Nibbler (rev 9, set 1)

Nibbler challenges players to guide a growing snake through increasingly complex mazes in this cooperative maze game for two. As Nibbler consumes food scattered throughout each level, its body grows longer, requiring careful maneuvering to avoid collisions with itself. The objective is to clear the entire maze by eating all available food items and progressing to subsequent levels. This Rock-Ola title, released in 1982, was notable for supporting a billion-point score – a significant milestone at the time. Players control Nibbler using an eight-way joystick, utilizing brief pauses when turning corners to strategize movements and navigate the maze safely, especially as the snake’s length increases. Collecting food on the interior of the maze first is often advantageous, allowing for safer movement along the outer edges. Nibbler's simple premise and challenging gameplay captivated audiences upon release, leading to a competitive pursuit of high scores that ultimately culminated in a world record surpassing one billion points. The game saw distribution in Japan through Taito and has been ported to home computers like the Amstrad CPC and Apple II.