| Chris Oberth | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1953 |
| Died | July 16, 2012 |
| Occupation | Video game programmer |
| Notable work | Anteater Ardy the Aardvark Rescue |
Christian H. "Chris" Oberth (died July 16, 2012) was a video game programmer who began writing games for the Apple II in the late 1970s. He developed handheld electronic games for Milton Bradley, arcade video games for Stern Electronics and other companies, and ported games to home computers and consoles.
Though not a hit in arcades, Oberth's 1982 Anteater, developed for Stern, was an influential concept that was cloned multiple times for home computers, including Oil's Well from Sierra On-Line and Diamond Mine. The following year, he created his own home version titled Ardy the Aardvark (Datamost, 1983). He also developed the twin-stick shooter Rescue (1982) and the maze game Armored Car (1981) for Stern.
Oberth's first commercial games, Phasor Zap (1978) and 3-D Docking Mission (1978) for the Apple II, were published by Programma International, a company that also published games from future arcade game designers Bob Flanagan and Gary Shannon, and rejected the first effort from Mark Turmell. His next thirteen Apple II games, in addition to Phasor Zap and 3-D Docking Mission, were published by The Elektrik Keyboard, a musical instrument and computer store in Chicago where Oberth was head of the computer department.
Games
Programma InternationalThe Elektrik Keyboard 1978-79
- 3-D Docking Mission
- Cycle Jump
- Dart Room
- Deflectiom
- Demolition Derby
- Depth Charge
- Drawing Board
- Frustration
- Intercepter
- Kaleidoscope
- Moto-Cross
- Phasor Zap
- Recall
- RunAround
- Speed Racer
Milton Bradley 1979-80
- Light Fight
- Finger Bowl
- Sky-Writer
- Alfie
Stern Electronics 1981-83
- Anteater
- Minefield
- Rescue
- Tazzmania
- Armored Car
Datamost 1983
- Ardy the Aardvark (Atari 8-bit)
- Aardvark (Commodore 16 and C64)
Microlab 1984
- Boulder Dash (ColecoVision port)
- Dr. J and Larry Bird Go One on One (ColecoVision port)
Epyx 1985
Mindscape 1987-88, 1990
- Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
- Out Run (C64 port)
Gametek 1992
Incredible Technologies 1995-1997
- Time Killers
- BloodStorm
- ShuffleShot
- World Class Bowling
Electronic Arts 2001
Unreleased
- Crypt (Stern, 1983)
- Days of Thunder (unpublished version)
- Power-Up Baseball (Incredible Technologies, Midway, 1996)
References
- ^ "Christian H. Oberth Obituary: View Christian Oberth's Obituary by Chicago Tribune". Legacy.com. 2012-07-16. Retrieved 2012-12-06.
- ^ Smith, Keith. "Programma International - Coin-Op Breeding Ground". The Golden Age Arcade Historian.
- ^ Hague, James (2012-07-16). "The Giant List of Classic Game Programmers". Retrieved 2012-12-06.
- ^ "Interview with Programmer Christian Oberth (Part 3)". Retrogaming Times Monthly. No. 27. My.stratos.net. Archived from the original on 2013-05-23. Retrieved 2012-12-06.
- ^ "Interview with Programmer Christian Oberth (Part 2)". Retrogaming Times Monthly. No. 24. My.stratos.net. Archived from the original on 2013-05-23. Retrieved 2012-12-06.
- "Crypt". Gaming History.
- Carpenter, Nicole (June 1, 2020). "Video game preservationists reconstruct decades-lost, never-released NES game". Polygon. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
- "Baseball's Lost 'NBA Jam' Revealed". Video Game History Foundation. 29 January 2021.
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