I, Robot (video game)

I, Robot
Developer(s)Atari, Inc.
Publisher(s)Atari, Inc.
Designer(s)Dave Theurer
Programmer(s)Dave Theurer
Rusty Dawe
Platform(s)Arcade
Release
Genre(s)Multi-directional shooter
Mode(s)Up to 2 players, alternating turns
Arcade systemCustom

I, Robot is an arcade shooter game developed and released in 1984 by Atari, Inc.[2][3] Designed by Dave Theurer, only a total of 750–1000 arcade cabinets were produced.[3][4] The arcade machine comes with two games. The first is I, Robot, a multi-directional shooter that has the player assume the role of "Unhappy Interface Robot #1984", a servant bot that rebels against Big Brother. The object of the game involves the servant bot going through 126 levels, turning red squares to blue to destroy Big Brother's shield and eye. The player can switch to the second game, Doodle City, a drawing tool that lasts for three minutes.

I, Robot was the first commercially produced arcade video game rendered entirely with real-time, flat-shaded, 3D polygon graphics. Previous real-time 3D graphics were vector lines instead of rasterized polygons, one example being Atari's Tempest (1981) a "tube shooter" which Dave Theurer had also designed and programmed.[5] While Funai's laserdisc game Interstellar (1983) had previously used pre-rendered 3D computer graphics[6] and Simutrek's Cube Quest (1983) had used real-time 3D graphics combined with laserdisc full-motion video backgrounds,[7] I, Robot was the first arcade game to be rendered entirely with 3D polygon graphics at runtime.[8] It was also the first video game to feature camera-control options. The game's name was originally "Ice Castles", but was changed to "I, Robot".[9]

Upon release of the game, I, Robot received poor reception and was a financial flop.[10] Approximately 750–1000 units of the game were created, with few having been confirmed to exist today.[3][4][11] However, the remaining arcade cabinets have become rare collectibles and the game has received later praise for its innovative 3D graphics.[12][13] Author David Ellis listed it as one of the "notable classics" of its time.[14] In 2022, the game was included as part of the Atari 50 compilation, marking its first re-release.[15]

I, Robot and Return of the Jedi were the last two arcade games released from Atari, Inc. Shortly afterward, the company was split up, with the home console and personal computer divisions sold to Jack Tramiel and renamed Atari Corporation. The arcade coin-op division was retained by Warner Communications and renamed Atari Games. Marble Madness was the first arcade coin-op game released under the new Atari Games banner.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference CVG was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c d "Atari Production Numbers Memo" (PDF). Atari Games. 4 January 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 September 2021. Retrieved 18 March 2012.
  3. ^ a b "Production Numbers" (PDF). Atari. 1999. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 May 2013. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference IGN robot was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "立体CGを駆使したVDゲーム 〜 未来の宇宙戦争 〜 フナイから 『インターステラー』" [VD Game That Makes Full Use of 3D CG – Future Space War: "Interstellar" from Funai] (PDF). Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 226. Amusement Press, Inc. 15 December 1983. p. 24.
  6. ^ "Video Game Flyers: Cube Quest, Simutrek". The Arcade Flyer Archive. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Phoenix was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Jon., Peddie (2013). The History of Visual Magic in Computers : How Beautiful Images are Made in CAD, 3D, VR and AR. Springer. p. 96. ISBN 978-1-4471-4932-3. OCLC 854975916.
  9. ^ (October 6, 2010). I, Robot database, Coin-op Games and Machines: Arcade History.
  10. ^ "I, Robot Official Registry". Archived from the original on 2008-02-11.
  11. ^ Buchanan, Levi (August 28, 2008). The Revolution of I, Robot, IGN, Archived from the original on February 17, 2012 on the Wayback Machine.
  12. ^ Boris, Dan. Dan B's I, Robot Tech Page. Retrieved August 17, 2011.
  13. ^ I, Robot Archived August 12, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^ Machkovech, Sam (September 12, 2022). "The 103 classic games that did, and didn't, make the Atari 50 anniversary cut — Retailer leak suggests games from arcade to Jaguar; surprises apparently still await". Ars Technica. Condé Nast. Archived from the original on 2022-09-14. Retrieved 2023-11-12.