kaldrostream. Been using it for watching loads of movies these days.
@Ares Lyle Yea, have been watching on KaldroStream for since december myself =)
@Ares Lyle Yup, I have been watching on KaldroStream for months myself :D
Used to LOVE playing this with my old man in the arcades. He used to laugh SO FREAKIN HARD when Sinistar would start chasing me. Good work!
Thank you very much
Dad’s are so perfectly sadistic!! Mine would have done the same. 😂
I'm pretty sure Sinistar's voice was the first thing that truly terrified me - I was 7 - even hearing it today makes me uneasy - Subbed!
Same. I still feel dread whenever I think about playing it as a little kid. But it was such a rush! Awesome game.
What a time that was. The movies were amazing, the music was amazing, and the arcades were spectacular. Great point you make about the symphony of sounds in the fist half of the 80's arcades. I would give all my money for a time machine ticket to go back for one day.
Couldn't agree more! It was a time that unfortunately we will never experience again
Grokme Amadeus u and me both my friend. I imagine u are probably in ur 30’s like I am. 👍🏽We grew up in a very special time. That excitement of hearing that amazing medley of game sounds clashing together as u walked in the arcade was like a symphony. I cherish it. We were apart of a time that will never be genuinely seen again.
The Lion roar was such a cool touch!!
If I remember correctly that isn't even a lions roar that's just the dude who did the voice just yelling in the mic XD
@@theenderdestruction2362 Seriously?! That dude should be singing for a death metal band.
@@presidentsnow7315 pretty sure he's far to old now or he's dead or something
The first time I saw this game I thought I had found a machine with The Devil himself living inside it.
Thank you so much for this informative and interesting video, Patman~!
LOL,Glad you enjoyed it!Thanks
I still remember how this game scared the living hell outta me as a kid! BEWARE, I LIVE! I HUNGER! RUN, COWARD! AAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHH! Those phrases are burned into my brain!
U and me both bro!!🤣
Worked in an arcade where we got it in ... the first time people heard *that* voice, you could see them just fucking freak. Whether they were playing the game or not. There was a guy at a pinball machine beside it that heard the voice and just ran out, in the middle of his game.
"Beware, I live!"
Hm. It's nice of him to warn you, i guess. 😕
LOL
Its a good pick-up line too. Get the number of a gal you like or walk up to one and give it a whirl! :-)
(Disclaimer: Not responsible for restraining orders or drinks thrown in your face)
OH Man ! I played Sinistar back in the day loads of times in a couple of arcades and until THIS VIDEO... I did not know there was a cockpit cabinet version ! That would have been FRIGGEN' cool ! I LOVED Red Baron and Star Wars cockpit cabinets for their immersive experience !
Sinistar is heavy metal embodied as an arcade game.
LOL, exactly
The roar is the best. I always loved it. One of my favorite arcade games.
Glad to have stumbled on this video! We used to have the stand up cabinet version of Sinistar in our basement in Chicago -- as a kid, basements were already creepy enough, but Sinistar made it absolutely terrifying to go down there. My dad worked on the game, specifically the joystick, (along with other games at Williams, like Joust), so have heard stories about the development, and have a big (frightened) soft spot for Sinistar. The game was intensely hard, and even playing without using quarters, we only got past the first level a handful of times. Sadly, the cabinet and game was damaged by flooding after a move.. but the memories live on, hahaha.. Thanks for the great video!
LOL, that's hilarious. Thanks for sharing, and thanks for the nice words
I fed this classic game a lot of my allowance back in the day.
Yes. that voice is the stuff of Nightmares.
I agree 1000%
JUST discovered your channel yesterday and I'm going thru ALL your videos and it has been an absolute delight. A SIT DOWN SINISTAR??? Never saw one in the wild.
Thanks so much, sorry I missed this comment
Love the really early voice samples, something that created an amazing and special atmosphere back in the early 80's- top vid mate!
Glad you enjoyed it!Thank you very much
Patman deserves much more subscribers than he have, great info about árcades as always.
Much appreciated! Thank you very much :-)
Also don’t forget the Sinistar Easter egg in Star Rider! Sinistar appears in the Milky Way course at the first right turn
Wow. I never knew about the deluxe cabinet.
It was a bit of a rarity around here anyway
The cockpit one wasn't very common. They used it again to make three Blaster machines in that style. I've also heard of rumors of a cocktail version over the years but AFAIK one has yet to be confirmed to exist.
I don't have any memory of a sit-down version either. I used to play a traditional version at Golfland in Sunnyvale, CA
I ABSOLUTELY love your videos. I binge watch like no other. What makes me smile is yes... the history lesson that you provide. I REALLY enjoy that like no other. What I love is when you do a video & you bust out the year it came out in with a movie poster intact... with that, I know where I was at & how old I was. Maybe, if you do another video game... video in 1984, you can show the poster of Streets of Fire. If you never seen it, it's a forgotten gem for sure. None the less, your AMAZING videos are ABSOLUTELY entertaining to watch. I look forward when I get that "ring" from RUclips that a new video is available on YOUR channel. Anyways, keep up the fun & rad videos, Brother. Keep them coming!!!!!
Wow, that's extremely high praise. I'm glad you enjoyed the content so much. I have seen streets of fire growing up but it's been 30+ years since I seen it. I'll try to keep that in mind when I have a Game from 1984. Thank you very much
I first played this in 2001 when I was 13 at a Virginia Beach Arcade. It's one of the sounds almost as terrifying as the Sonic drowning music.😵
The sounds were Phenomenal in this game
I’m guessing Flipper McCoys if VB
@JohnD72277 nah. It was in an indoor shopping center I can't fully remember off of Virginia Beach Blvd. Pembrok Mall if I'm remembering correctly.
"Chicago DJ John Doremus" Now I know who the voice of Sinistar is! My life is complete! I love trivia like this! Thank you PatmanQC!
Absolutely, glad I could help :-)
The "ROAR" used to scare the 💩 outta me back in the 80's. 😅
LOL, scare the crap out of me as well
beejay27 finding out it was an actually lions roar is pretty freakin awesome. Makes more sense why it was terrifying. Can u imagine a lion chasing u and saying, “beware, I live”. Talk abt being scared as 💩. 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Me too
Seriously love ur commentary
Thank you very much
Thanks. Sinistar, eh? Sounds like they missed a great opportunity for a tie-in with breakfast cereal. Cinnamon-flavored Sinistar: eat it so you'll live! tavi.
The game I always remember hearing was Punch Out. You could hear "body blow" from across the arcade
I have a very strong visceral memory of Daytona USA's attract screen music. The summer that came out me and some friends drove down to Seaside Heights for the day and played the crap out of it at a couple of the boardwalk arcades..I put $20 into it that afternoon. To this day 26 years later I still hear the seagulls and the ocean waves smell the salty air and feel the sun on my shoulders all over again whenever I think of or hear "Daytonnnna! Lets go away! Daytonnnnnaaaa....."
I do that with my son when we are play fighting. Always toss in a couple BODY BLOW! For good measure. Now I have him saying it when he goes for a body shot. And he doesn't even know why, but I still laugh to this day!
I also have him saying, Warrior is about to DIE when he is hungry for dinner.
Oldie Wan Kenobi that is hilarious. Wish I had a son who was interested in video games. Cherish it my friend.
James Noble loved hearing ur memory bro. There is nothing like what we got to experience in the 80’s and 90’s with arcades. It’s was such a fun time and I will never forget it. Hold on to those great memories my friend, it’s all we have.👍🏽
@@jamesnoble8205 duuuddde I'm from Long Branch and I agree 100%!
Thank you, I've been waiting for you to do this game. One of my favorite arcade games as a kid.
Absolutely, hope you enjoy it
I love your commentary and videos! It’s high quality, very educational and very entertaining!
Glad you enjoy it! Thank you very much
PatmanQC - History of arcade game documentaries No problem!
@@ryanr27 this is the most wholesome comment exchange I've ever seen in the dumpster fire that is RUclips comment sections.
@@politecat4236 Thank you!
i love this game sinister sounds really freaking scary with a subwoofer i still jump when he says "BEWARE I LIVE!!"
Great video - brought back many memories
Thank you very much
I don't miss an episode anymore, Patman! Keep 'em coming!
Thank you very much
I love the old games with synthetic speech in! Game me tingles too.
It does for me as well, it scratches that nostalgic itch
Not sure how accurate the storyline about the scream sound effect is. That scream sound effect features in American Tourister's 1980 commercial "Gorilla vs. Luggage" at about halfway throught the ad. It was repurposed for Sinistar.
That information came straight from the programmer
There was also a PSX, PC and Saturn version of William's Greatest hits, with the five games the SNES and Mega Drive had along with Bubbles.
Thank you for doing this game!! One of my favorite classic arcade games, spent lots of quarters, lots of frustration, and lots of high pulse rates on this game!!
Glad you enjoyed it! The stress meter was off the charts especially when the sinistar was chasing you
I’m glad there were 4 waves to this game. Too bad I never got past the first wave. I loved this game, but it was HARD!
Yes it was
@@PatmanQC-Arcade-Documentaries The Williams games were designed that way. The game itself would record how long each game lasted. Research indicated that a game time of 2 minutes, 30 seconds, was "peak" quarters. The game's operator auditing screen, which displayed # of free ships, and quarters deposited in each slot, also displayed the average game time / time per credit. The owner's manual recommended that if time played creeped up, you should raise the difficulty settings (difficulty outright, change the price per credit, or revise when extra lives were awarded). It was a business, remember. Operators had to recoup the $2000 they paid for the cabinet, along with paying the bills. Too short a game, people would give up. Too long a game, they'd get bored. And too long a game, nobody else can play...
I never got the chance to play this in arcades, but I can't deny the impact of that voice. Without even playing it first-hand hearing the Sinistar gives me chills.
This game used to scare the heck out of me when the Sinistar was roaring and chasing you down. Wizard of Wor, is still one of my most favorite games today. In fact, I enjoy the 8 bit Atari Computer version of Wizard of Wor more than the voiced arcade version. I had no idea that an unreleased version of Sinistar ever existed for the Atari 8 bit computer, for it actually looks fantastic. Fantastic video thank you!
Absolutely, I loved wizard as well . Thanks for the nice words
I tell you man, you are an encyclopedia of classic arcade knowledge. I have these memories of a pinball game with a red devil on the front that would talk to you in a menacing voice, but until I saw this video I could not remember its name and even though I knew it started with the letter G I could not find it on the internet. I remember my parents looking at me funny because I thought he said "God Bless you!" And after looking it up I find out it was "Me Got You!". I also couldn't remember the name of the Dig Dug clone until I saw your Mr. Do video.
The funny thing is all of the sound effects still triggered my memories.
Thank you very much, glad my silly little videos could be of some service
I love this style of video editing. It brings back good memories
Glad you enjoyed it!Thanks
Sinistar scared me also! I can also say Sinistar Unleashed was an awesome game too. - weapons, graphics, music, and the anxiety. The difference with this one is the workers are building a portal for a monster to come through, which is the Sinistar in the case. The music completely changes when it appears too. Super cool.
WHAT?!? Sinistar Unleashed? Don’t remember that one. I’m gonna read up on it now.👍🏽
Oh man I remember this ... I always thought it was broken, as no matter how you played the faceship came out - you could only extend your quarters so far...
FACESHIP lol
I love this channel! Hearing about all these old games which were slightly before my time is great but learning about all these consoles really sets this channel apart!
If I wasn’t broke AF I would gladly support on Patreon but I try to help by sharing these videos. This is the only channel I share on my FB.
Glad you like them! Thank you so much for the nice words I really appreciate
You never disappoint. The game terrified me as a kid.
Thank you very much, that roar always scared me as a kid
I'd like to see Bosconian get some love. Your videos are great and informative!
found this arcade version only once in my childhood miles from home at a theme park I went to , I was blown away , shit scared by the voice & totally hooked on how fun it was , spent most of the day playing it and never went on any rides . Never forgot it , 40yrs later and iam still looking to play it just found on MIDWAY ARCADE ORIGINS for ps3 ... cant tell you how excited iam
We also got a Williams Arcade Cabinet for the PS1 in 1995. It was my first introduction to sinistar. It also had footage of the developers I think.
Yes I mentioned that at the end of the video
That was a great video PatmanQC I especially liked the voice of the Sinister
Thank you very much :-)
Used to play this in the catskills ny on summer break. 1983
Great memories!!
Love this channel dude. Great video as always.
Much appreciated! Thank you so much
I had this on the Acorn Electron but it was called Deathstar in the UK. I never knew it had another name!
One of my favorite "skipped School" games at the arcade.
lol
I love Sinistar! That scary voice, the hard at first but easy to learn controls, the frenetic gameplay, and the absolutely SATISFYING FEELING when you blow up Sinistar!
Oh those were the days... great game and great vid 👍👍👍
Couldn't agree more! Thank you very much
Just sending some love! I really enjoy your videos
Thank you so much!!
Sam Dicker's Casio MT-45 caught my eye.
I first played this on ps1 a decade ago and that voice intimidated me. I could sense this was some scary sh!t.
It was, and it was so loud that even among the other games you could hear it plain as day
I very much enjoyed this presentation. Gosh I feel old. :\
Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you :-)
I love your passion for all your retro games. Just as rare as the rare golden games them selves. You rock 👍👍
Excellent, that is very nice of you to say. Thank you. Cheers
@@PatmanQC-Arcade-Documentaries (arcade voice) your comment makes my world 👍👍 😎
One of my all-time favorites and serious nightmare fuel for my 10th-grade self.
LOL, it sure was
I didn't know there was a PC reboot of Sinistar. That's cool, I always believed with the technology and graphics these days that a complete modern remake of Sinistar could be an awesome game to play.
Trust me, it was fun. I never completed it but it was fun trying.
It was a lot of fun to play
Thanks for your videos much appreciated! This game is the hardest arcade video game ever.
I agree, it was very difficult. Thanks for the comments
Good vid. I never was good at it in the arcade, but I loved watching and hearing it being played at the time. Wasn't until the 16-bit console ports in the '90s that I could afford to play it and fully appreciate its design. My strongest memories are of it being randomly featured in Sheena Easton's Almost Over You music video where she single-handedly heaves a Defender arcade cab over a balcony!
Glad you enjoyed it! Did not know that about Sheena Easton's video. Thanks for the info
I first played this in Coney Island's El Dorado Arcade in 1982, I loved this game, I never knew there was a remake that looked so damn good in 1999, Tempest, Centipede and Frogger came out with windows remakes, but I had no clue about Sinistar, Great video Patman!
A good run of Sinistar is a thing of beauty. You start sweating and shaking because of how hard the adrenaline is going through your veins. I grew up off the ps2 port on Midway Arcade Treasures Vol 1, which had a bunch of old Williams, Midway and Bally classics. It’s just an identical port of the arcade version. Still love having a beer and playing some Sinistar haha but I’m using an Xbox Series X controller now on mame so it’s super precise. I really appreciate that 49 way system on a high quality analog stick.
Yeah that's a lot of fun, Whenever I see it out and about I have to give it a Go
I won't lie that this game has left a long lasting impression on us all. Every now and again when I visit retro cabinet video gaming this game always pops into my head and I ask, "Does anyone remember Sinistar?"
It sure does, and I'm sure a lot of it has to do with the voice
@@PatmanQC-Arcade-Documentaries Oh yes it does! That roar is legendary. I remember watching people play. I didn't know how the game was played but watching games muttering under their breath as they were hurrying to do whatever the object to the game was before Sinistar shows up. Once you hear the "Beware I live..." you knew something was going to happen. The fact that you're still racing around and wondering which part of the screen he's going to appear from. Then the roar and then he appears chasing you all over the dang screen. Plus, I thought he was indestructible. Until I saw he could be killed and then it's back to the drawing board all over again. I did not know much about the history into making the game, gameplay or that it was that hard. But I got an idea of what was going on. And DEFINITELY a historical retro gaming impression that will haunt gamers and send shivers down your spine.
This is the most difficult and frustrating Williams game! Ive never beaten more than 2 or 3 Sinistars. Thanks for the show!
It's a hard game that's for sure. Thank you for watching
You failed to mention key contributors to this game: Jack Haeger, RJ Mical and Python Anghelo
Arcade’s Greatest Hits on PS1 taught me so much about the game thanks to its interviews, which are not present on the SNES and Genesis. They were reused in Midway Arcade Treasures and Origins, and among other things that R.J. Mical talked about, he mentioned an Easter egg that would pop up the programmers’ credits. In those days, programmers were not allowed to put their credits into the games, and as I understand, the companies said it was to keep rival companies from trying to poach their best workers, but in a few games at the time, that was done, some examples being Adventure for the Atari 2600, and also Stargate and Robotron. Larry Demar, who I have had the pleasure of meeting, has said that they did it at Vid Kids partly to combat piracy, which was a big problem with arcade games back then, so if Stargate or Robotron were pirated, they could exploit the Easter egg and prove in court that it was their work. When it came to Sinistar, according to R.J. Mical, Noah Falstein was nervous about putting the Easter egg in because of the trouble they might get in, and R.J. said that Noah buried so deeply that he couldn’t remember the complex series of things you have to do, and he guaranteed that no one would ever find it. Well, it took another 13 years after that interview took place in 1995, but someone did eventually find the Easter egg in 2008, and the names come up in a cool crossword formation. For anyone who would like to try to exploit the Easter egg, instructions can be found here:
midtownmax.tripod.com/siniegg.html
Incidentally, I first played Sinistar on the SNES as part of Arcade’s Greatest Hits. I never saw an arcade cabinet of it until 2015 when I first went to Galloping Ghost Arcade, which at the time was the cockpit cabinet. They didn’t have an upright Sinistar yet. I freaked out when I saw it, because I thought I was looking at a 1 of 3 game, but then I realized that it was Blaster that had only had 3 cockpits made of it, not Sinistar. The first time I ever saw an upright Sinistar was at The Place in Cincinnati, which is an arcade I dearly miss. By the way, there are a very small number of duramold Sinistars out there I believe. Most often if you see a duramold cabinet, it’s either Blaster or Bubbles, but there are a few duramold Sinistars out there, probably less than you can count on one hand, two hands tops.
I'm glad you mentioned the Windows version. It's one of my favorite PC space shooters, along with FreeSpace, Tachyon, and Descent3.
Absolutely, I enjoyed it as well
I love the amount of research you do for your videos!
Space Duel please?????
Thank you, I'll see what I can dig up
Hey! Phenomenal take on this classic. Thank you!!!
Glad you like it! Thank you very much
This game was epic back in the day at Skateland. The scream was amazing.
I can still see that arcade arcade in skate land and recall playing donkey Kong there. I also recall seeing the large pipe organ :-)
2:35 the Sinistar backstory
Subscribing to this channel now, this was a very informative video. I saw things about this game before but I was never exactly sure of it's origin. This video explained it perfectly
That is great, welcome aboard. Thank you very much
Thanks for another great video. I haven't read through all the comments so not sure whether anybody mentioned this but there was a version of this for the BBC Micro & Acorn Electron called Deathstar which I used to have. There was to be a conversion called Sinistar by Atarisoft butfor some reason it was never released, so Superior Software released Deathstar as a clone (possibly for legal reasons it couldn't have the same name). It didn't have speech as it was beyond the capabilities of both machines but (and very few people had this) if they had the machines fitted with a speech chip, it did say a couple of things which were notably different to the arcade game.
I was aware of death Star but just assumed it was an unofficial conversion which is why did not include it. Thanks for the info
Totally forgot about this game until this video! Loved it!! And the skull used to scare me also lol
Thank you
To my embarrassment; it wasn't until 5 years ago that I found out you could kill Sinistar. :(
Lol
What, you thought you're just supposed to randomly fly around until it eats you three times? :-)
I've always wanted to play this game, Sinistar's design and voice is SO NEAT!
Yes it was especially back in the day
6:30
its interesting you mention the glitch with the 255 lives. back in the 80s, my dad frequented this pub. some guy approached him asking if he wanted to take over on the game because it had glitched out and wouldnt end. dad ended up playing and (i assume) lost the remaining lives left on the game. he tried to call the guy over to input a name, but his back was turned and i dont think he heard him, so dad put his own name in. pretty sure he had the top score for MONTHS before they finally reset the unit lmao
Oh that is really cool
This cab seemed to be louder than anything else in the arcade, which was a genuine accomplishment.
That's how they drew you in spend your money:-)
Thank you very much for this clip. You made my day.
Thanks a lot for watching
I still love that game. The voice work was awesome for the time. I still here it calling.
LOL, it was fantastic
Ah, that makes more sense how did they make Sinistar’s roar.
Will it be insane(and silly) if a real Lion plays that game?
Great video. There was another official home version of Sinistar for the BBC Micro / Acorn Electron. IIRC it was due to be released by Atarisoft in the UK until they pulled out of the market, so was renamed Deathstar and released by Superior Software in 1985 (I think). The same code exists as both Sinistar and Deathstar.
Thanks for the info!, I Wasn't aware that death star started as an officially licensed version.
My son is 5 and when we are play fighting I have him saying Body Blow! Body Blow!
When he is hungry for dinner it is either, "I hunger!" Or Warrior is about to Die!
Someday he will learn from where all these come from, but for now it is worth a good chuckle to me.
LOL, that is great. Thank you for sharing
@@PatmanQC-Arcade-Documentaries Hey man, no thank you for what you are doing here! We are about the same age here and share the same passions. I subbed to your channel 3 nights ago. Yesterday I went to watch another video and noticed I was no longer subbed. So I hit that sub button and hit the bell. This morning I went to check, low and behold I was no longer subbed to your channel.
This is the 3rd time I have done this.
You Tube is up to no good. And it baffles me why they are doing this to your channel. You're not political, nor do you do anything but offer some wholesome content. Another reason why I enjoy this channel now.
Meanwhile you have people like Shane Dawson, making content that is based around some really sick shit, Masterbating to young children, feeding young boys penis shaped cookies and a list of other horrible (jokes) being pushed by this platform. While suppressing great channels like yours.
Honestly man it makes me sick!
Do you have a bitchute channel? Might want to consider it.
I know this was a long comment, longer than what I typically write on here, but I want you to know what is going on with your channel.
@@OldieWan First of all thanks for the nice words. That is very strange why you keep getting unsubscribed my channel. I don't swear or say anything controversy will so it baffles me why that would happen. No worries about the long content. I appreciate your thoughts and I read every single one. I also try to reply to them as well.Thanks again
I was 8 years old in 1982. I used to play this at a skating ring my babysitter's daughter has meets at, otherwise i would never have known this game. I played it all the time, though i always lost, not understanding the game. It was my favorite game nonetheless. I decided to purchase a classic collection on my daughter's xbox....the sounds bring back sweet memories! Now that i don't blow through my limited quantity of quarters, i will eventually, and finally beat this game!
The instructions weren't very clear when you first played the game, kudos
So awesome and so ahead of it's time. I had always heard it was terrifying and intense, but only actually played it myself for the first time a couple years ago at the sick 1984 retro arcade in Branson. I was surprised how much it felt like a modern phone game or an indie arcade style game. The depth of strategy is my favorite part- you can choose to focus on gathering Sinibombs as fast as you can and trying to keep Sinistar from being completed in the first place, you can just try to keep the number of construction drones down, you can find a balance between attacking Sinistar and attacking his construction drones, or you can just do the noob thing and fly around shooting things until Sinistar is completed and then it's like OBJECTIVE: SURVIVE
Shit's cash
1982? Boy I'm getting old. I remember playing this game at our local Roller Rink, It was a big leap forward to the games they had installed prior
You and me both, I can recall playing it at our bowling alley
The game play on Sinistars was so smooth and the enemy ships really hassled you. Impressive for the early 1980s. Sinistar, Robotron, and Defender took many of my quarters.
Oh yes, very smooth
I have this game on the xbox360..a classic! thank you for another brilliant documentary, sir!
Glad you enjoyed it! You are right, it's definitely a classic thanks
@@PatmanQC-Arcade-Documentaries you're welcome!
Yep, this definitely looks like a game I would suck at!
LOL
Sinistar was a classic tough game but cool. I like the introduction with the voices in arcade games. Wizard of Wor was a favorite for the voices, more than the gameplay itself.
That is another fantastic game that I need to cover
Playing this game was as economical as flushing quarters down the toilet. So difficult.
Another excellent video. I didn't realize this game had so few ports!
Glad you enjoyed it!
My brother and I had a paper route growing up the kids, I remember the endless quarters we used to put into these arcade machines , sinistar was our favorite!!!
I always enjoyed it growing up as well
The first time you heard that HOWL, you wanted to run home and hide under the bed. This game ROCKED. I actually got pretty good at it, well, compared to other Williams releases. I remember it always being LOUDER than anything else in the arcade, except for that intro tune to Spy Hunter, which you could hear in the next state.
LOL, they wanted to do something that will stand out from the rest of the other arcade games and I think they succeeded :-)
I played this on the ps1 in midway's arcade greatest hits. I was a kid still living with my bio parents at the time. Thanks for the story behind it. Now I'm inspired to finish the update to my game.
Excellent, glad you enjoyed it
Rare game at the time downUnder, & when the shop proprietor had had the volume turned right down I knew the attractMode had to be saweet
Another superb production, kudoses bLoke
Thank you very much :-)
thanks. this was awesome. looking forward to the next one!
Awesome, thank you!