Picnic Paranoia (video game)

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Picnic Paranoia
Picnic Paranoia Cover.jpg
TI-99/4A Atarisoft box cover
Publisher(s) Synapse Software
Atarisoft (TI)
Designer(s) Russ Segal [1]
Platform(s) Atari 8-bit, TI-99/4A, Apple II
Release1982: Atari, Apple
1983: TI-99/4A
Genre(s) Action

Picnic Paranoia is an action game written by Russ Segal for both the Atari 8-bit computers and Apple II and published by Synapse Software in 1982. [1] A version for the TI-99/4A was published by Atarisoft in 1983. [2] Although the gameplay is identical, all three versions of the game utilize slightly different graphics.

Contents

Segal later wrote New York City for Synapse. [1]

Gameplay

Atari 8-bit screenshot Picnic Paranoia Atari 8-bit screenshot.png
Atari 8-bit screenshot

As "George" the player attempts to protect their picnic from ants, who will carry off the food, spiders, who will weave webs to slow George down or bite, and wasps, who will sting to paralyze. While fending off the insects the player must move the food back on to the tables. Points are gained for food still visible on the screen at the end of each round. [3] Each round lasts 90 seconds. There are sixteen rounds in a game. If all the food is pushed off the screen the game ends.

Reception

Allen Doum reviewed the game for Computer Gaming World stating that "animation and graphics are excellent. George, the wasp, and a multitude of ants all move smoothly around the screen, though the spiders suffer by comparison. Sound cues for walking, being stung, the wasp, and for food being pushed are all well done. The music that accompanies the copywrite screen is great, even by Synapse standards". [4]

Reviews

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Hague, James. "The Giant List of Classic Game Programmers".
  2. ↑ "TI-99/4A Picnic Paranoia boix" (PDF). 99er.net.
  3. ↑ "Taking a peek - Computer Gaming World Nov/Dec 1982 - VideoGame Pavilion". 15 October 2015. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  4. ↑ Doum, Allen (Jan–Feb 1983). "The Atari Arena". Computer Gaming World. Vol. 1, no. 8. pp. 34–35.
  5. ↑ "Electronic Fun with Computer & Games - Vol 01 No 09 (1983-07)(Fun & Games Publishing)(US)". July 1983.
  6. ↑ "Compute! Magazine Issue 041". October 1983.
  7. ↑ "Creative Computing (Better Scan) 1983 09". September 1983.
  8. ↑ "Softalk V4n06 Feb 1984". Softalk. February 1984.
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