Minimum Requirements: Mac OS 8.6, PowerPC G3 or G4, 64 MB RAM, 60 MB hard disk space, 640x480 monitor at 256 colors, 4 MB VRAM, 8X CD ROM
Network Capability: Yes
3D Support: No
Retail Price: $29.99
ESRB Rating: E for Everyone
Availability: Now
I've never been that big a fan of Centipede. In fact, my only fond memory of the game happened back in grade school. One day after piano lessons, I lied to the girl working in the Ashland College game room, telling her that the Centipede machine "...took my quarter" so I could get a free game. I even went so far as to put a nickle in the slot just so it would really appear that I deposited a quarter.
I'm not sure why I went to all this trouble; as I mentioned earlier, I didn't really like the game. Perhaps I was just bored from waiting for my parents to pick me up, and there were no other machines to be played. After all, wasn't Centipede just another derivation of Space Invaders in the Galaga/Galaxian vein?
Not anymore, thanks to Infogrames. As with Asteroids and the forthcoming Breakout, Pong and Q*bert, Centipede has received a 21st century update. And unlike with Asteroids, this time they got it 100% right.
The problem with updating classic arcade games is that there's often not a lot there to update. The new versions sport modern 3D graphics and enhanced sound, but the gameplay remains basically the same. This strips the games of their original charm, and—honestly—there are usually shareware versions of these games that are more fun than the retail updates.
Centipede is the first arcade update to effectively surmount this problem, and it does so by providing three methods of play. First, you have your typical update; the "Arcade 3D" version places your shooter at the bottom of the screen, firing up at the centipede and other insects as they work their way down. The screen is slightly slanted, offering a faux 3D playing field for the faux 3D objects.
The second method will have classic arcade game afficionados doing the Burger Time victory dance; it's just Centipede exactly as you remember. All the looks and sounds of the original are there—even some of the cabinet artwork—just waiting for you to find a trackball. (I'll point out here that, whereas my iShock game pad worked with the other two play methods, I couldn't get movement in "Arcade" mode. However, the mouse works well here as you only need movement and one fire button.)
It's in the third method, however, where you'll spend your time. I can best describe "Adventure" mode as...well, imagine playing Myth II, only instead of commanding an army against the might of Soulblighter, you're driving a little Volkswagon around the landscape, shooting mushrooms and insects in an effort to save the Wee People. Come to think of it, such a car would've certainly helped out my online Myth II gaming campaign.
Of course, there's now even a back story—complete with cinematic cut scenes—to accompany your adventure. Seems that every one hundred years the armored beasts emerge from the core of the Earth to take over the world, and every one hundred years they're repelled. This time it's up to Wally Gudmunzsun (i.e., you) to do the repelling. Alone. You'd think if this happened every one hundred years...ah, nevermind.
So, at the beginning of each level (thirty total in five different worlds), you're presented with a mission, most of which consist of defending residential buildings while saving the Wee Citizens, Wee Druids, Wee Miners, and the bloody reptiles that go, "Wee."
Okay, that joke was perhaps too obscure. Sorry.
As is expected, there are numerous enemies along the way; some deadly in power, other in numbers. Along with the usual centipedes, spiders, fleas and scorpions, Wally also faces mortar bugs (if only the mortar dwarves in Myth were this accurate), enforcer flies, fire beetles, and many other insects that were never classified in sophomore biology class. To complicate matters, you even have to face off with the occasional "boss."
Of course, you're not without power-ups along the way; shields, laser enhancements and special weapons will all be needed to successfully make it to E-vile (the fifth world) and destroy Queen Pede forever. Although the power-ups have either time or inventory limits, some can be collected and used against the appropriate enemy.
Unlike the appearance of the Arcade modes (basically black and green), the graphics in Adventure mode are as bright and colorful as Pangea Software games. And despite the surprisingly intense action, I experienced no animation stuttering. The music is also pretty good, accentuating the action without ever becoming annoying. In fact, the music can be played outside the game with an audio player, but, curiously enough, Buckner and Garcia's "Ode to Centipede" is nowhere to be found. Perhaps best of all, though, are the stereo effects. This is a game you must try out with headphones.
And get this; the developers of Centipede took a que from modern racing games and offered multiple viewpoints in Adventure mode. You can play with the classic "top-down" view, or switch over to "first person" or "over-the-shoulder" views. All offer radar so you can more easily find your targets, and there's something wild about tearing through the mushroom patches at eye level. However, to really get any work done, you'll probably want to stick with the traditional "top-down" view.
Centipede has a couple other nice touches as well. After creating a character in Adventure mode, the game automatically remembers what level you reached and starts you off there the next time you play. With no need to manually save and load games, this makes it much easier for multiple players to get back into their individual game.
And speaking of multiplayer, Centipede offers two options; there's single computer split-screen mode and network play. However, with everything going on in the game, I found split screen mode to be too confusing and therefore impractical.
I realize many people are against updates or remakes, but from time to time the producers do actually achieve their goal of improving upon the original. Such is the case with Centipede. The group behind it took a decent arcade game and gave it three new dimensions, literally, while retaining the original in its basic form for the purists out there. If you like action/arcade games from any generation, you can't do much better than Centipede.
Just don't try to convince the cashier at the store that the machine took your money. They're wise to that now.
Review: Centipede
Not anymore, thanks to Infogrames. As with 
The second method will have classic arcade game afficionados doing the Burger Time victory dance; it's just Centipede exactly as you remember. All the looks and sounds of the original are there—even some of the cabinet artwork—just waiting for you to find a trackball. (I'll point out here that, whereas my iShock game pad worked with the other two play methods, I couldn't get movement in "Arcade" mode. However, the mouse works well here as you only need movement and one fire button.)
So, at the beginning of each level (thirty total in five different worlds), you're presented with a mission, most of which consist of defending residential buildings while saving the Wee Citizens, Wee Druids, Wee Miners, and the bloody reptiles that go, "Wee."
And get this; the developers of Centipede took a que from modern racing games and offered multiple viewpoints in Adventure mode. You can play with the classic "top-down" view, or switch over to "first person" or "over-the-shoulder" views. All offer radar so you can more easily find your targets, and there's something wild about tearing through the mushroom patches at eye level. However, to really get any work done, you'll probably want to stick with the traditional "top-down" view.