Women's History Month, Women in Gaming: Centipede

Centipede is an iconic arcade game that was developed by Atari and released in 1980. The game quickly became popular due to its unique gameplay and challenging difficulty, and it remains a beloved classic to this day.

The game was created by a team of three people: Dona Bailey, Ed Logg, and Howard Delman. Dona Bailey was one of the few women working in the gaming industry at the time, and her contributions to the game's design were crucial. She came up with the idea of using insects as the enemies in the game, as she felt that it would be more appealing to female players.

In Centipede, players control a small character at the bottom of the screen that can move left and right and fire a laser to destroy enemies. The main enemy in the game is a giant centipede that moves down the screen and changes direction when it encounters an obstacle. The centipede is accompanied by other insects that move around the screen, such as spiders and fleas, that can also harm the player.

The game's graphics and sound effects were groundbreaking for the time, with vibrant colors and catchy music that added to the overall experience. The game was also notable for its use of a trackball controller, which allowed players to control their character's movements with greater precision than a joystick.

Centipede was a huge commercial success, selling over 50,000 units in the United States alone. It was praised for its addicting gameplay, challenging difficulty, and unique design. The game was also notable for attracting a wider audience than most other arcade games at the time, due in part to its insect theme and accessible controls.

The success of Centipede led to several sequels and spin-offs, such as Millipede and Centipede: Infestation. The game also inspired a generation of game designers and helped to establish Atari as one of the leading game companies of the 1980s.

In addition to its impact on the gaming industry, Centipede also had cultural significance. It was one of the first arcade games to feature a female game designer, and it helped to popularize trackball controllers. The game's insect theme and colorful graphics also made it a favorite among young players.

Today, Centipede remains a beloved classic and has been ported to numerous home consoles and computer systems over the years. The game's legacy is a testament to the creativity and innovation of its designers, and its influence can still be seen in modern games.