FPGA Games: Amidar

The game and the name have their roots in the Japanese lot drawing game Amidakuji. The bonus level in Amidar is a nearly exact replication of an Amidakuji game and the way the enemies move conform to the Amidakuji rules. A clone of this game was released for the Atari 2600, entitled Spiderdroid.

QuickLinks:

• Source Code On Github
  
• Amidar ROM Information
  
• Amidar Technical Guide
  
• Amidar Wiki Page
  

Game Play

As in Pac-Man, the player is opposed by enemies who kill on contact. The enemies increase in number as the player advances from one level to the next, but do not increase in speed. Their speed is always matched exactly to that of the player.

On odd-numbered levels, the player controls an ape (in some versions labeled "Copier"), and must collect coconuts while avoiding headhunters (labeled "Police" and "Thief"). On even-numbered levels, the player controls a paint roller (labeled "Rustler"), and must paint over each spot of the board while avoiding pigs (labeled "Cattle" and "Thief"). Each level is followed by a short bonus stage.

Whenever a rectangular portion of the board is cleared (either by collecting all surrounding coconuts, or painting all surrounding edges), the rectangle is colored in, and in the even levels, bonus points are awarded. This leads to some comparisons with the popular and influential Qix, although the similarities between these games are superficial at best. When the player clears all four corners of the board, he is briefly empowered to kill the enemies by touching them (just as when Pac-Man uses a "power pill").

The game controls consist of a joystick and a single button labeled "Jump," which can be used up to three times, resetting after a level is cleared or the player loses a life. Pressing the jump button does not cause the player to jump, but causes all the enemies to jump, enabling the player to walk under them.

· Detailed Game Play and Caracters Guide

Hardware Specifications

• CPU:
  
  • Z80 at 3.072 MHz
    
  • Z80 at 1.78975 MHz
    

  [*]Sound – AY-3-8910A at 1.789750 MHz

  [*]Display

  • Resolution – 768 x 224
    
  • Orientation – Vertical
    
  • Refresh Rate – 60.61 Hz