| Hangman | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Atari, Inc. |
| Publisher(s) | Atari, Inc. |
| Designer(s) | Alan Miller |
| Platform(s) | Atari 2600 |
| Release |
|
| Genre(s) | Puzzle |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, two-player |
Hangman is a video game based on the pen-and-paper game of the same name released in 1978 by Atari, Inc. for the Atari VCS (renamed to the Atari 2600 in 1982).
Development
The game was programmed by Alan Miller, who later cofounded Activision, with cover art by Susan Jaekel. The game was coded in assembly code.
Gameplay
As in the traditional game of Hangman, the player must guess the letter of a hidden word, with each wrong guess resulting in a piece being added to the gallows. The game ends when either the gallows is completed or when the word has been fully guessed. The player can select from a range of four difficulty levels from first grade to high school. The words have a maximum length of six characters. Instead of the traditional man to be hanged being shown in the picture, a monkey is shown hanging from the gallows by its arm. Hangman contains 510 words divided into four difficulty levels. A timed mode where the player has to guess before a time limit expires is also available.
The game may be played in single-player mode, or in a two-player mode where players participate together. In one-player mode, the player has 11 attempts at guessing before the gallows is constructed. In two-player mode, guessing may continue until one player wins.
Reception
Contemporary reviewers were unimpressed with the game. UK-based TV Gamer described it as "poor value for money" as it differed little from the pen-and-paper version of the game. A review in the 1983 Book of Atari Software described it as a "nice implementation of the classic game", but also criticised the graphics, and gave the game a rating of "B" overall.
In a retrospective review in Classic Home Video Games, 1972-1984: A Complete Reference Guide, Brett Weiss described it as "a passable rendition of a classic game.
See also
References
- ^ Weiss, Brett (2011). Classic Home Video Games, 1972-1984: A Complete Reference Guide. McFarland. p. 68. ISBN 978-0786487554. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
- ^ Haw ken, Kirsten (2018). The A-Z of Atari 2600 Games: Volume 2. Andrews UK Limited. ISBN 978-1785387630. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
- ^ Lapetino, Tim (2016). Art Of Atari. Dynamite Entertainment. p. 84. ISBN 978-1524101060. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
- ^ Stanton, Jeffrey; Wells, Robert P.; Rochowansky, Sandra (1983). The Book of Atari Software 1983. The Book Company. p. 242. ISSN 0736-2706. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
- "Hangman" (PDF). TV Gamer: 28. Autumn 1983. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
External list
- Hangman at Atari Mania