Millipede (1982). Play online

Summary

Millipede took the classic trackball action of its predecessor and added a whole cast of new insects. I spend minutes watching the millipede snake across the screen, splitting into two heads whenever I carve out a segment, while a jittery elf—named the Archer—dodges spiders, earwigs and even a buzzing dragonfly that drops poisonous mushrooms. The mushrooms behave like a tiny cellular automaton, sprouting and disappearing in patterns that feel oddly alive. Bonus waves flood the playfield with swarms worth extra points, and if I start with the hidden multiplier the high‑score chase gets wild. No wonder the game ranked as the fourth‑best‑grossing arcade title in 1983 in the United States.

Storyline

In the arcade shooter Millipede, you take on the role of Archer, a lone guardian of a mushroom forest.

The forest is under siege by massive insect monsters that crawl and fly toward the trees, and Archer must repel them with his enchanted magic arrows. Each wave brings larger, more aggressive creatures, culminating in a towering millipede that snakes across the screen.

Using precise aim and rapid fire, the player shoots down the insects before they can overrun the mushrooms, restoring peace to the woodland.