K-Razy Shoot-Out
{{Short description|1981 video game}}
{{Infobox VG
| title = K-Razy Shoot-Out
| image = K-Razy Shoot-Out cover.jpg
| caption =
| developer = K-Byte
| publisher = K-Byte
CBS Software
CBS Electronics (5200)
| designer = Keith Dreyer
Torre Meeder
| series =
| released = 1981: Atari 8-bit
1983: Atari 5200
| genre = Multidirectional shooter
| platforms = Atari 8-bit, Atari 5200
}}
K-Razy Shoot-Out is a clone of the arcade video game Berzerk developed by K-Byte, a division of Kay Enterprises, and released for Atari 8-bit computers in 1981. The game was written by Torre Meeder and Keith Dreyer,{{cite web|title=K-Razy Shoot-Out|url=http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-k-razy-shoot-out_6759.html|website=Atari Mania}} and was the first Atari 8-bit cartridge from a third-party developer.{{r|ccvag1983spring}} An Atari 5200 version followed in 1983.
The team of Dreyer and Meeder also wrote the 1983 Atari 8-bit game Boulders and Bombs.
K-Razy Shoot-Out is part of a series of titles with the "K-" prefix, including K-Razy Kritters{{cite web|title=K-Razy Kritters|url=http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-k-razy-kritters_s2844.html|website=Atari Mania}} and K-Star Patrol.{{cite web|title=K-Star Patrol Manual|url=https://archive.org/details/agm_K-Star_Patrol|website=archive.org}} All of them were published on cartridge. After CBS Software purchased K-Byte, the games were published under the CBS brand, including the Atari 5200 port of K-Razy Shoot-Out.{{cite web|last1=Iida|first1=Keita|title=Atari 5200 Review: K-RAZY SHOOT-OUT|url=http://www.atarihq.com/reviews/5200/k-razy_shoot-out.html|website=AtariHQ.com}}
Gameplay
As in Berzerk, the goal is to destroy all of the robots occupying a series of randomly generated mazes. In Berzerk, if the player takes too long to clear a maze, an indestructible bouncing ball ("Evil Otto") drives the player to an exit. K-Razy Shoot-Out uses a visible timer instead.{{cite web |title=K-Razy Shoot-Out |url=https://www.atariprotos.com/5200/software/shootout/shootout.htm |website=Atari Protos}} If the timer runs out, the game ends. If the player exits a maze without clearing it, the player has to replay one or two mazes without getting points.{{cite book |title=K-Razy Shoot-Out |date=1981 |publisher=CBS Software |url=https://archive.org/details/KRazyShootOutCBS/page/n0}}
Reception
K-Razy Shoot-Out sold 35,000 copies by June 1982.{{cite web | url=http://www.filfre.net/2012/03/the-wizardry-phenomenon/ | title=The Wizardry Phenomenon | work=The Digital Antiquarian | date=2012-03-26 | access-date=9 July 2014 | author=Maher, Jimmy}} John J. Anderson of Creative Computing Video & Arcade Games, wrote that as a Berzerk clone, "the only element that's missing is the speech ... lots of fun, and has a great deal of staying power".{{Cite magazine |last1=Anderson |first1=John J. |author-link1=John J. Anderson |last2=Small |first2=David |last3=Wolcott |first3=Eric F. |date=Spring 1983 |title=Atari Personal Computer Games |url=http://www.atarimagazines.com/cva/v1n1/ataripcgames.php |magazine=Creative Computing Video & Arcade Games |page=93}} It won the 1983 Arcade Award for "Best Arcade/Action Computer Game" from Electronic Games magazine. The Berzerk similarity was mentioned, but also that the game has "a unique flavor" on its own way.