Tutankham
1982 · Maze · Arcade
Overview
Tutankham (1982) is Konami's scrolling maze shooter set in the tomb of Tutankhamun, where the explorer's laser fires only left and right.
Deep Dive
An explorer works through the scrolling tomb of Tutankhamun collecting keys and treasures. The laser fires only left and right, and each level or life brings one screen-clearing flash bomb. Only one key can be carried at a time, so players have to backtrack, and the laser stops working when the timer runs out. The tomb is guarded by asps, vultures, parrots, bats, dragons and curses.
Developer Story
H. Tanigaki designed the game, and Konami released it in 1982, with Stern distributing it in North America. It topped the Play Meter charts in October 1982, and Parker Brothers brought it to the Atari 2600, ColecoVision and Intellivision in 1983.
Did You Know?
- It appeared in a January 1983 LIFE photograph of six video game record holders.
- Gauntlet and Time Bandit drew on its maze-shooter design.
Sources & further reading
- Tutankham — Wikipedia
