1984 · Port · Bally Midway · Arcade

Tapper

Atari console exclusivePort

1983 arcade video game

Released: 31 December 1984
Platforms: Apple II Atari 2600 ColecoVision MS-DOS ZX Spectrum
Genres: Arcade
Developers: Bally Midway
Publishers: Sega Enterprises, Inc.
Modes: Single-player
Perspective: Bird view / Isometric
Languages: English

About

Tapper, also known as Root Beer Tapper, is an action video game developed by Marvin Glass and Associates and published by Bally Midway for arcades. Its original North American release is commonly dated to 1983, although sources differ on when the game became commercially available. In Japan, it was distributed by Sega. The game puts the player in the role of a bartender who must serve approaching, thirsty patrons before their patience expires, while collecting empty mugs and tips.

Arcade-History and GameFAQs identify December 1983 as the North American release date, while MobyGames lists 1983 without specifying a month. However, the February 18, 1984 issue of Cash Box described Tapper as a new video game being introduced by Bally Midway. The distinction between early location testing and general commercial availability may account for the differing dates, although the precise commercial release date has not been conclusively established.

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Gameplay

The controls consist of a four-position joystick and a tap handle. The game screen features four bars, each with a keg at one end and a door at the other. Customers enter through the doors and slowly advance toward the kegs, demanding service. The player controls a bartender who must pour drinks and slide them down the bar for the customers to catch.

Pushing the joystick up or down instantly moves the bartender to the keg at the next bar in the chosen direction, with the top and bottom of the screen wrapping around to one another, while pushing left or right causes him to run along the bar where he is stationed. When the tap handle is pulled down, the bartender instantly moves to the keg (if he is not already standing there) and fills a mug; releasing it causes him to slide the mug along the bar.

Reception

In Japan, Game Machine listed Tapper as the most successful table arcade unit of March 1984, tied with 10-Yard Fight and Vs. Tennis.

Compute!'s Gazette called the Commodore 64 version of Tapper "one of the most addictive games we've seen lately ... not only fun to play, but also immensely challenging, graphically entertaining, and full of action". The magazine stated that "it's a very well-designed strategy game", and concluded that it was "near the top in entertainment value". Sinclair User gave the game a SU Classic award.

Legacy

The art style is almost identical to a previous game called Domino Man, and the following game Timber. In fact, the main character in Timber is a rework of the main character in Tapper. The art is based on Mike Ferris, an artist who taught Scott Morrison art.

Root Beer Tapper has been included in several compilations. It was in the Nintendo 64 version of Midway's Greatest Arcade Hits, Arcade's Greatest Hits: The Midway Collection 2 for the PlayStation, Midway Arcade Treasures for PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, and Microsoft Windows, and Midway Arcade Origins for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.