| Computer Space | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Nutting Associates |
| Publisher(s) | Nutting Associates |
| Year released | 1971 |
| System(s) | Arcade |
| Designer(s) | Nolan Bushnell, Ted Dabney |
|---|---|
| Genre(s) | Shooter |
| Modes | Single player, Co-op |
Computer Space is an arcade game released in November 1971 by Nutting Associates. Created by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney, who would both later found Atari, it is generally accepted that it was the world's first commercially sold coin-operated video game—and indeed, the first commercially sold video game of any kind, predating the Magnavox Odyssey's release by six months, and Atari's Pong by one year. Though not commercially sold, the coin operated minicomputer-driven Galaxy Game preceded it by two months, located solely at Stanford University.
The player controls a rocket ship using a thruster and a pair of rotational buttons. During game play, the player must evade enemy fire from a pair of flying saucers moving in tandem. The player fires back to destroy the flying saucers by firing missiles at them from the rocket ship. Today, the game would be considered a multi-directional shooter.