Ludography
Gyroscope cover

1985 · Action · Arcade

Gyroscope

Gyroscope is based on the Atari arcade game Marble Madness, the gameplay is very similar except the player controls a spinning gyroscope rather than a marble. The game is presented in isometric 3D. The player must guide the gyroscope from the top of the course to the bottom within an allotted time limit. If the gyroscope topples off the edge, a life is lost.

Released
1985
Platforms
Amstrad CPCBBC Microcomputer SystemCommodore C64/128/MAXZX SpectrumAcorn ElectronApple II
Genres
ActionArcadePlatformer
Developers
—
Publishers
Krome Studios Melbourne
Modes
Single-player
Perspective
Third person
Themes
Action
Country
United Kingdom
Languages
English

About

Gyroscope is an action video game published by Melbourne House in 1985 for the Acorn Electron, Amstrad CPC, BBC Micro, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum. It a clone of the Atari Games arcade video game Marble Madness with a gyroscope replacing the player-controlled marble. Melbourne House later published official ports of Marble Madness for the ZX Spectrum and Amstrad CPC which were not based on Gyroscope.

Keywords

  • high score

Media

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Gameplay

The gameplay is very similar to Marble Madness except the player controls a spinning gyroscope rather than a marble. The game is presented in isometric 3D. The player must guide the gyroscope from the top of the course to the bottom within an allotted time limit. If the gyroscope topples off the edge, a life is lost.

Hazards on the course include potholes, aliens and glass slopes which cause the gyroscope to spin in random directions. There are five courses consisting of four screens each. The gyroscope must land on a marked square to complete each level.

Reception

Your Sinclair gave the game 9/10, praising the 3D graphics. It was also placed at number 77 in the Your Sinclair top 100.

Electron User gave it a score of 6/10, again praising the graphics, but complaining about a number of bugs spoiling "what could be a very good game".

Releases by platformdates and regions as published

Releases by platform
PlatformReleasedRegions
BBC Microcomputer System31 December 1985Europe
Commodore C64/128/MAX31 December 1985Europe
ZX Spectrum31 December 1985Europe
Amstrad CPC31 December 1985Europe
Apple II31 December 1986North America
Acorn Electron31 December 1986Europe

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Description adapted from its source, CC BY-SA 4.0.