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Marble Madness (Video Game)

 Marble Madness (Video Game)
type
TVTItem
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
label
Marble Madness (Video Game)
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
page
MarbleMadness
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
comment
Marble Madness is a 1984 arcade game by Atari, designed by Mark Cerny. The game consists of a series of six races, viewed from an isometric perspective, in which the player uses a trackball to guide a marble to the finish line within a time limit. There are plenty of obstacles and enemies to avoid, as well as the ever-present danger of falling off the track. Two players can compete head-to-head.Cerny took inspiration from miniature golf courses, racing games, and the art of M.C. Escher when designing Marble Madness. Not only was it the first Atari game to use the Atari System 1 hardware and be programmed in the C language, but it was also the first video game to use true stereo sound, and the first video game to use FM synthesis for sound.Surprisingly, a sequel, titled Marble Man: Marble Madness II was in the works for release in 1991, but was cancelled at the prototype stage due to poor reception in testing markets and fear of it flopping against games such as Street Fighter II. Despite being canceled, the two prototype builds of the game circulated through the hands of collectors and made appearances at expos such as California Extreme. It wouldn't be until December 2021 that footage of the later prototype (simply titled Marble Madness II) would be uploaded online, and in May 2022, the later prototype was dumped, making it accessible to the wider public.Compare Gyroscope, Spindizzy, and Snake Rattle 'n' Roll and, decades later, Super Monkey Ball.
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
fetched
2024-03-15T12:46:41Z
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
parsed
2024-03-15T12:46:41Z
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
isPartOf
DBTropes
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_12ec809f
type
Isometric Projection
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_12ec809f
comment
Isometric Projection
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_12ec809f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_12ec809f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
hasFeature
Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_12ec809f
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_13d7a65e
type
The Artifact
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_13d7a65e
comment
The Artifact: The marbles gaining sentience in the second game is the result of the "Marble Man" persona they took on in the game's alpha build. Even when Marble Man was dropped from the beta, the marbles remain sentient.
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_13d7a65e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_13d7a65e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
hasFeature
Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_13d7a65e
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_26b2747
type
Alliterative Title
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_26b2747
comment
Alliterative Title
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_26b2747
featureApplicability
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_26b2747
featureConfidence
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
hasFeature
Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_26b2747
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_27b418da
type
A Winner Is You
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_27b418da
comment
A Winner Is You: The only thing you get for beating the game is "You have completed the ultimate race!", and the game shows your final score as marbles fly around the screen and you rack up a big finishing bonus.
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_27b418da
featureApplicability
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_27b418da
featureConfidence
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
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Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_27b418da
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_3567ac72
type
Level Goal
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_3567ac72
comment
Level Goal: Marked by checkered flags... and the word "goal".
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_3567ac72
featureApplicability
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_3567ac72
featureConfidence
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
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Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_3567ac72
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_4a932556
type
Compilation Re-release
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_4a932556
comment
Compilation Rerelease: The game has been re-released many times, most notably in Midway Arcade Treasures Vol. 1.
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_4a932556
featureApplicability
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_4a932556
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1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
hasFeature
Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_4a932556
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_549a92e7
type
Minimalism
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_549a92e7
comment
Minimalism: The players are marbles, the enemies are simple and abstract, and the stages are grid-textured hallways floating in a void. This approach is evident in some of the music as well, especially the Practice Race.
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_549a92e7
featureApplicability
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_549a92e7
featureConfidence
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
hasFeature
Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_549a92e7
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_65cd1b5e
type
Acid Pool
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_65cd1b5e
comment
Acid Pool: The Slimes oozing around the course are living examples of this trope, instantly melting the player marble on contact.
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_65cd1b5e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_65cd1b5e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
hasFeature
Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_65cd1b5e
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_834427cd
type
Cap
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_834427cd
comment
Cap: Each player's timer can only display values up to 99 seconds. Depending on the version played, any excess time above 99 may still be credited toward the player, with the timer starting to run only after those seconds have counted down. The second game eliminates the issue by adding a third digit to each player's timer. After completing the final race, players will be penalized 1,000 points from their end-of-game bonus for each marble lost. This tally will never go above 20, so the worst possible outcome is the nullification of the game's 20,000-point completion bonus; any bonus for time remaining will not be affected.
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_834427cd
featureApplicability
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_834427cd
featureConfidence
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
hasFeature
Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_834427cd
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_868e6134
type
Songs in the Key of Panic
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_868e6134
comment
Songs in the Key of Panic: The music that plays during the Silly Race steps up in tempo and key the longer you take.
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_868e6134
featureApplicability
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_868e6134
featureConfidence
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
hasFeature
Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_868e6134
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_8bb6d274
type
Comeback Mechanic
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_8bb6d274
comment
Comeback Mechanic: In the two-player mode, the first player to reach the goal wins the race and gets a five-second bonus for the next one. Also, on random occasions, a player who is about to run out of time will get 10 extra seconds, conferred by a magic wand that appears out of nowhere and taps the marble. Reversed in a two-player game. If one player gets far enough ahead to scroll the other off the screen, the opponent is transported ahead a short distance and penalized five seconds.
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_8bb6d274
featureApplicability
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_8bb6d274
featureConfidence
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
hasFeature
Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_8bb6d274
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_8df14c99
type
One-Hit-Point Wonder
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_8df14c99
comment
One-Hit-Point Wonder: Your marble will shatter if it falls more than a fairly small distance, and contact with a Slime will instantly dissolve it. Shorter drops and contact with a Marble Muncher will briefly stun it, making it hard to control and susceptible to being eaten by said Muncher.
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_8df14c99
featureApplicability
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_8df14c99
featureConfidence
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
hasFeature
Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_8df14c99
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_905438eb
type
Recycled IN SPACE!
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_905438eb
comment
Recycled In Space: The Ultimate Race takes place in space.
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_905438eb
featureApplicability
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_905438eb
featureConfidence
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
hasFeature
Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_905438eb
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_940a5958
type
Artificial Stupidity
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_940a5958
comment
Artificial Stupidity: The Steelies are susceptible to falling off the playing field without any interaction from the player.
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_940a5958
featureApplicability
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_940a5958
featureConfidence
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
hasFeature
Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_940a5958
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_a73cfb7f
type
Animate Inanimate Object
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_a73cfb7f
comment
Animate Inanimate Object: The players' marbles are made sentient in Marble Madness II.
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_a73cfb7f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_a73cfb7f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
hasFeature
Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_a73cfb7f
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_bb48f8ba
type
Timed Mission
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_bb48f8ba
comment
Timed Mission: The marble technically has infinite lives—it's the timer you have to watch out for. If it hits zero, it's Game Over.
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_bb48f8ba
featureApplicability
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_bb48f8ba
featureConfidence
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
hasFeature
Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_bb48f8ba
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_bef696dd
type
Mind Screw
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_bef696dd
comment
Mind Screw: The Silly Race, where going uphill is like going downhill and vice versa, among other things. (Gravity, though, acts perfectly normal if you fall off the track.) It even has a section full of tiny enemies that you can run over to earn bonus time and points. The goal platform on the Silly Race looks like it came straight out of an M.C. Escher painting, appearing to be both above and level with the ground next to it at the same time, depending on how you look at it.
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_bef696dd
featureApplicability
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_bef696dd
featureConfidence
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
hasFeature
Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_bef696dd
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_c64bdacd
type
Scoring Points
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_c64bdacd
comment
Scoring Points: Though just moving around scores something, taking alternate routes earns more.
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_c64bdacd
featureApplicability
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_c64bdacd
featureConfidence
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
hasFeature
Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_c64bdacd
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_d5a66181
type
Color-Coded Multiplayer
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_d5a66181
comment
Color-Coded Multiplayer: In two-player games, one player controls a blue marble and the other controls a red one. (The players' colors are reversed in the Genesis port.) Marble Madness II adds support for an extra, green-colored player.
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_d5a66181
featureApplicability
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_d5a66181
featureConfidence
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
hasFeature
Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_d5a66181
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_e8b0f099
type
Dark Is Evil
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_e8b0f099
comment
Dark Is Evil: The black "steelie" marbles will often try to impede your progress, but they can be avoided or even knocked off if they're close to an edge.
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_e8b0f099
featureApplicability
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_e8b0f099
featureConfidence
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
hasFeature
Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_e8b0f099
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_eea93c96
type
Blow You Away
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_eea93c96
comment
Blow You Away: In reverse during the Aerial Race. Vacuums will pop up along one stretch to try and suck you off the course.
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_eea93c96
featureApplicability
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_eea93c96
featureConfidence
1.0
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
hasFeature
Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_eea93c96
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_name
type
ItemName
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_name
comment
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_name
featureApplicability
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 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_name
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 Marble Madness (Video Game)
hasFeature
Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_name
 Marble Madness (Video Game) / int_name
itemName
Marble Madness (Video Game)

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 Marble Madness (Video Game)
hasFeature
Acid Attack / int_ad678477
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
hasFeature
Advancing Wall of Doom / int_ad678477
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
hasFeature
Canceled Video Games / int_ad678477
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
hasFeature
Chromatic Arrangement / int_ad678477
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
hasFeature
Creepy Circus Music / int_ad678477
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
hasFeature
Drone of Dread / int_ad678477
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
hasFeature
Endless Game / int_ad678477
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
hasFeature
Frictionless Ice / int_ad678477
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gimmick Level / int_ad678477
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
hasFeature
Gravity Screw / int_ad678477
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
hasFeature
Hollywood Acid / int_ad678477
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
hasFeature
Level Editor / int_ad678477
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
hasFeature
Mad Marble Maze / int_ad678477
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
hasFeature
Non-Lethal Bottomless Pits / int_ad678477
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
hasFeature
Port Overdosed / int_ad678477
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
hasFeature
Portmanteau Series Nickname / int_ad678477
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
hasFeature
Songs in the Key of Panic / int_ad678477
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
hasFeature
Sweeping Ashes / int_ad678477
 Marble Madness (Video Game)
hasFeature
Truck Driver's Gear Change / int_ad678477
 ZXSpectrum
seeAlso
Marble Madness (Video Game)