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Game Info

Cover art of Berzerk

3.8 / 5

23 votes

Platform
Arcade
Genres
Shooter · Simulation
Player Perspective
Top-down
Developers
Stern Electronics
Publishers
Stern Electronics
Release date
November 12, 1980

Summary

Berzerk drops you into a neon‑lit maze where a lone Humanoid must blast every robot before the exit opens. The joystick steers you while the direction you push also determines where your laser fires, so you can’t move and shoot at the same time – a tension that makes each corridor feel like a tightrope walk. Robots aren’t clever, but they’ll self‑destruct by crashing into walls, each other, their own lasers, or the ever‑present Evil Otto, a grinning smiley that can hop walls and chase you once the room is cleared. Otto can’t be killed, and his speed spikes after the last robot falls, forcing you to dash for the doorway before he smashes you. The cabinet itself was a showcase: an upright model with a front‑service board drawer and a cocktail version, both wrapped in Marvel‑style artwork and a four‑bit color overlay that turned the original black‑and‑white graphics into a vivid arcade experience. Speech synthesis, courtesy of an LPC‑coded chip, shouts taunts like “Chicken!” and “Intruder Alert!” as you play, making Berzerk one of the first games to give you a voice‑filled arena while you navigate its 64,000 ever‑hardening mazes.

Storyline

In Berzerk, you control a Humanoid Intruder who must dash through maze‑like rooms while blasting the hostile robots that stalk and fire at you. The robots move slowly toward the player, forcing you to keep moving and shoot them before they can land a hit. Adding to the pressure is Evil Otto, an indestructible, bouncing smiley‑face that slips through walls and acts as a relentless timer, preventing you from lingering in any room. Otto’s presence is announced by a robotic voice that shouts lines such as “Get the Humanoid!”, “Intruder Alert! Intruder Alert!” and “The humanoid must not escape.” The combination of roaming enemies, a ticking foe, and the synth‑voice creates a frantic escape narrative that drives the gameplay.

Edited by Maya Carter

Game Videos

Game Screenshots

  • Screenshot 1 of Berzerk
  • Screenshot 2 of Berzerk
  • Screenshot 3 of Berzerk
  • Screenshot 4 of Berzerk
  • Screenshot 5 of Berzerk
  • Screenshot 6 of Berzerk

Arcade Machine

Developers
Stern Electronics
Machine Style
Cocktail Table · Mini Upright · Upright
Control Panel
Single-player
Input Devices
Joystick · Buttons
Screen Orientation
Landscape
Sound
Mono

Multiplayer

Multiplayer setup
Hot Seat