Spot: The Video Game

{{Infobox video game

| title = Spot: The Video Game

| image = Spot The Video Game Cover.jpg

| caption = Cover art (NES)

| developer = Virgin Mastertronic

| publisher = Virgin Mastertronic
Arcadia Systems (NES)

| released = May 15, 1990

| genre = Abstract strategy game

| modes = {{ubl|single-player|multiplayer}}

| platforms = {{ubl|Amiga|Atari ST|MS-DOS|Game Boy|NES|Commodore 64}}

| designer = Graeme Devine

| artist = Robert Stein III

| composer = Ken Hedgecock (NES, Amiga)
Geoff Follin (Game Boy)

}}

Spot: The Video Game is a video game developed and produced by Virgin Mastertronic in 1990/1991 for the Amiga, Atari ST, MS-DOS computers, Game Boy and NES. It is the first video game to feature the then-current 7 Up mascot "Spot", and was later followed up by platformers Cool Spot and Spot Goes To Hollywood.

Gameplay

File:Spot_Amiga_Gameplay_Screenshot.png

Gameplay is based on a strategy table game called Othello or Reversi, which originates from 1883, but it takes place on a 7×7 board, though in some variations, certain locations on that board would be unavailable.

Two to four players alternated turns, with each player controlling pieces of a specific color. On each turn, a player selects an existing piece of his color, and then an empty position one or two squares away. If the selected location is one square away, a new piece is created in that location; otherwise, the chosen piece moves from its original location to the new location. In either case, all adjacent pieces are then changed to that player's color.

Spot: The Video Game offered an animated approach to moving the pieces. Depending on the proximity and direction of the move, the Spot character would appear as the moving piece and do a dance, roller skate, cart wheel, dive, fall backwards, etc. to the destination location.

The NES and DOS versions allowed up to four players, each designated by a specific color. Human players would hand off controllers so all members could make their moves when their turn arose.

History

Originally called Infection, the game was invented by Dave Crummack and Craig Galley in 1988 for Wise Owl Software, which then sold the rights to Virgin Mastertronic UK. Although versions of Infection were programmed for Amiga, Commodore 64, and Atari ST, none saw a commercial release. Eventually, the game was picked up by Virgin Mastertronic US, which licensed it to the Leland corporation, who then released it as the arcade game Ataxx in 1990. Around the same time, Virgin released its own version of the game, Spot: The Video Game.{{cite magazine|title =News: Infection At Last! |date =February 1991 |url =https://archive.org/details/theone-magazine-29/page/n17/mode/2up |magazine =The One |publisher =emap Images|issue =29 |page =18|issn=0962-2896}} Infection was initially intended to be a budget release, and when the 7-up branding was added, Spot was sold as a full-price title. Infection, while never seeing a commercial release, was released by developer Gary Dunne into the public domain in 1994.[http://www.mobygames.com/game/spot Spot: The Video Game] at MobyGames Infection also appeared on the cover disk of issue 49 of Amiga Power.{{cite magazine|title =Disk 49 - Infection |date =May 1995 |url =https://archive.org/details/amigapower49/page/n5/mode/2up |magazine =Amiga Power |publisher =Future Publishing |issue =49 |page =7|issn=0961-7310}}

Designer Graeme Devine stated in a retrospective interview that the NES version of Spot was created "over six weeks with no development hardware or software".{{cite magazine | date = December 2013 | title = A Moment With... Graeme Devine | magazine = Retro Gamer | issue = 122 | page = 30 | publisher = Imagine Publishing|url=https://archive.org/stream/retro_gamer/RetroGamer_122#page/n29/mode/2up}}

For a limited time, a mail-in promotion was offered to purchase the NES version for $24.99, along with four labels from specially marked 7up bottles.

Reception

Wyatt Lee reviewed the game for Computer Gaming World, and stated that "SPOT: The Computer Game offers a simple concept with cute graphics and stimulating game play. It offers fast play, multi-player interaction, a long shelf life and much delight."{{cite magazine |last=Lee |first=Wyatt |title=You'll See SPOT Before You're Wise: Virgin Mastertronic's Abstract Strategy Game |magazine=Computer Gaming World |date=December 1990 |volume=1 |issue=77 |pages=88, 112}}

Reviews

Amiga Power (Jul, 1991)[https://archive.org/stream/Amiga_Power_Issue_03_1991-07_Future_Publishing_GB#page/n35/mode/2up Unknown Title]{{Dead link | date=December 2024 | fix-attempted=yes}}
Amiga Power (Aug, 1991)[https://archive.org/stream/Amiga_Power_Issue_04_1991-08_Future_Publishing_GB#page/n98/mode/2up Unknown Title]{{Dead link | date=December 2024 | fix-attempted=yes}}
ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment) (Jul, 1991){{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/ace-magazine-46/page/n77/mode/2up|title = ACE Magazine Issue 46|date = July 1991}}
VideoGame (Jan, 1992){{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/VideoGame_Ano_2_Numero_10_1992_Sigla_Editora_BR_pt/page/n31/mode/2up|title=VideoGame - Ano 2 Numero 10 (1992)(Sigla Editora)(BR)(pt)|year=1992}}