Gremlin Head On vs Exidy Crash

z3k3

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Which came first? Anyone know the history of what essentially is the same game?

Thanks.
 
The problem with this is we'd need insiders from each company to come forward and be honest about the development process.

I have read many articles through the years about idea stealing between the manufacturers. I believe I was reading an article in Retro Gamer where a game developer on the Circus project admitted they completely copied Clowns and rushed it out in order to be first to market so that others would think Clowns was the copy. Apparently this was the norm at the time for many games.


*I could have Clowns and Circus named backwards, I really don't remember which one was the original and which was the copy.
 
Funny that came up, the two basically right next to each other at the St. Louis auction earlier this week. Crash sold for 9 times as much as Head On did.
 
The problem with this is we'd need insiders from each company to come forward and be honest about the development process.

I have read many articles through the years about idea stealing between the manufacturers. I believe I was reading an article in Retro Gamer where a game developer on the Circus project admitted they completely copied Clowns and rushed it out in order to be first to market so that others would think Clowns was the copy. Apparently this was the norm at the time for many games.


*I could have Clowns and Circus named backwards, I really don't remember which one was the original and which was the copy.

If that is the case, I would probably give the edge to Exidy since Crash has 2 Player options and Start buttons. It could explain why those two "features" are missing on Head-On. I don't know anything for sure, just throwing it out there to see if anyone with the knowledge shoots it down.
 
The problem with this is we'd need insiders from each company to come forward and be honest about the development process.

I have read many articles through the years about idea stealing between the manufacturers. I believe I was reading an article in Retro Gamer where a game developer on the Circus project admitted they completely copied Clowns and rushed it out in order to be first to market so that others would think Clowns was the copy. Apparently this was the norm at the time for many games..

I was actually reading an article in Gameroom Magazine from an insider who did early video game engineering for Allied Leisure, Midway, and even Atari. He had some interesting things to say. For instance, most of the companies would try to discover what others were developing on as to not create extra competition in the mid to late 70s. Contrasted to the early 70s, where everyone was copying Pong.

Also, he spoke highly of the exec in charge of video arcade games at Midway. Claiming the exec did not want to copy other games being developed by other companies. In light of that and some of Exidy's other copying efforts I could see Circus being the copy and not the other way around. But, this is just my opinion.

I'll scan the article when I get a chance.
 
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I am thinking Crash is the copy too. When you consider Circus/Clowns Bandido/Sheriff and Robot Bowl/Meadows Lanes that makes 4 cases of Exidy releasing essentially identical games as other companies in the 77-80 era. And those are just the ones I know about, it wouldn't surprise me if someone could name several more.
 
Nintendo licensed Sheriff to Exidy. Other copy cat Exidy instances: Alley Rally/Sprint2, Ripcord/Sky Diver, Top Secret/Spy Hunter. Tho there are plenty of copy cat instances outside of Exidy, so who knows...

I am thinking Crash is the copy too. When you consider Circus/Clowns Bandido/Sheriff and Robot Bowl/Meadows Lanes that makes 4 cases of Exidy releasing essentially identical games as other companies in the 77-80 era. And those are just the ones I know about, it wouldn't surprise me if someone could name several more.
 
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