Vindicators, the Video Game by Atari Games Corp. [CA, USA]

Type of the machine : Video Game
Vindicators © 1988 Atari Games.

As team commander of the SR-88 Strategic Battle tanks, you must face the evil invading forces of the Tangent Empire. They're invading the galaxy with 14 space stations designed to defeat your team. Turrets and highly mobile armoured tanks are constantly on patrol to protect the fortifications that Tangents have built.

With limited suppiles and weapons, you must make a last stand and attempt to defeat the invaders. The most powerful weapon in your arsenal is the SR-88 Battle Tank, but their fuel supply is very volitile. You must constantly replenish its fuel by picking up fuel canisters throughout the stations' many levels.

Battle stars can be found along the way. These are vital to enhancing your tank and adding weapons. Process generators can convert the battle stars into powers and weapons while in transit between levels and stations. Only with these customized tanks can the evil Tangent Empire be conquered.

As you defeat each station, demolish its control room and take the supplies the fleeing Tangents have left behind. Proceed in their mothership to the next station for another battle.

Game ID : 136059

Main CPU : 68010 (@ 7.15909 Mhz), M6502 (@ 1.7895 Mhz)
Sound Chips : YM2151 (@ 3.579 Mhz), POKEY (@ 1.7895 Mhz)

Screen orientation : Horizontal
Video resolution : 336 x 240 pixels
Screen refresh : 60.00 Hz
Palette colors : 16384

Players : 2
Control : Double 2-way joystick (vertical)
Buttons : 4

Released in April 1988. 1988 was quite a year for Atari and tank games, since they also released "Assault" that very same year.

The Vindicators dedicated cabinet is a real favorite among some arcade game collectors. This is probably due to its unique shape, it is shaped a lot like a tank, with tank treads holding up the bottom section of the cabinet. The top half is decorated with sticker sideart that shows scenes from the game, and these same graphics generally carry over to the control panel and the front of the machine. The control panel features four tank handle controllers.

A Vindicators cabinet can be seen in the Nickelodeon show All That (from 1997 to 2000). however it used a fictional marquee which was made for the show.

REVISION 1 :
* Build date : OS : 08APR1988 11 :50 :08 / PG : 11APR1988 16 :34 :40

REVISION 2 :
* Build date : OS : 08APR1988 11 :50 :08 / PG : 12APR1988 14 :53 :35

REVISION 3 :
* Build date : OS : 08APR1988 11 :50 :08 / PG : 20APR1988 11 :21 :49

REVISION 4 :
* Build date : OS : 08APR1988 11 :50 :08 / PG : 26APR1988 10 :49 :46

Designed & programmed by : Kelly Turner (KFT), Norm Avellar (NLA), Russel Dawe (Rusty) (RBD)
Art & animation by : Kris Moser (KEM), Susan G. McBride (SGM)
Audio by : Brad Fuller (BAF), Hal Canon (HAL)

Consoles :

Nintendo Famicom (1988)
Atari Lynx [Unreleased Prototype]
Sony PlayStation 2 (2003, "Midway Arcade Treasure")
Nintendo GameCube (2003, "Midway Arcade Treasure")
Microsoft XBOX (2003, "Midway Arcade Treasure")

Computers :

Sinclair ZX Spectrum (1989)
Amstrad CPC (1989)
Atari ST (1989)
Commodore Amiga (1989)
Commodore C64 (1990)
PC [MS Windows, CD-Rom] (1998, "Arcade's Greatest Hits - The Atari Collection 2")
PC [MS Windows, CD-ROM] (2004, "Midway Arcade Treasure")

* Others:
Tiger LCD Handheld Game (1989)

Game's rom.
Machine's picture.