Wacko

Navigate an orange moonscape in Wacko, a fast-paced shooter released by Bally Midway in 1982 for two players. As Kapt'n Krooz'r, you pilot a spaceship and utilize a trackball for movement and a joystick for aiming to eliminate cartoonish monsters that populate the field. A unique gameplay mechanic requires players to destroy monster pairs to make them disappear, with later levels introducing increasingly complex rules regarding target selection. Originally conceived with a different aesthetic—featuring a wizard battling cute animals—the game underwent a last-minute design change that resulted in its current creature-filled landscape and protagonist. Wacko is also notable for its unusual cabinet design; both the control panel and marquee are slanted, positioning the trackball and joystick at an angle to accommodate gameplay. The game's technical specifications include Zilog Z80 processors driving General Instrument AY8910 sound chips, resulting in a vibrant visual experience with a resolution of 512 x 480 pixels presented on a horizontal screen. Wacko has since been included in various compilation releases for modern gaming platforms.