The TI-99/4 and TI-99/4A are home computers released by Texas Instruments in 1979 and 1981, respectively. Based on the Texas Instruments TMS9900 microprocessor originally used in minicomputers, the TI-99/4 was the first 16-bit home computer. The associated video display controller provides color graphics and sprite support which were only comparable with those of the Atari 400 and 800 released a month after the TI-99/4.
The SN76489 Digital Complex Sound Generator (DCSG) is a TTL-compatible programmable sound generator chip from Texas Instruments. Its main application was the generation of music and sound effects in game consoles, arcade games and home computers, competing with the similar General Instrument AY-3-8910.
The Speak & Spell line is a series of electronic hand-held child computers by Texas Instruments that consisted of a TMC0280 linear predictive coding speech synthesizer, a keyboard, and a receptor slot to receive one of a collection of ROM game library modules. The first Speak & Spell was introduced at the summer Consumer Electronics Show in June 1978, making it one of the earliest handheld electronic devices with a visual display to use interchangeable game cartridges. The company Basic Fun brought back the classic Speak & Spell in 2019 although with some minor changes.
Demon Attack is a fixed shooter written by Rob Fulop for the Atari 2600 and published by Imagic in 1982. It was ported to the Intellivision, Magnavox Odyssey 2, Atari 8-bit family, VIC-20, Commodore 64, Tandy 1000, TRS-80, IBM PCjr, and TRS-80 Color Computer. There is also a port for the TI-99/4A titled Super Demon Attack.
Space Dungeon is a multidirectional shooter released in arcades by Taito in 1981. Designed and programmed by Rex Battenberg, it was available both as a conversion kit and full arcade cabinet. An Atari 5200 port was released in 1983.
Parsec is a horizontally scrolling shooter written by Jim Dramis and Paul Urbanus for the TI-99/4A and published by Texas Instruments in 1982. Dramis also programmed Car Wars and Munch Man for the TI-99/4A.
Alien 3: The Gun is a 1993 rail shooter arcade game released by Sega. It is based on the film Alien 3, but focuses on two space Marines.
Arcadia is a fixed shooter published by Imagine Software for the ZX Spectrum and VIC-20 in 1983. It was later ported to the Commodore 64 and Dragon 32.
TI Invaders is a fixed shooter video game published by Texas Instruments in 1981 for the TI-99/4A home computer. The game is a Space Invaders clone where the goal is to shoot all of the aliens before they reach the bottom of the screen. TI Invaders is part of the TI Arcade Game Series which includes Tombstone City: 21st Century and Car Wars.
Tombstone City: 21st Century is a single-player multidirectional shooter written by John C. Plaster for TI-99/4A home computer and published by Texas Instruments in 1981.
Dropzone is a horizontally scrolling shooter developed by Archer Maclean for the Atari 8-bit family and published in 1984 by U.S. Gold. It was ported to the Commodore 64, then later released for the Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy, Game Gear, and Game Boy Color.
Spore Creatures is a 2008 science fiction adventure game developed by Griptonite Games and published by Electronic Arts. The game is a spin-off of Spore in which a player controls and evolves a creature of their creation to save another creature from the clutches of an alien who plans on dominating the galaxy.
Munch Man is a video game written by Jim Dramis for the TI-99/4A home computer and published as a cartridge by Texas Instruments in 1982. Based on Namco's Pac-Man, it includes several variations that alter gameplay. Instead of emptying the maze of dots, Munch Man leaves a chain-like pattern as it moves, and the goal is to fill the entire maze. Dramis later wrote Parsec for the TI-99/4A.
Space Zap is a space-themed fixed shooter arcade video game developed by Game-A-Tron and licensed to Midway Manufacturing in 1980. Space Zap shipped in three form factors: standard upright, cocktail, and Bally's Mini-Myte reduced size cabinet. The player controls the defenses of an immobile base at screen center. The base is attacked from four sides, and the player must rapidly press one of four corresponding buttons to fire in the direction of an incoming attacker.
Slime is a video game for the Atari 8-bit family of home computers written by Steve Hales and published by Synapse Software in 1982. The player attempts to protect their ship from a rain of enormous drops of slime by deflecting them into canisters, while fending off attacks by an alien flying saucer. A TI-99/4A port was developed as Super Storm, but not released.
Submarine Commander is a 1982 simulation video game for the Atari 8-bit family written by Dean Lock and published by Thorn EMI Computer Software. A VIC-20 port by Gary York was released in 1983, and an Apple II version by Patrick Buckland the same year. The Atari version was re-released in 1985 on cassette on the Sparklers budget label. A version for the TI-99/4 was announced but was not released until 1986 when a third party bought the rights.
Chisholm Trail is a video game released in July 1982 by Texas Instruments for its TI-99/4A home computer. It was written by John C. Plaster, who previously wrote Tombstone City: 21st Century for the TI-99/4A.
Alpiner is an action video game designed by Janet Srimushnam for the TI-99/4A home computer and published on cartridge by Texas Instruments in 1982. The player climbs six of the world's highest mountains while avoiding trees, animals, falling rocks, and landslides. The mountains in the game are Mount Hood, the Matterhorn, Mount Kenya, Mount McKinley, Mount Garmo, and Mount Everest. The Alpiner cartridge originally retailed for $39.95 (USD).
Protector II is a video game written by Mike Potter for the Atari 8-bit family and published by Synapse Software in 1982. It is a sequel to 1981's Protector; both games are horizontally scrolling shooters inspired by Defender. Protector II was ported to the Commodore 64, TI-99/4A, and TRS-80 Color Computer.
Zero Zap is a video game produced by the Milton Bradley Company for the Texas Instruments TI-99/4 and TI-99/4A home computer systems and programmed by Herb Schmitz. This game was part of the Milton Bradley Gamevision series, which consisted of seven cartridges: Connect Four, Yahtzee, Hangman, Zero Zap, Card Sharp, Stratego, and the Gamevision Demonstration Cartridge. These seven cartridges were the launch titles for the TI-99/4 in 1979. This would mark the first third party to actually release games for the TI-99/4 system. Milton Bradley was only planning on producing these cartridges for a short time period before passing production over to Texas Instruments.
