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Basic Math (video game)

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Basic Math
Developer(s)Atari, Inc.[1]
Publisher(s)Atari, Inc.[1]
Designer(s)Gary Palmer
Platform(s)Atari 2600
ReleaseSeptember 1977
Genre(s)Educational
Mode(s)Single-player[1]

Basic Math is an educational cartridge for the Atari Video Computer System (later called the Atari 2600) developed by Gary Palmer of Atari, Inc..

Gameplay

File:Basic Math Atari 2600 screenshot1a.png
A problem being answered

In Basic Math, each game features 10 rounds of arithmetic problems involving of either addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division.[2][3] The player moves the joystick to cycle through numbers zero through nine to fill in number prompts. The player scores one point for each correct answer. At the end of 10 rounds, the total number problems is displayed on the right, while the player's score is displayed on the left.[2]

The game features eight modes. In the first four modes, the player can choose what number to start with at the top of the equation, and then the computer will decided the second number in line, leaving the player to answer underneath.[2][3] In the second four modes, both numbers of the equation will be decided by the computer.[3]

The right difficulty switch on the game functions on whether or not there will be a timer in the game. The left difficulty switch changes whether the player has 12 or 24 seconds in the first four game modes. In the last four game modes, the player has either two digit problems with a 24 second time limit or single digit problems with a 12 second time limit.[3]

Development and release

Basic Math's lead designer was Gary Palmer.[4][3] It is the only known title he developed for the Atari VCS.[3] Prior to making the game, Palmer worked at Atari creating debugging stations for the game programmers.[3] He would later work at Atari working on the Atari 400 and 800 computer's I/O functionality.[5]

The cover art for Basic Math was designed by Susan Jaekel.[6] She joined the company after studying art at San Jose State University and connected with Atari through Rick Guidice.[7] It was her first work for Atari.[6] She said never played any of the games before designing them, and described the art for Basic Math as her "most fanciful and loosest in style."[6] Jaekel would go on to make the box art for further Atari games such as A Game of Concentration (1978) and Adventure (1980).[7]

Basic Math was released in September 1977.[3] It was one of the few titles available for the Atari VCS.[8] It was not immediately available as the console, as the earliest Atari games other than Combat (1977) were initially available by mail order.[9] For Sears release of the Atari VCS under their Tele-Games label, the game was titled Math.[10][11] It was renamed to Fun With Numbers and re-released in January 1980. The game was first discontinued in January 1982, and then returned into circulation in 1988 when it sold a little over 6,000 copies.[5]

Basic Math is the first educational video game released for the Atari VCS.[3] Most of Atari's competitors consoles during this period had similar educational games in 1977, such as RCA Studio II's Math Fun and Fairchild Channel F's two Math Quiz games.[12]

Reception

Basic Math was reviewed in Video magazine as part of a general review of the Atari VCS. The reviewer described the game as very basic mathematics and that the controls of the game were more complicated than the game itself, giving the game a ranking of five out of ten.[13] David H. Ahl of Creative Computing also commented that a number keypad would be more suitable for the game, while enjoying the musical tune when a correct answer was given.[14]

From retrospective reviews, Skyler Miller wrote for the AllGame that Basic Math might be appropriate for young children to practice their math skills, but keeping track of how to coordinate the difficulty levels and the presentation's unexciting visuals and would not make it an entertaining game now or on its release.[15] Brett Weiss, in his book Classic Home Video Games 1972-1984 also spoke negatively about the graphics as well as a lack of a two-player mode, while finding music jingle and timed challenges as highlights.[1]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Weiss 2007, p. 35.
  2. ^ a b c Atari 1977.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Bunch 2022, p. 96.
  4. ^ Montfort & Bogost 2009, p. 163.
  5. ^ a b Bunch 2022, p. 99.
  6. ^ a b c Lapetino 2016, p. 59.
  7. ^ a b Lapetino 2016, p. 120.
  8. ^ Loguidice 2008.
  9. ^ Bunch 2022, p. 37.
  10. ^ Montfort & Bogost 2009, p. 120-121.
  11. ^ Bunch 2022, p. 103.
  12. ^ Bunch 2022, p. 98-99.
  13. ^ Kaplan 1979, p. 33.
  14. ^ Ahl 1978, p. 38.
  15. ^ Miller.

Sources

  • Basic Math Game Program Instructions. Atari. 1977. C011402-61.
  • Ahl, David H. (July–August 1978). "A Creative Computing Equipment Profile... Atari Video Computer System". Creative Computing. Vol. 4, no. 4.
  • Bunch, Kevin (2022). Atari Archive: Vol.1 1977-1978. Press Run Books. ISBN 978-1-955183-21-5.
  • Kaplan, Deeny, ed. (Winter 1979). "Atari Video Computer". Video. Vol. 1, no. 5. Reese Communications.
  • Lapetino, Tim (2016). Art of Atari. Dynamite Entertainment. ISBN 978-1-5241-0103-9.
  • Loguidice, Bill (28 February 2008). "A History of Gaming Platforms: Atari 2600 Video Computer System/VCS". Game Developer. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  • Miller, Skyler. "Basic Math". AllGame. Archived from the original on 14 November 2014. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  • Montfort, Nick; Bogost, Ian (2009). Racing the Beam. MIT Press. ISBN 978-0-262-01257-7.
  • Weiss, Brett (2007). Classic Home Video Games 1972-1984. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-3226-4.

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