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    Gotcha

    Game » consists of 1 releases. Released Oct 01, 1973

    Gotcha is considered the first maze-based game and served as a precursor to games like Pac Man. Released by Atari in 1973, the game is the fourth title shipped by the company. It's decidedly breast-shaped controllers lead to a fair deal of controversy at the time.

    Short summary describing this game.

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    Gotcha is the first maze video game, it was manufactured by Atari in 1973. It is a two-player-only game (the computer does not control any of the characters) in which the first player tries to catch the second player while going through a maze that continuously changes. After the second player is caught, points are given, and the chase begins again.

    This is also considered by some to be the first game to be controversial, not because of the game play or characters, but because of the controls! At first, Atari was going to put in two joysticks, but it was thought they were too phallic (remember this was 1973, joysticks weren't nearly as common). So instead of joysticks, two pink, semi-spherical rubber bulges that very much resembled breasts were put in. Not only that, players had to squeeze these bulges to control their characters. From then on, Gotcha was deemed "The Boob Game."

    People were outraged at the supposed sexism and the controller manipulations that resembled copping a feel. The arcade flyer didn't help matters: note how even though the woman is standing in front of the machine, the controller she is in front of is still visible; her wearing a skimpy outfit and the man grabbing her (meant to represent the first player catching the second) didn't help either. Later, the newer machines' questionable controls were replaced by standard joysticks.

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