Talk:Centipede (video game)

Aren't poisoned mushrooms a good thing?
When the centipede touches a poisoned mushroom, it flies down to the bottom of the screen in a nearly straight line. This gives you the chance to blast the whole centipede in a row very quickly. -- Myria 05:04, 11 September 2005 (UTC)
 * Sure... if you're good enough. Crotalus horridus 16:02, 9 December 2005 (UTC)

Attack of the clones
We need more Centipede clones for the list. Anyone who knows of one, please add it (preferably with a URL source). Crotalus horridus 16:02, 9 December 2005 (UTC)

I added TONS of Arcade clones and info on Part 3 called Super Centipede which was never released but was made as a prototype.

You can see it here: http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?letter=&game_id=6904

--4.250.63.149 04:21, 23 March 2006 (UTC)

I just added two more and links for all--4.250.63.149 04:39, 23 March 2006 (UTC)

Clones should be limited to actual historical commercial products, not every single homebrewed play-alikes. --Marty Goldberg 17:37, 16 November 2006 (UTC)

PS1 Version
It says nothing about the PS1 version of the game.

It auctually says a little bit about it; also, note that the PS1 version was also ported to the PC (It would be better if you were to sign your name).

--TomasBat 17:08, 21 December 2006 (UTC)

Gnome?
I believe the "gnome" reference originally stems from from the mini-comic that came with the Atari 2600 version of the game, but even there they're called "elves", not gnomes. The "magic wand" was apparently a cover-up for the fact that the player's sprite in the home version had been changed from its original form into a block (the "wand"). I always thought the player sprite in the arcade resembled a snake's head, myself (and it seems I'm not the only one). - Wrassedragon 23:05, 17 September 2007 (UTC)

Fair use rationale for Image:Centipede arcade.png
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BetacommandBot 12:37, 26 October 2007 (UTC)

Fair use rationale for Image:Centipede arcade.png
Image:Centipede arcade.png is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.

Please go to the image description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale. Using one of the templates at Fair use rationale guideline is an easy way to insure that your image is in compliance with Wikipedia policy, but remember that you must complete the template. Do not simply insert a blank template on an image page.

If there is other fair use media, consider checking that you have specified the fair use rationale on the other images used on this page. Note that any fair use images uploaded after 4 May, 2006, and lacking such an explanation will be deleted one week after they have been uploaded, as described on criteria for speedy deletion. If you have any questions please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you.

BetacommandBot 02:00, 27 October 2007 (UTC)

Trap Method?
I've tried finding discussions online as to what the "trap method" is that seems to be commonly employed in the non-tournament playing of the game, but was unable to find a worthwhile source of information. Is there any way to elaborate on this method? Justwes (talk) 22:15, 19 November 2008 (UTC)
 * That's a game strategy, and beyond the scope of a Wikipedia article. We don't allow game guide material here. --Marty Goldberg (talk) 23:44, 19 November 2008 (UTC)

PC Version
A PC version of this was released in 1983 titled "IBM Centipede", by R.J. Grafe. I assume it's not an official release? 2fort5r (talk) 17:02, 17 August 2009 (UTC)
 * The only official version would have been the one released by Atarisoft. --Marty Goldberg (talk) 17:16, 17 August 2009 (UTC)
 * Not so, as back in the 1980s and even into the 1990s, is was common for major companies to obtain licenses to re-release games under their own names, even though the game was originally developed by somebody else. Companies like Atlus and Working Designs lived off of this concept. Nintendo even does this today for European Wii releases. The most famous example is either PC Jr. version of King's Quest, released by IBM under license from Sierra, or Street Fighter Alpha 2 for the SNES, licensed to Nintendo, which is the opening screen, by Capcom. Coffee5binky (talk) 03:57, 1 December 2009 (UTC)

Ports
Using MobyGames, here's a list of ports and/or adaptations:


 * iPhone
 * Apple II
 * Atari 2600
 * Atari 5200
 * Atari 7800
 * Atari 8-bit Computers (i.e. XEGS)
 * ColecoVision
 * Commodore 64
 * Game Boy
 * Game Boy Color
 * Intellivision
 * A "PC Booter" Title
 * TI-99/4A
 * VIC-20
 * Dreamcast
 * game.com
 * Apple Macintosh
 * PlayStation
 * Windows (multiple releases and versions)
 * ZX Spectrum as "Centi-Bug"
 * Xbox 360
 * Game Boy Advance
 * and renamed different DOS version called "Champ Centiped-Em"

See if the ports section can be cleaned up using the information I just provided here. MobyGames has the citations for each different version of the game.

Coffee5binky (talk) 03:54, 1 December 2009 (UTC)

External links modified
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 * Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20121009025633/http://vancouverdesi.com:80/business/dona-bailey-a-rare-female-programmer-in-ataris-early-days-recalls-birth-of-centipede/ to http://vancouverdesi.com/business/dona-bailey-a-rare-female-programmer-in-ataris-early-days-recalls-birth-of-centipede/
 * Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20110123063834/http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com:80/caterpillar_edson.html to http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/caterpillar_edson.html
 * Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20101229140230/http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com:80/katerpillarattack.html to http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/katerpillarattack.html
 * Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20101130144717/http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com:80/megapede.html to http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/megapede.html
 * Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20101201023208/http://www.twingalaxies.com:80/index.aspx?c=22&pi=2&gi=3834&vi=698 to http://www.twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=22&pi=2&gi=3834&vi=698
 * Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20100415060251/http://www.twingalaxies.com:80/index.aspx?c=22&pi=2&gi=3834&vi=2246 to http://www.twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=22&pi=2&gi=3834&vi=2246

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Should Replicade 1/6th scale be included as official release?
Just purchased the Replicade version which started on Kickstarter but got it at Best buy. I think it would qualify as an official release as it is licensed and includes the original artwork and ROM. Cshepley (talk) 02:28, 26 November 2018 (UTC)

The ants
According to Dona Bailey, the "fleas" are actually ants. As she designed, drew, and programmed them, I'd say she's a pretty authoritative source on the matter. Ed Logg mistook them for fleas and was too stubborn to let Dona correct him.

ZoeB (talk) 14:25, 8 November 2019 (UTC)


 * The source code consistently refers to them as ants, which makes sense given that they run in a straight line (vs. hopping around). However, the graphics are clearly fleas, and that's how the service manual describes them. Fadden0 (talk) 19:14, 8 March 2022 (UTC)

1980 or 1981?
Wikipedia and KLOV give a release date of 1980. Arcade History says 1981. Mobygames is very specific: July 1981. IMDB pinpoints that at July 26—but in 1980. The Dona Bailey article says 1981, but without a clear reference. There's at least one source saying she joined Atari in 1980. It would be nice to sort this out! Dgpop (talk) 16:29, 25 April 2021 (UTC)
 * Arcade History actually says June 1981 - go expand the "Trivia" section.
 * The Wikipedia article actually also said June 1981 until a supporting reference (from the Atari.com website!) was removed without explanation last year.
 * Also, in such cases I usually look into Michael Current's excellent Atari History Timelines - they are known to be well-researched. In this case, his Warner Atari timeline also says June 1981; but unfortunately Current does not provide a reference for this assertion, so it is not enough for our purposes. (BTW. the timeline also states that Bailey joined Atari in June 1980, again without a reference.)
 * Form other sources I could find: The help file for Centipede as included in Microsoft Arcade (released 1993) says "Centipede, completed in 1981, was an Atari coin-operated game that swiftly won a wide following in the arcades.". All the arcade flyers I've seen bear the copyright date of 1981. --Krótki (talk) 10:06, 26 April 2021 (UTC)
 * Some more traces, found via Ken Polsson:
 * The book "Video Invaders" by Steve Bloom, 1982, has an interview with Dona Bailey and Ed Logg (inexplicably referred to as "Taylor" and "Lodge") on pp. 64-66, where Bailey confirms her hiring month and states that Centipede was developed for 9 months finishing in May 1981.
 * "Game Informer" May 2005, p. 148, states Centipede was released in 1981. I don't see any scan on the web to confirm, though. --Krótki (talk) 10:25, 26 April 2021 (UTC)
 * Another one: In a 2017 interview, Bailey recalls that Centipede was "built and shipped out beginning in May 1981".--Krótki (talk) 10:47, 26 April 2021 (UTC)
 * The original source code sheds some light. In particular, https://github.com/historicalsource/centipede/blob/main/CENTIP.DOC says "MAY 13, 1981".  If we assume the game shipped after the documentation was written, then it would have had a 1981 release date.  Apparently they wrote the copyright notices in the code during development and didn't update them, which is understandable -- the strings are checksummed, designed to cause subtle problems if altered, so they might have wanted to leave them alone. Fadden0 (talk) 19:24, 8 March 2022 (UTC)