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720: MAME ROM Information.

History:

720° (c) 1986 Atari Games.

720° is a 1- or 2-player (alternating) skateboard themed game with both competitive and street-style skating action. The player portrays the skater who performs skate maneuvers for points and competes in skate parks for medals. The action takes place in a Skate City where all surfaces are skateable. Players can choose where they want to skate in the city, and which skate parks they want to enter, making each new game a different experience.

At the start of each game, players can select one of two play modes. A training game is available for beginning players. In this game, there are numerous playing hints and messages, and the add-a-coin feature is disabled. Experienced players can start off by skating to a higher platform. Fewer game hints are given in this mode, and the add-a-coin feature is offered.

Game play starts with the player in the middle of Skate City. Using a new rotary control and a jump and a Kick button, players maneuver around the city trying to score points by performing skillful skate moves. At various score thresholds, skate park tickets are rewarded. These tickets allow entry into one of the skate parks, where players compete against the clock for gold, silver or bronze medals.

The player's main objective is to compete in as many skate parks as possible. In the city streets, players have a limited amount of time to win entry tickets and make their way to a skate park. In addition, there are numerous city hazards which must be avoided such as BMX riders, cars, Frisbee throwers, and other gangs. To guide the player in the city, players find map areas in streets which momentarily display the layout of the city and the location of the skate parks.

In 720° there are ten class levels which determine the degree of difficulty in the skate parks and the timer in the streets. Players select the class level in which they want to compete. For instance, at the start of each game, there are four unique skate parks which are located in the outskirts of the city. Each park is a different class ranging from class 1 difficulty, which is the easiest, to class 4 difficulty, the hardest.

In 720° players can compete in over 20 different skate parks. Each one requires unique skill moves to qualify for a medal. There are variations of a half-pipe ramp, a downhill; a slalom and a jump park. Each skate park has a distinct music score of its own, creating a different mood for players.

In the skate parks, cash prizes arc awarded to players that qualify for a medal. After each skate park competition, the game continues back in the city for more street-style skating. Players can use their cash winnings to buy equipment from various skate shops which are located throughout the city. Skating equipment helps players perform better moves. Boards give faster speed. Helmets allow more risk-taking for successful maneuvers. Pads give faster recovery from falls. Shoes provide more height on jumps and quicker starts. As a reference for locating skate shops and park entrances, players find map areas throughout the city by skating over a map. A layout of the city is momentarily displayed when players skate over a map.

In 720° a game ends only when players run out of time in the city. When the timer is running low, a SKATE OR DIE message appears along with a warning in speech. When the timer runs out, killer-bees appear as a final warning. If the player is killed by the bees before entering a skate park, the game is over. Using the add-a-coin feature, players can continue where they left off. 720° has an operator option to select maximum number of add-a-coins allowed. By using the add-a-coin, players can keep any special skate equipment they have acquired in the previous game, as well as all accumulated cash, tickets, points, and medals.

- TECHNICAL -

The cabinet for this game was unique at this time. The speakers for the game are mounted atop the cabinet in a structure resembling a boom box, in line with the game's skate-kid theme. The display is larger than that for a typical arcade game and of a very high resolution (similar to that used for "Paperboy"). The main control is also unique. This joystick moves in a circular fashion, instead of in compass directions like standard joysticks.

Cabinet dimension : 74'' (188cm) high x 27.5'' (70 cm) deep x 38'' (97 cm) wide

Atari System 2 hardware

Game ID : 136047

Main CPU : T11 (@ 10 Mhz), M6502 (@ 2.2 Mhz)

Sound Chips : YM2151 (@ 3.579545 Mhz), (2x) POKEY (@ 1.789772 Mhz), TMS5220 (@ 625 Khz)

Screen orientation : Horizontal

Video resolution : 512 x 384 pixels

Screen refresh : 60.00 Hz

Palette colors : 256

Players : 2

Control : Circular rotating joystick

Buttons : 2

=> [1] Kick, [2] Jump

- TRIVIA -

Released in December 1986.

720° is notable in that it is one of the first extreme sports video games. The game's name comes from the 'ultimate' skateboarding trick; turning a full 720° (2 complete circles) in the air after jumping off a ramp.

Ron Perelman holds the record for this game with 527,100 points on June 17, 1987.

Soundtrack album releases :

That's Atari Music Vol. 2 ~ G.S.M. Atari Games 2 (PCCB-00070) (09/21/91) [Pony Canyon/Scitron]

That's Atari Music Vol. 2 ~ G.S.M. Atari Games 2 [Reprint] (SCDC-00314) (12/03/2003) [Scitron Discs]

- TIPS AND TRICKS -

* Develop skill in using the rotary control in conjunction with the Jump button to do aerial moves, because they are worth more points. Press the Jump button after gaining speed, and then rotate the control in a 360-degree motion. In this game, it is possible to do much more than just a 360-degree turn!

* When attempting certain aerial or rotational moves, it is important to be properly aligned on landing, otherwise the skater bails, or falls down.

* To qualify for medals in the higher classes of skate parks, it is best to try to buy some skate equipment first to allow players to perform harder moves.

* Daring players should try to wait out the timer in the streets, performing skate moves and acquiring points until the timer is about to expire.

* In the ramp park, a good trick is to constantly push the kick button and do skid-outs at the top of each side of the half-pipe. To do this, get to the lip of the ramp, hold the stick parallel with the lip, and stop pressing kick. This will cause you to grind and skid down the ramp. You will be awarded big points at the lip and at the base of the ramp. This procedure may be repeated over and over for some incredible (effortless) high scores.

* Don't forget to visit the skate shops. Do not underestimate what a new board and shoes do for you. Buying new equipment allows you to move faster, jump farther, recover faster, and pull off more tricks.

* In the ramp section, levels 8, 9, and 10 : holding down the kick and jump buttons simultaneously on the lip of the ramp will boost your air. This trick only works when you're going the correct speed (usually your third or fourth jump), and only once (as far as I can tell) per ramp session per level.

* The entire game should focus around the Sessions skate park (the blue park in the right quadrant of the play-field). Making multiple passes through this park will greatly increase your scores. Remember to keep jumping and spinning. A good game should leave you feeling completely exhausted!

- STAFF -

Software / Game design : John Salwitz

Playfield / Game design : Dave Ralston

Software : Paul Kwinn

Technical assistance : Rob Rowe

Animation : Sam Comstock, Will Noble, Mark West

Audio : Brad Fuller

Music : Hal Canon, Earl Vickers

Control design : Jack Aknin

Game design : Milt Loper

Hardware support : Gary Stempler

With invaluable support from : Dave Cook, Dennis harper, Russel Dawe (Rusty), Jess Melchor

- PORTS -

* Consoles :

Nintendo Famicom (1989)

Atari Lynx [Unreleased Prototype]

Nintendo Game Boy Colors (1999)

Sony PlayStation (2000, "Arcade Party Pak")

Sega Dreamcast (2000, "Midway's Greatest Arcade Hits Volume 2")

Sony PlayStation 2 (2003, "Midway Arcade Treasure")

Nintendo GameCube (2003, "Midway Arcade Treasure")

Microsoft XBOX (2003, "Midway Arcade Treasure")

Sony PSP (2005, "Midway Arcade Treasures - Extended Play")

* Computers :

Commodore C64 (1987) : Featuring a recording of the arcade soundtrack on the flip-side of the cassette. The same was done for US Gold's home conversions of "Out Run".

Sinclair ZX Spectrum (1988)

Amstrad CPC (1988)

PC [MS Windows, CD-ROM] (1998, "Arcade's Greatest Hits - The Atari Collection 2")

PC [MS Windows, CD-ROM] (2004, "Midway Arcade Treasure")

- SOURCES -

Game's rom.

Machine's picture.

MAME Info:

0.33b4 [Aaron Giles]

Bugs:

- The sprites in 720 flicker/disappear sometimes in recent MAME versions. Machone (ID 00380)

WIP:

- 0.141u1: Derrick Renaud added Driver Configuration option to '720 Degrees' to allow the controls to be set to Real 720 Controller Input; fake joystick; or fake spinner. It defaults to fake spinner for mouse/spinner use. Added dial input.

- 0.139u3: Aaron Giles moved the old hard-coded EEPROM data out into a file in 720.

- 0.124u3: Aaron Giles removed ancient 720 kludge in the T-11 core. Also added support in the T-11 core for an external vector via irq_callback. Apparently the hardware actually did support this and it is necessary for emulating the BK 0010/11 computer in MESS.

- 0.122u5: Changed M6502 CPU1 clock speed to 1789772 Hz and VSync to 60.096154 Hz.

- 0.85u1: Aaron Giles changed 720' controls to use an analog joystick instead of a dial so that the original controller motion can be replicated. Thanks to MAME Analog+ for the logic.

- 0.76u1: Aaron Giles added clones 720 Degrees (rev 1), (rev 2), (German, rev 1) and (German, rev 2). Changed parent description to '720 Degrees (rev 4)' and clone '(set 2)' to '(rev 3)'. Renamed (720b) to (720r3).

- 0.55: Changed M6502 clock speed to 2.2MHz.

- 0.36RC1: Changed YM2151 clock speed to 3579545 Hz, the 2x Pokey to 1789772 Hz and TMS5220 to 625000 Hz.

- 0.35: Nicola Salmoria fixed controls in 720 Degrees. Changed input to Dial.

- 0.34b3: Nicola Salmoria added clone 720 Degrees (set 2). Changed parent description to '720 Degrees (set 1)'. Known issues: The controller isn't emulated properly.

- 0.33b4: Aaron Giles added 720 Degrees (Atari Games 1986). The controller isn't emulated properly.

PLAY INSTRUCTIONS:

- First choose Training or Experienced level

- Drive over a MAP symbol to see the city map and where to find all parks

- Parks: Class 1 - SLALOM PARK, Class 2 - JUMP PARK, Class 3 - DOWNHILL PARK and Class 4 - RAMP PARK

- Spin in the air for more points

- Find hidden points and extra money

- More variety earns more points

- Buy equipment for better performance

- Remember: SKATE OR DIE!

LEVELS: 16 (4 x 4)

Recommended Games (Roller):

Fighting Roller

Skater (DECO Cassette)

Top Roller

Roller Jammer

Mayhem 2002

720 Degrees

DJ Boy

Rollergames

B.Rap Boys

Riding Fight

Top Skater

Air Trix

Romset: 1762 kb / 37 files / 590.1 zip

MAME XML Output:

<description>720 Degrees (rev 4)</description>

<manufacturer>Atari Games</manufacturer>

</input>

</dipswitch>

</dipswitch>

</dipswitch>

</dipswitch>

</dipswitch>

</dipswitch>

</dipswitch>

</dipswitch>

</dipswitch>

</configuration>

</game>

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