The Video Game Project
A Closer Look At The Prototypes That Became Your Favourite Games!
Jumping Acrobats Magnavox Odyssey 2 Prototype
Jumping Acrobats also known as P.T. Barnum's Acrobats!, is a game that was released for the Magnavox Odyssey 2 in 1982. It is a clone of Bally Midway's 1978 arcade game Clowns.
In the game, three rows of coloured balloons are displayed at the top of the screen(red, yelow and blue respectively), moving backwards and forwards. it is the players job to control two acrobats jumping over a teeter (see saw like aparatus), moving it in order to avoid the acrobats from crashing ungracefully to the ground. Once an acrobat lands at one side of the teeter, the acrobat on the opposite side will be launched in the air, towards the balloons. The farther from the opposite acrobat the jumping one lands, the higher the opposite one will be launched and when the acrobats come in contact with the balloons, they'll pop them. When a row has been completely popped, it will be replaced by another one.
Players score 2 points for each blue balloon, 4 points for each yellow balloon and 6 points for each red one. They'll additionally score 15 points for a complete blue row, 20 points for a yellow row and 25 points for a red row. A one or two player game, Jumping Acrobats has a total of 18 possible variations
Single player variations include - moving balloons with no shield, a stationary shield displayed at the center of the screen where if the acrobats hit the shield from the upper side, they'll bounce up but if they hit it from the bottom they fall downward faster, a randomly appearing and disappearing shield and more.
Two player variations include - players taking turns every time an acrobat crashes into the ground, moving balloons with no shield, moving balloons with a stationary shield, moving balloons with a random shield etc. etc.
