Super Bug

Super Bug is a black and white racing video game developed and published by Atari Games in 1977. The initial release title of the arcade game was City Driver. Kee Games existed briefly within the years 1973 to 1978, during which it initially started as an affiliate of Atari Corporations and ended up posing as a competitor of the company. This strategy allowed Atari to monopolize the video game market within that period by distributing more video games. Kee Games also developed a lot of imitations of Atari games before both companies were linked in 1974. By the time both companies officially merged, Kee Games was thriving more than Atari in the video game business. This resulted in the promotion of Kee Games boss Joe Keenan as the head of the merged company until the company ceased to exist in 1978. Other arcade titles created during the existence Kee Games are Gran Trak 20, Elimination, Pursuit, Crossfire, Ultra, Rebound and Grand Trak 10.

Super Bug is a single player driving game where the player races against time while avoiding obstacles and keeping the car on the track. Apart from the time challenge, a player also have limited fuel in the car tank and they must cover a good distance with the available fuel before it runs out. The aim of this game is to move at great speed while keeping the car steady on the roadway so as to score high points. The roadway has a lot of curves and bends which makes it a bit difficult to stay on track while driving at high speed. However, a player is allowed to drive in any direction. Also, unlike most driving video games that only scroll vertically or horizontally, Super Bug scrolls in any direction the player drives to.

Each game is timed 90 seconds. When a player crashes against an obstacle or the side track, some seconds of the game is lost as the car start to regain road balance and accelerate to top speed. There are also oil spills and sand pits on the roadway and when the car speeds through them, the player loses control and crash. A sand pit traps the car for some seconds and slows it down. It can also lead to a crash when a player tries to maneuvre their way out of it. When a crash occurs, a loud explosion sound is heard, the screen flashes and freezes for about 2 seconds. After that, the player can then regain control and steer the car right back on track. The oil spills are displayed in small rings with oil written on them. In addition to oil spills and side tracks, there are other cars on the roadway. They randomly appear and a player must avoid crashing into them too. Super Bug is a fun video game, it also very straightforward. Other than beating the time, the real challenge lies in keeping the car on the track. After playing a couple of game, one finds it easier to steer the car more steadily.