This was the most difficult Arcade Game I ever played, in fact at several moments it seemed as though it was literally impossible. When I did eventually beat the game I called Atari and managed to get through to the guy who designed the game to gloat a little only to my surprise he didn't believe me and asked me to prove it by telling him what the game does when you beat it. I told him it did nothing, just resets on the first level again except you still have your score. There was silence for 30 seconds and then I heard him say, "Damn you did beat it. We got so tired of people beating every game we put out we decided to make one that couldn't be beaten... or so we thought" Amazing how far the graphics and game play have come since those days but I doubt I'll ever see another game this challenging
Personally, I think the graphics of these vector games are completely timeless. I mean, they have made reissues of Battlezone, Asteroids and even Gravitar but they can never touch the originals.These just played so amazingly well and those sharp, glowing vectors still look amazing today (especially if you have a chance to play the originals). Cheers.
To me this looks so much more beautiful than any modern 3D rendered games, even with such realistic LoD and accurate poly sum, it's just almost too far removed from the simplicity of this bright, 2D world.
It is an incredible game which was way ahead of its time back in the day. I was just a little kid when it was released and I admired the bigger kids scoring something like 300K. I was able to complete game only in emulators decades later. The AAE version is the best. The dl link is in the video description. Cheers.
This is a masterful play through. I know how hard this game is on the machine, emulators, and Flashback Collections. The skill, timing and concentration you display here is truly amazing. Congrats!!!!
Thanks man. This was my favorite game in my youth. A lot of guys in my local arcade got into about 300.000 level. I got there too. Then with MAME and AAE I was finally able to complete the game. Only one guy in our arcade was able to make the "full loop" and I thought I could do it too. It took about 20 years but eventually I made it. Cheers.
detonator2112 - I’ve recently started really digging into my Arcade game playthroughs , since I’ve really dedicated major effort into my Sofmodded Xbox, but I got the X1 Atari Flashback Collections too. It’s made it a lot easier to chase those dreams of high scores cause I can’t afford a machine right now, it’s not even practical at the moment. Your run through this game really is an outstanding display of skill and its inspiring to a lot of us that grew up in that era, haunting those Arcades, watching from afar, using mathematical equations to decide how we would use our precious few Quarters or Tokens. I’m so glad to see this here on RUclips in all its glory and not with an AD every 3 minutes. It takes me back, as I’m sure it does alot of people. Bravo brother.
When I tried this game in the arcade, I quickly decided it was impossible and gave up on it. Even if the gravity was removed and everything else was left the same, I do not think I could have made it very far. It is amazing to see such skilled gameplay. Games released the same year that were more my speed were Dig Dug, Donkey Kong Jr, Ms Pac-Man, Robotron, Pole Position, Joust, Moon Patrol, Tron, and Millipede.
Thanks. I always thought this game was way ahead of its time. It had certain learning curve but when you master the 5-button control system, it's not that difficult at all. Actually it's the most logical finesse control system that you can think of. It's absolutely REQUIRED to play this with a keyboard. I use Z-X (rotate left/right), SPACEBAR (Shield/Tractor Fuel), - for thrust and RIGHT SHIFT for fire. Actually a lot of kids in my local arcade mastered this game. Only one was able to complete it, most were stuck to the invisible levels (that "snake" planet was challenging. Of course people who were familiar with Asteroids learned it faster. Back then games like Pac-Man and Space Invaders didn't have such depth and people didn't have the patience. They were relatively easy to get into... Gravitar required some extra effort. Cheers.
Thanks man. It took a while. I played this first time when I was 10 years old back in 1983. I was in the 300.000 points range for decades but finally after hard practice I was able to complete the game.
I played this in the arcade in the early eighties i could get to the last world with invisible graphics and reverse gravity. I could nearly reach the end of the tunnel but just couldn't quite make it. It was ridiculously difficult and one game would last about 2 hours for just 10p!
@@detonator2112 yes but in the arcade I use to leave one gun turret in each world and then complete a world. The gun turrets would then reappear then I would do the same and repeat in every universe I think my high score was over 3 million. This is why it would take 2 hours and I would miss my tea. Happy days.
@@thomasscullion5812 Oh yeah that tactics. I know... I have used it too. It depends on the dip switches how severe the fuel consumption was. Actually I used it in the invisible levels in this video too (if I remember correctly). That "star" planet was rather easy in invisible and always filled the fuel there.
So the current high score is around 5 million. If you get about 500k per shot going through the game that means you have to play through 10 times to beat the high score. That's depressing.. I can't even get past the second universe currently and I own the cabinet...
I think you get around 400K per round. Yeah it's a tough call. But when you actually master the last planet "snake" in invisible levels I don't see that world record score impossible. Very hard, yes... but it's more about stamina. It takes about an hour to play the whole game through. Strangely I find it easier on reverse gravity/invisible than in normal gravity. Cheers mate and have great Christmas!
I would love to have an original cabinet. At one point, I thought it was impossible to beat the game. I'd never heard of anyone beating it. I kept at it and finally achieved the "impossible". I'm still proud of that.
@@detonator2112 I think the goal is to beat the game, which I did once. After that it's, like you say, more about stamina, so it's sort of pointless to keep going.
@@IntrepidVids Yes. After completing all 4 rounds, the game starts over. Only the reactor escape times stays impossible. Dan Coogan played that 8 million. It's really a question about stamina and I don't have the motivation and/or interest to do that. I once completed 2 rounds and scored over 1 million.
There was a later game very similar to this where you had to pick up an orb or something which then swung from the bottom of your ship causing an extra head-ache.Anyone remember what it was called? I used to love it but can't remember it's name
@@MobioDEN You nailed it! I've just watched a clip of it on RUclips.I've been racking my brain for years trying to remember it's name.I'll have a look now and see if i can get it on MAME.Many thanks
@@Dunstire THRUST was never an arcade game. It was just for different computer platorms. You can play it on a C64 emulator for example. Yes it was heavily inspired by Gravitar.
Never say never. I think you need the original cabinet and layout of the buttons, which were perfect. I also thought, at one point, that it was impossible. I finally beat it, though. Very proud, lol. What a great game.
I feel the same about it. This emulator was too good to have been left like that. The author said in 2009 that the following version was going to have perfect spinner and joystick controls, but he never released that new version he was working on :(
Игры
This was the most difficult Arcade Game I ever played, in fact at several moments it seemed as though it was literally impossible. When I did eventually beat the game I called Atari and managed to get through to the guy who designed the game to gloat a little only to my surprise he didn't believe me and asked me to prove it by telling him what the game does when you beat it. I told him it did nothing, just resets on the first level again except you still have your score. There was silence for 30 seconds and then I heard him say, "Damn you did beat it. We got so tired of people beating every game we put out we decided to make one that couldn't be beaten... or so we thought"
Amazing how far the graphics and game play have come since those days but I doubt I'll ever see another game this challenging
Personally, I think the graphics of these vector games are completely timeless. I mean, they have made reissues of Battlezone, Asteroids and even Gravitar but they can never touch the originals.These just played so amazingly well and those sharp, glowing vectors still look amazing today (especially if you have a chance to play the originals). Cheers.
To me this looks so much more beautiful than any modern 3D rendered games, even with such realistic LoD and accurate poly sum, it's just almost too far removed from the simplicity of this bright, 2D world.
It is an incredible game which was way ahead of its time back in the day. I was just a little kid when it was released and I admired the bigger kids scoring something like 300K. I was able to complete game only in emulators decades later. The AAE version is the best. The dl link is in the video description. Cheers.
Used to play this at the arcade back in 1982. Got so good at it I only needed one quarter.👍
Yep... the only game I played. Finally beat it and became a "Gravitar Master".
@@IntrepidVids True, and the game is crazy awesome when you get to the upside down gravity and invisible land.👍
That is absolutely amazing Fantastic job. Class of '86
This is a masterful play through.
I know how hard this game is on the machine, emulators, and Flashback Collections.
The skill, timing and concentration you display here is truly amazing.
Congrats!!!!
Thanks man. This was my favorite game in my youth. A lot of guys in my local arcade got into about 300.000 level. I got there too. Then with MAME and AAE I was finally able to complete the game. Only one guy in our arcade was able to make the "full loop" and I thought I could do it too. It took about 20 years but eventually I made it. Cheers.
detonator2112 - I’ve recently started really digging into my Arcade game playthroughs , since I’ve really dedicated major effort into my Sofmodded Xbox, but I got the X1 Atari Flashback Collections too.
It’s made it a lot easier to chase those dreams of high scores cause I can’t afford a machine right now, it’s not even practical at the moment.
Your run through this game really is an outstanding display of skill and its inspiring to a lot of us that grew up in that era, haunting those Arcades, watching from afar, using mathematical equations to decide how we would use our precious few Quarters or Tokens.
I’m so glad to see this here on RUclips in all its glory and not with an AD every 3 minutes. It takes me back, as I’m sure it does alot of people.
Bravo brother.
When I tried this game in the arcade, I quickly decided it was impossible and gave up on it. Even if the gravity was removed and everything else was left the same, I do not think I could have made it very far. It is amazing to see such skilled gameplay. Games released the same year that were more my speed were Dig Dug, Donkey Kong Jr, Ms Pac-Man, Robotron, Pole Position, Joust, Moon Patrol, Tron, and Millipede.
Thanks. I always thought this game was way ahead of its time. It had certain learning curve but when you master the 5-button control system, it's not that difficult at all. Actually it's the most logical finesse control system that you can think of. It's absolutely REQUIRED to play this with a keyboard. I use Z-X (rotate left/right), SPACEBAR (Shield/Tractor Fuel), - for thrust and RIGHT SHIFT for fire.
Actually a lot of kids in my local arcade mastered this game. Only one was able to complete it, most were stuck to the invisible levels (that "snake" planet was challenging.
Of course people who were familiar with Asteroids learned it faster. Back then games like Pac-Man and Space Invaders didn't have such depth and people didn't have the patience. They were relatively easy to get into... Gravitar required some extra effort. Cheers.
Obvious talent on display
That was really neat!! Thanks for sharing!
incredible play!
Simply incredible achievement!
Thanks man. It took a while. I played this first time when I was 10 years old back in 1983. I was in the 300.000 points range for decades but finally after hard practice I was able to complete the game.
awesome skill
I played this in the arcade in the early eighties i could get to the last world with invisible graphics and reverse gravity. I could nearly reach the end of the tunnel but just couldn't quite make it. It was ridiculously difficult and one game would last about 2 hours for just 10p!
In this video I complete the invisible/reverse gravity (all 4 universes). It takes a little over an hour only.
@@detonator2112 yes but in the arcade I use to leave one gun turret in each world and then complete a world. The gun turrets would then reappear then I would do the same and repeat in every universe I think my high score was over 3 million. This is why it would take 2 hours and I would miss my tea. Happy days.
@@thomasscullion5812 Oh yeah that tactics. I know... I have used it too. It depends on the dip switches how severe the fuel consumption was. Actually I used it in the invisible levels in this video too (if I remember correctly). That "star" planet was rather easy in invisible and always filled the fuel there.
Impressive
So the current high score is around 5 million. If you get about 500k per shot going through the game that means you have to play through 10 times to beat the high score. That's depressing.. I can't even get past the second universe currently and I own the cabinet...
I think you get around 400K per round. Yeah it's a tough call. But when you actually master the last planet "snake" in invisible levels I don't see that world record score impossible. Very hard, yes... but it's more about stamina. It takes about an hour to play the whole game through. Strangely I find it easier on reverse gravity/invisible than in normal gravity. Cheers mate and have great Christmas!
Actually the current high score is about 8 million. Check here. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravitar
I would love to have an original cabinet. At one point, I thought it was impossible to beat the game. I'd never heard of anyone beating it. I kept at it and finally achieved the "impossible". I'm still proud of that.
@@detonator2112 I think the goal is to beat the game, which I did once. After that it's, like you say, more about stamina, so it's sort of pointless to keep going.
@@IntrepidVids Yes. After completing all 4 rounds, the game starts over. Only the reactor escape times stays impossible. Dan Coogan played that 8 million. It's really a question about stamina and I don't have the motivation and/or interest to do that. I once completed 2 rounds and scored over 1 million.
I recall spending a lot of time and $$ on this arcade game!
There was a later game very similar to this where you had to pick up an orb or something which then swung from the bottom of your ship causing an extra head-ache.Anyone remember what it was called? I used to love it but can't remember it's name
Could it be "Assault" (Atari)?
Sounds like "Thrust". One of my C64 favorites back in the day, but it was on many platforms.
@@MobioDEN You nailed it! I've just watched a clip of it on RUclips.I've been racking my brain for years trying to remember it's name.I'll have a look now and see if i can get it on MAME.Many thanks
@@Dunstire You're welcome.
@@Dunstire THRUST was never an arcade game. It was just for different computer platorms. You can play it on a C64 emulator for example. Yes it was heavily inspired by Gravitar.
I could never do this
Never say never. I think you need the original cabinet and layout of the buttons, which were perfect. I also thought, at one point, that it was impossible. I finally beat it, though. Very proud, lol. What a great game.
Does it work in 2 players mode ?
It's 100% emulation of the arcade game. It has a 2-player mode but the players can't play simultaneously like in Space Duel. Cheers.
Really? Have you tested it? I can't make 2 player mode work under AAE. It works in mame, but mame looks worse
Damn, you're right. It doesn't start when I press button "2". I have never noticed that.
Too bad the mouse doesn't work on Star Wars, either. I love the graphics in AAE. I wish the author continued the project but he never did.
I feel the same about it. This emulator was too good to have been left like that. The author said in 2009 that the following version was going to have perfect spinner and joystick controls, but he never released that new version he was working on :(