Attract mode
Encyclopedia
Attract mode is an arcade game
's screen display shown when no one is playing the game. The main purpose of the attract mode is to attract passers-by to play the game, although it might also have the side effect to act like a screensaver
.
, the game's story (if it has one), its high score list, sweepstakes (on some games) and the message "Game Over
" or "Insert Coin" over or in addition to a computer-controlled demonstration of gameplay
.
Cocktail arcade machines on which the screen flips its orientation for each player's turn in 2-player games traditionally have the screen's orientation in player 1's favour for the attract mode.
A few arcade games contain bugs which allow a person to play them during the attract mode without paying for a game. Two examples of this are Galaga
and Tempest.
In Atari
home video games of the 1970s and 1980s, the term attract mode was sometimes used to denote a simple screensaver
that slowly cycled the display colors to prevent phosphor burn-in
while the game was not being played.
Attract modes demonstrating gameplay are common in current home video games. In some games, such as Tomb Raider: Legend or Super Metroid
, the demonstration may include the solution to an in-game puzzle.
Sometimes the automated gameplay shown in the attract mode depicts events that would not occur during actual gameplay. For instance, in the attract mode of P.O.W.: Prisoners of War
, the character is able to grab a machine gun very early in the game, whereas he would have had to wait a while longer before that opportunity arose in the real game. Another example of this is evident in the arcade game Ghosts 'n Goblins
, where the player is shown at a point in the second part of the first level
in a forest fighting enemies (zombies) that during actual gameplay are not present in that part of the game.
Attract mode is not only found in arcade games, but in most coin-operated games like pinball machines, stacker machines
and lots of other games.
Some more radical alterations are such as shown in Assassin's Creed
, where the character is shown with a crossbow, which had been substituted for throwing knives in the playable game. The PC version of the original Prince of Persia
has a hard-coded level list with a level that can only be seen during the attract mode; that level is impossible to be played even with gaming cheats. Such alterations may be designed to increase the perceived excitement of the game and demonstrate certain features.
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
's screen display shown when no one is playing the game. The main purpose of the attract mode is to attract passers-by to play the game, although it might also have the side effect to act like a screensaver
Screensaver
A screensaver is a type of computer program initially designed to prevent phosphor burn-in on CRT and plasma computer monitors by blanking the screen or filling it with moving images or patterns when the computer is not in use...
.
Summary
An attract mode usually displays the game's title screenTitle screen
A title screen is the initial screen of a computer, video, or arcade game after the credits and logos are displayed of the game developer and game publisher. Earlier title screens often included all the game options available while modern games have opted for the title screen to serve as a splash...
, the game's story (if it has one), its high score list, sweepstakes (on some games) and the message "Game Over
Game over
Game Over is a message in video games which signals that the game has ended, often due to a negative outcome - although the phrase sometimes follows the end credits after successful completion of a game...
" or "Insert Coin" over or in addition to a computer-controlled demonstration of gameplay
Gameplay
Gameplay is the specific way in which players interact with a game, and in particular with video games. Gameplay is the pattern defined through the game rules, connection between player and the game, challenges and overcoming them, plot and player's connection with it...
.
Cocktail arcade machines on which the screen flips its orientation for each player's turn in 2-player games traditionally have the screen's orientation in player 1's favour for the attract mode.
A few arcade games contain bugs which allow a person to play them during the attract mode without paying for a game. Two examples of this are Galaga
Galaga
is a fixed shooter arcade game developed and published by Namco in Japan and published by Midway in North America in 1981. It is the sequel to Galaxian, released in 1979. The gameplay of Galaga puts the player in control of a space ship which is situated on the bottom of the screen...
and Tempest.
In Atari
Atari
Atari is a corporate and brand name owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by Atari Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of the French publisher Atari, SA . The original Atari, Inc. was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It was a pioneer in...
home video games of the 1970s and 1980s, the term attract mode was sometimes used to denote a simple screensaver
Screensaver
A screensaver is a type of computer program initially designed to prevent phosphor burn-in on CRT and plasma computer monitors by blanking the screen or filling it with moving images or patterns when the computer is not in use...
that slowly cycled the display colors to prevent phosphor burn-in
Phosphor burn-in
Screen burn-in, image burn-in or ghost image, colloquially known as screen burn or screen afterimage, is a permanent discoloration of areas on an electronic display such as a cathode ray tube display or computer display monitor or Television set caused by cumulative non-uniform usage of the...
while the game was not being played.
Attract modes demonstrating gameplay are common in current home video games. In some games, such as Tomb Raider: Legend or Super Metroid
Super Metroid
, also known as Metroid 3, is an action-adventure video game and the third game in the Metroid series. It was designed by Nintendo Research & Development 1, programmed by Intelligent Systems, and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game console...
, the demonstration may include the solution to an in-game puzzle.
Sometimes the automated gameplay shown in the attract mode depicts events that would not occur during actual gameplay. For instance, in the attract mode of P.O.W.: Prisoners of War
P.O.W.: Prisoners of War
is a side-scrolling beat 'em up produced by SNK originally released as an arcade game in 1988. A home version was released for the Nintendo Entertainment System on June 30, 1989 in Japan and on September 1989 in North America...
, the character is able to grab a machine gun very early in the game, whereas he would have had to wait a while longer before that opportunity arose in the real game. Another example of this is evident in the arcade game Ghosts 'n Goblins
Ghosts 'n Goblins
is a 1985 platform game developed by Capcom for video arcades and has since been released on several other platforms. It is the first game in the Ghosts'n Goblins franchise.-Gameplay:...
, where the player is shown at a point in the second part of the first level
Level (video gaming)
A level, map, area, or world in a video game is the total space available to the player during the course of completing a discrete objective...
in a forest fighting enemies (zombies) that during actual gameplay are not present in that part of the game.
Attract mode is not only found in arcade games, but in most coin-operated games like pinball machines, stacker machines
Stacker (game)
Stacker is a video game merchandiser manufactured by LAI Games. The goal of the game is to align rows of moving blocks on top of each other. A player who can stack 11 rows will win a minor prize, which is usually very low in value, sometimes lower in value than the amount of money the player paid...
and lots of other games.
Some more radical alterations are such as shown in Assassin's Creed
Assassin's Creed
Assassin's Creed is an award-winning historical third person, stealth action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. The bulk of the game takes place during the Third Crusade, with the plot revolving around a sect known as the Secret Order of...
, where the character is shown with a crossbow, which had been substituted for throwing knives in the playable game. The PC version of the original Prince of Persia
Prince of Persia
Prince of Persia is a platform game, originally developed by Jordan Mechner and released in 1989 for the Apple II, that represented a great leap forward in the quality of animation seen in video games....
has a hard-coded level list with a level that can only be seen during the attract mode; that level is impossible to be played even with gaming cheats. Such alterations may be designed to increase the perceived excitement of the game and demonstrate certain features.