Console: | Arcade |
TV Standard: | Region Not Set |
Developer(s): | Nintendo |
Publisher(s): | Nintendo |
Release Date: | 1979-12-01 |
Co-op: | No |
Type: | Shooter |
Radar Scope is an early arcade game developed by Nintendo, originally released in Japan in December 1979 and North America in November 1980. A variant on the then-popular space shooter genre pioneered by Space Invaders, the game was notable for introducing a pseudo-3D, sprite-scaling, third-person perspective to the genre, inspiring games such as Konami's Juno First and Activision's Beamrider.
Radar Scope became a hit in Japan, but failed to attract significant interest outside of Japan. Shigeru Miyamoto, who had worked on Radar Scope, then developed Donkey Kong, and Nintendo converted unused Radar Scope cabinets into units for the new game. While Donkey Kong proved to be a smash success, Radar Scope has otherwise become a footnote in the company's history.