<s>
Robotron	B-Application
:	I-Application
2084	I-Application
(	O
also	O
referred	O
to	O
as	O
Robotron	O
)	O
is	O
a	O
multidirectional	O
shooter	O
developed	O
by	O
Eugene	O
Jarvis	O
and	O
Larry	O
DeMar	O
of	O
Vid	O
Kidz	O
and	O
released	O
in	O
arcades	O
by	O
Williams	O
Electronics	O
in	O
1982	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Jarvis	O
and	O
DeMar	O
drew	O
inspiration	O
from	O
Nineteen	O
Eighty-Four	O
,	O
Berzerk	B-Application
and	O
Space	B-Application
Invaders	I-Application
for	O
the	O
design	O
of	O
Robotron	B-Application
:	I-Application
2084	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Robotron	B-Application
:	I-Application
2084	I-Application
was	O
critically	O
and	O
commercially	O
successful	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Though	O
not	O
the	O
first	O
game	O
with	O
a	O
twin	O
joystick	O
control	O
scheme	O
,	O
Robotron	B-Application
:	I-Application
2084	I-Application
is	O
cited	O
as	O
the	O
game	O
that	O
popularized	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
ported	O
to	O
numerous	O
home	O
systemsmost	O
of	O
which	O
are	O
hampered	O
by	O
the	O
lack	O
of	O
two	O
joysticksand	O
inspired	O
the	O
development	O
of	O
other	O
games	O
such	O
as	O
Smash	B-Application
TV	I-Application
(	O
1990	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Robotron	B-Application
:	I-Application
2084	I-Application
features	O
monaural	B-Application
sound	O
and	O
raster	B-Algorithm
graphics	I-Algorithm
on	O
a	O
19-inch	O
CRT	B-Device
monitor	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
uses	O
a	O
Motorola	B-Device
6809	I-Device
central	B-General_Concept
processing	I-General_Concept
unit	I-General_Concept
that	O
operates	O
at	O
1MHz	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
custom	O
blitter	B-General_Concept
chip	I-General_Concept
generates	O
the	O
on-screen	O
objects	O
and	O
visual	O
effects	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Robotron	B-Application
:	I-Application
2084s	I-Application
gameplay	O
is	O
based	O
on	O
presenting	O
the	O
player	O
with	O
conflicting	O
goals	O
:	O
avoid	O
enemy	O
attacks	O
to	O
survive	O
,	O
defeat	O
enemies	O
to	O
progress	O
,	O
and	O
save	O
the	O
family	O
to	O
earn	O
points	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
first	O
inspired	O
by	O
Stern	O
Electronics	O
 '	O
1980	O
arcade	O
game	O
Berzerk	B-Application
and	O
the	O
Commodore	B-Device
PET	I-Device
computer	O
game	O
Chase	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Berzerk	B-Application
is	O
a	O
shooting	O
game	O
in	O
which	O
a	O
character	O
traverses	O
a	O
maze	O
to	O
shoot	O
robots	O
,	O
and	O
Chase	O
is	O
a	O
text-based	O
game	O
in	O
which	O
players	O
move	O
text	O
characters	B-General_Concept
into	O
others	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
shooting	O
elements	O
drew	O
inspiration	O
from	O
1978	O
arcade	O
game	O
Space	B-Application
Invaders	I-Application
(	O
1978	O
)	O
,	O
which	O
had	O
previously	O
inspired	O
Defender	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
dual-joystick	O
design	O
was	O
developed	O
by	O
Jarvis	O
,	O
and	O
resulted	O
from	O
two	O
experiences	O
in	O
Jarvis	O
's	O
life	O
:	O
an	O
automobile	O
accident	O
and	O
playing	O
Berzerk	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
in	O
rehabilitation	O
,	O
he	O
thought	O
of	O
Berzerk	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Though	O
Jarvis	O
enjoyed	O
the	O
game	O
and	O
similar	O
titles	O
,	O
he	O
was	O
dissatisfied	O
with	O
the	O
control	O
scheme	O
;	O
Berzerk	B-Application
used	O
a	O
single	O
joystick	O
to	O
move	O
the	O
on-screen	O
character	O
and	O
a	O
button	O
to	O
fire	O
the	O
weapon	O
,	O
which	O
would	O
shoot	O
the	O
same	O
direction	O
the	O
character	O
was	O
facing	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Jarvis	O
and	O
DeMar	O
created	O
a	O
prototype	O
using	O
a	O
Stargate	B-Application
arcade	O
system	O
board	O
and	O
two	O
Atari	O
2600	O
controllers	O
attached	O
to	O
a	O
control	O
panel	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
developers	O
felt	O
a	O
rescue	O
theme	O
similar	O
to	O
Defender	B-Application
—	O
one	O
of	O
their	O
previous	O
games	O
—	O
was	O
needed	O
to	O
complete	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
and	O
added	O
a	O
human	O
family	O
as	O
a	O
method	O
to	O
motivate	O
players	O
to	O
earn	O
a	O
high	O
score	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
To	O
instill	O
panic	O
in	O
the	O
player	O
,	O
the	O
character	O
was	O
initially	O
placed	O
in	O
the	O
center	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
action	O
,	O
and	O
had	O
to	O
deal	O
with	O
projectiles	O
coming	O
from	O
multiple	O
directions	O
,	O
as	O
opposed	O
to	O
previous	O
shooting	O
games	O
such	O
as	O
Space	B-Application
Invaders	I-Application
and	O
Galaxian	B-Application
,	O
where	O
the	O
enemies	O
attacked	O
from	O
a	O
single	O
direction	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Black	O
was	O
chosen	O
as	O
the	O
background	O
color	O
to	O
help	O
characters	B-General_Concept
stand	O
out	O
and	O
reduce	O
clutter	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Electrodes	O
are	O
stationary	O
objects	O
that	O
are	O
lethal	O
to	O
the	O
in-game	O
characters	B-General_Concept
,	O
and	O
Grunts	O
are	O
simple	O
robots	O
that	O
chase	O
the	O
protagonist	O
by	O
plotting	O
the	O
shortest	O
path	O
to	O
him	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Large	O
,	O
indestructible	O
Hulks	O
,	O
inspired	O
by	O
an	O
enemy	O
in	O
Berzerk	B-Application
,	O
were	O
added	O
to	O
kill	O
the	O
humans	O
on	O
the	O
stage	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
projectile	O
algorithm	O
was	O
devised	O
for	O
Enforcers	O
to	O
simulate	O
enemy	O
artificial	B-Application
intelligence	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Random	O
elements	O
were	O
added	O
to	O
make	O
the	O
projectile	O
more	O
unpredictable	O
;	O
the	O
Enforcer	O
aims	O
at	O
a	O
random	O
location	O
in	O
a	O
ten-pixel	O
radius	O
around	O
the	O
character	O
,	O
and	O
random	O
acceleration	O
curves	O
the	O
trajectory	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Atari	O
,	O
Inc	O
.	O
ported	O
Robotron	B-Application
:	I-Application
2084	I-Application
to	O
its	O
own	O
systems	O
(	O
the	O
Atari	B-Device
8-bit	I-Device
family	I-Device
of	O
home	O
computers	O
,	O
Atari	B-General_Concept
5200	I-General_Concept
,	O
and	O
Atari	B-General_Concept
7800	I-General_Concept
)	O
,	O
while	O
it	O
released	O
the	O
game	O
for	O
the	O
Apple	B-Device
II	I-Device
,	O
Commodore	O
64	O
,	O
VIC-20	B-Device
,	O
TI-99/4A	B-Device
,	O
and	O
IBM	B-Device
PC	I-Device
compatibles	O
under	O
its	O
Atarisoft	O
label	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Atari	O
Corporation	O
published	O
a	O
Lynx	B-General_Concept
port	O
in	O
1991	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
1996	O
,	O
Next	O
Generation	O
listed	O
the	O
arcade	O
and	O
PlayStation	B-Device
versions	O
as	O
number	O
63	O
on	O
their	O
"	O
Top	O
100	O
Games	O
of	O
All	O
Time	O
"	O
,	O
citing	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
relentless	O
peril	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Critics	O
lauded	O
Robotron	B-Application
:	I-Application
2084s	I-Application
gameplay	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Owen	O
Linzmayer	O
of	O
Creative	B-General_Concept
Computing	I-General_Concept
Video	I-General_Concept
&	I-General_Concept
Arcade	I-General_Concept
Games	I-General_Concept
praised	O
the	O
freedom	O
of	O
movement	O
afforded	O
by	O
the	O
controls	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Midway	O
Games	O
's	O
Tony	O
Dormanesh	O
and	O
Electronic	O
Arts	O
 '	O
Stephen	O
Riesenberger	O
called	O
Robotron	B-Application
:	I-Application
2084	I-Application
their	O
favorite	O
arcade	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Vince	O
considered	O
him	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
originators	O
of	O
"	O
high-action	O
"	O
and	O
"	O
reflex-based	O
"	O
arcade	O
games	O
,	O
citing	O
Robotron	B-Application
:	I-Application
2084s	I-Application
gameplay	O
among	O
other	O
games	O
designed	O
by	O
Jarvis	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2007	O
,	O
IGN	O
listed	O
Eugene	O
Jarvis	O
as	O
a	O
top	O
game	O
designer	O
whose	O
titles	O
(	O
Defender	B-Application
,	O
Robotron	B-Application
2084	I-Application
,	O
and	O
Smash	B-Application
TV	I-Application
)	O
have	O
influenced	O
the	O
video	O
game	O
industry	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
1990	O
arcade	O
game	O
Smash	B-Application
TV	I-Application
,	O
also	O
designed	O
by	O
Jarvis	O
,	O
features	O
a	O
similar	O
design	O
—	O
two	O
joysticks	O
used	O
to	O
shoot	O
numerous	O
enemies	O
on	O
a	O
single	O
screen	O
—	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
ideas	O
he	O
intended	O
to	O
include	O
in	O
sequels	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
1991	O
,	O
Jeff	O
Minter	O
released	O
a	O
shareware	B-License
game	O
titled	O
Llamatron	B-Application
based	O
on	O
Robotron	B-Application
:	I-Application
2084s	I-Application
design	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Twenty	O
years	O
later	O
,	O
Minter	O
released	O
an	O
upgraded	O
version	O
titled	O
Minotron	O
:	O
2112	O
for	O
iOS	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Bill	O
Loguidice	O
and	O
Matt	O
Barton	O
of	O
Gamasutra	O
commented	O
that	O
Robotrons	O
success	O
,	O
along	O
with	O
Defender	B-Application
,	O
illustrated	O
that	O
video	O
game	O
enthusiasts	O
were	O
ready	O
for	O
more	O
difficult	O
games	O
with	O
complex	O
controls	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Though	O
not	O
the	O
first	O
to	O
implement	O
it	O
,	O
Robotron	B-Application
:	I-Application
2084s	I-Application
use	O
of	O
dual	O
joysticks	O
popularized	O
the	O
design	O
among	O
2D	O
shooting	O
games	O
,	O
and	O
has	O
since	O
been	O
copied	O
by	O
other	O
arcade-style	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
control	O
scheme	O
has	O
appeared	O
in	O
several	O
other	O
titles	O
produced	O
by	O
Midway	O
Games	O
:	O
Inferno	O
,	O
Smash	B-Application
TV	I-Application
,	O
and	O
Total	B-Application
Carnage	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Many	O
shooting	O
games	O
on	O
Xbox	B-Device
Live	I-Device
Arcade	I-Device
and	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Network	I-Device
use	O
this	O
dual	O
control	O
design	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Few	O
console	O
games	O
,	O
like	O
the	O
2004	O
title	O
Jet	B-Application
Li	I-Application
:	I-Application
Rise	I-Application
to	I-Application
Honor	I-Application
,	O
use	O
two	O
joysticks	O
for	O
movement	O
and	O
attacking	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Participants	O
played	O
Robotron	B-Application
:	I-Application
2084	I-Application
while	O
being	O
assaulted	O
with	O
distracting	O
sensory	O
events	O
including	O
smoke	O
,	O
loud	O
noises	O
,	O
vibrations	O
,	O
and	O
electric	O
shocks	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Vid	O
Kidz	O
developed	O
an	O
official	O
sequel	O
,	O
Blaster	B-Application
,	O
in	O
1983	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Atari	O
Corporation	O
and	O
Williams	O
announced	O
plans	O
to	O
develop	O
an	O
update	O
of	O
Robotron	O
intended	O
for	O
the	O
Atari	B-Device
Jaguar	I-Device
but	O
this	O
project	O
was	O
never	O
released	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
1996	O
,	O
the	O
company	O
released	O
a	O
sequel	O
with	O
3D	O
graphics	O
titled	O
Robotron	B-Application
X	I-Application
for	O
the	O
Sony	B-Device
PlayStation	I-Device
and	O
personal	O
computers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Robotron	B-Application
:	I-Application
2084	I-Application
has	O
been	O
included	O
in	O
several	O
multi-platform	O
compilations	O
:	O
the	O
1996	O
Williams	O
Arcade	O
's	O
Greatest	O
Hits	O
,	O
the	O
2000	O
Midway	B-Device
's	I-Device
Greatest	I-Device
Arcade	I-Device
Hits	I-Device
,	O
the	O
2003	O
Midway	B-Application
Arcade	I-Application
Treasures	I-Application
,	O
and	O
the	O
2012	O
Midway	B-Application
Arcade	I-Application
Origins	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2000	O
,	O
a	O
web-based	O
version	O
of	O
Robotron	B-Application
:	I-Application
2084	I-Application
,	O
along	O
with	O
nine	O
other	O
classic	O
arcade	O
games	O
,	O
were	O
published	O
on	O
Shockwave.com	B-Application
(	O
a	O
website	O
related	O
to	O
Adobe	B-Operating_System
Shockwave	I-Operating_System
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2004	O
,	O
Midway	O
Games	O
planned	O
to	O
release	O
a	O
plug	O
and	O
play	O
version	O
of	O
Robotron	B-Application
:	I-Application
2084	I-Application
as	O
part	O
of	O
a	O
line	O
of	O
TV	O
Games	O
,	O
but	O
this	O
was	O
never	O
released	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Robotron	B-Application
:	I-Application
2084	I-Application
became	O
available	O
for	O
download	O
via	O
Microsoft	O
's	O
Xbox	B-Device
Live	I-Device
Arcade	I-Device
in	O
November	O
2005	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Robotron	B-Application
:	I-Application
2084	I-Application
is	O
playable	O
in	O
the	O
Lego	B-Application
Dimensions	I-Application
Midway	O
Arcade	O
level	O
pack	O
.	O
</s>
