Gotcha! (1995 video game)

This article is about the 1995 Atari Jaguar video game. For the 1973 arcade game, see Gotcha (video game). For other uses, see Gotcha (disambiguation).

Gotcha!
Developer(s)	The Dome Software Developments
Publisher(s)	Atari Corporation
Platform(s)	Atari Jaguar, IBM PC compatibles
Release	Unreleased
Genre(s)	Party
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer

Gotcha! is an unreleased party video game that was in development by The Dome Software Developments and originally planned to be published by Atari Corporation on a scheduled 1996 release date for the Jaguar. It was also intended to be released for the IBM PC compatibles.

Up to four players fight against each other with close-quarter or weapon attacks in an attempt of turning on all of their respective colored light bulbs to be the victor, while also avoiding the dangers and havoc. The project was announced in mid-1995, as part of an effort by Atari Corp.'s UK division to incite independent developers to work with the Jaguar on original games.

Gameplay

Gameplay screenshot

Gotcha! is primarily a side-scrolling action-platform party game with fighting and run and gun elements similar to The Outfoxies and Soldat where the main basic objective of players is to turn on all of their respective colored light bulbs before AI-controlled opponents manage to do the same by performing close-quarter attacks or picking up weapons and items scattered across the stage to harm them. Multiplayer is a heavy focus of the game, because up to four players with the Team Tap adapter can compete against each other on a split screen to turn all their light bulbs. ^{[1] [2]} Players choose from several large stages, with multiple platforms and obstacles players can run and jump on. Environments employ thematic events and scenarios which can damage players and dynamically change the playing field.

Development

Gotcha! was being developed by The Dome Software Developments, which previously worked on conversions such as Shaq Fu for Amiga and Cannon Fodder for Jaguar. ^{[3] [4]} The project formed part of Atari's European center of development, which was established in January 1995 with the aim of working alongside small game developers around the region to create original games for the Jaguar. ^{[5] [6] [7]} The game was first announced in the July 1995 issue of Atari Explorer Online for a general 1996 release. ^{[8] [9] [10] [11]}

In October 1995, it was previewed by Ultimate Future Games with the only known screenshot of the multiplayer component, while it and internal documents from Atari stated a late 1995 release instead. ^{[1] [12] [13]} By this period, Dome Software was also branching out to develop on other platforms such as the PlayStation and Saturn. ^[4] However, in January 1996, Atari Explorer Online reported that the project was moved to PC instead, as it was deemed to be not suitable for the Jaguar and would eventually be left unreleased for unknown reasons. ^{[6] [14]} On November 16, 2016, Creative Assembly director Jonathan Court revealed on a Jaguar-dedicated Facebook group that he worked on the project and also claimed that work done on the project may still be under his ownership. ^[14]

References

1. "Game On... - The Game Plan... - Gotcha". Ultimate Future Games . No. 11 Supplement. Future Publishing. October 1995. p. 7.
2. Rat, The Lab (February 1996). "GamePro Labs - A Player's Guide to Power Peripherals - Feline Friends". GamePro . No. 79. IDG. p. 22. Archived from the original on 2018-07-08. Retrieved 2019-05-03.
3. Vendel, Curt (August 26, 1995). "Payment Schedule for Jaguar games to Developers" (PDF). atarimuseum.com. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2014-12-11. Retrieved 2019-04-30.
4. "The Dome". Edge . No. 26. Future Publishing. November 1995. p. 78. Retrieved 2019-04-30.
5. Still, Darryl (December 1995). "Letters". Edge . No. 27. Future Publishing. pp. 17–18. Archived from the original on 2019-01-04. Retrieved 2019-04-30.
6. Laskey, Iain (January 1, 1996). "In the Pub - Gotcha (or not)". Atari Explorer Online. Vol. 4, no. 9. Subspace Publishers. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2019-04-30.
7. Battison, Jamie (September 8, 2016). "RVG Interviews – Darryl Still". Retro Video Gamer UK. Archived from the original on 13 February 2019. Retrieved 2019-04-30.
8. "Jaguar Tackboard - AEO Development List 2.06 - Titles in Development". Atari Explorer Online. Vol. 4, no. 5. Subspace Publishers. July 20, 1995. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2019-04-30.
9. "Jaguar Tackboard - AEO Development List 2.07 - Titles in Development". Atari Explorer Online. Vol. 4, no. 6. Subspace Publishers. August 21, 1995. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2019-04-30.
10. "Jaguar Tackboard - AEO Development List 2.08 - Titles in Development". Atari Explorer Online. Vol. 4, no. 7. Subspace Publishers. September 15, 1995. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2019-04-30.
11. "Jaguar Tackboard - AEO Development List 2.09 - Titles in Development". Atari Explorer Online. Vol. 4, no. 8. Subspace Publishers. October 10, 1995. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2019-04-30.
12. Reutter, Hans (November 20, 2000). "Unreleased Or Unfinished Jaguar Games - Gotcha". cyberroach.com. Archived from the original on 2006-06-14. Retrieved 2019-04-30.
13. CRV (August 6, 2017). "Blog:Legal Brief: Atari vs. Sega". gdri.smspower.org. Archived from the original on 2018-11-16. Retrieved 2019-04-30.
14. Court, Jonathan (November 16, 2016). "Hi all, I made a couple of Jaguar games back in the day. Canon Fodder, and one that didn't get released Gotcha. Gotcha was very close to release though, and was a great game. I'd love to see it again, and I bet I have the ROM images on a hard drive in my garage somewhere. So, before I go to the effort of rummaging for it, is there a cartridge you guys use that can be downloaded to? Cheers". Facebook. Archived from the original on April 7, 2019. Retrieved April 2, 2019.