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1983 video game
Astron Belt
Arcade flyer
Developer(s)
Sega
Publisher(s)
JP: Sega
EU: Taitel Electronics[1]
NA: Bally Midway
Platform(s)
Arcade, MSX
Release
JP: March 16, 1983[2]
EU: July 1983[1]
NA: October 1983[3]
Genre(s)
Rail shooter, space combat
Mode(s)
Single-player
Arcade system
Sega Laserdisc
Astron Belt (アストロンベルト) is a LaserDisc video game in the form of a third-person, space combat rail shooter, released in arcades in 1983 by Sega in Japan, and licensed to Bally Midway for release in North America.[4][5] Developed in 1982,[6] it was the first major arcade laserdisc video game.[4][5] The game combines full-motion video (FMV) footage from the laserdisc with real-time 2D graphics. The arcade game was available in both upright and cockpit arcade cabinets, with the latter having illuminated buttons on the control panel, a larger 25" monitor (the upright used a standard 19"), and a force feedback vibrating seat.
The game was first unveiled at the 20th Amusement Machine Show, held in Tokyo during September 1982, and then at Chicago's Amusement & Music Operators Association (AMOA) show, held during November 18–20, 1982.[7][8] This marked the beginning of laserdisc fever in the video game industry,[4] and released in Japan during early 1983, with Sega projecting to ship 10,000 cabinets that year.[7] It was subsequently released in Europe, where it was the first laserdisc game released in the region.[9] However, Bally Midway delayed the game's release in the United States to fix several hardware and software bugs, by which time it had been beaten to public release by several laserdisc games including Dragon's Lair.[4]
The game was a commercial success in arcades, especially in Japan where it was the top-grossing upright/cockpit arcade game for four months. Critical reception was initially positive following its AMOA 1982 debut and then its European release, but was later mixed following its North American release as it drew unfavorable comparisons with other laserdisc games. Astron Belt was ported to the MSX home system in 1984 in Japan.
^ abCite error: The named reference CVG was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^"Astron Belt (Registration Number PA0000197053)". United States Copyright Office. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
^Akagi, Masumi (October 13, 2006). アーケードTVゲームリスト国内•海外編(1971-2005) [Arcade TV Game List: Domestic • Overseas Edition (1971-2005)] (in Japanese). Japan: Amusement News Agency. pp. 124–5. ISBN 978-4990251215.
^ abcd"ASTRON BELT". Atari HQ. Archived from the original on 20 March 2011. Retrieved 2011-03-25.
^ ab"Astron Belt". AllGame. Archived from the original on 2014-01-01.
^Mark Isaacson (2002). "The History of Sega: From Service Games to Master Systems". Archived from the original on 2019-11-04. Retrieved 2011-03-25.
^ ab"Overseas Readers Column: Sega's Astron Belt Will Be Shipped Soon" (PDF). Game Machine. No. 211. Amusement Press, Inc. 1 May 1983. p. 30.
^Cite error: The named reference VideoGames was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^"Looks at Lasers: The Shape of Games to Come". Computer and Video Games. No. 26 (December 1983). 16 November 1983. pp. 86–7. Retrieved 2018-01-05.
AstronBelt (アストロンベルト) is a LaserDisc video game in the form of a third-person, space combat rail shooter, released in arcades in 1983 by Sega in Japan...
such as Mario Bros. and Pole Position II, along with new titles such as AstronBelt, Champion Baseball, Dragon's Lair, Elevator Action, Spy Hunter and Track...
June 15, 2011. Rally-X at the Killer List of Videogames "ASTRONBELT". Atari HQ. "AstronBelt". AllGame. Archived from the original on January 1, 2014...
pp. 71–2. ISBN 978-1-4766-3196-7. "AstronBelt". AllGame. Archived from the original on 1 January 2014. "ASTRONBELT". Atari HQ. Retrieved 25 March 2011...
of Bachelor Party, and footage was also used for the LaserDisc game AstronBelt. The soundtrack was later recycled by Corman for Raptor and other films...
2016 at the Wayback Machine, 1UP "AstronBelt". AllGame. Archived from the original on 1 January 2014. "ASTRONBELT". Atari HQ. Archived from the original...
video chapter, making interactive video possible. In 1983, Sega released AstronBelt, the first interactive arcade game on LD. Also released in 1983 was Cinematronics's...
when it was the second laserdisc game to be announced (following Sega's AstronBelt). It was released for arcades in June 1983. It uses a Sony laserdisc...
The Mitsubishi Astron or 4G5/4D5 engine, is a series of straight-four internal combustion engines first built by Mitsubishi Motors in 1972. Engine displacement...
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2008-09-28. "GamesRadar+". Archived from the original on 2006-07-21. "AstronBelt". AllGame. Archived from the original on 2014-01-01. "Babylon 5: I've...
following titles were licensed by Midway from other companies. Asteroid AstronBelt Bank Panic Boot Hill Bosconian Bull Fight Bump 'n' Jump BurgerTime Flicky...
Bally/Midway acquired Sega's technology for laserdisc video games, principally AstronBelt as well as later games Galaxy Ranger (1983) and Albegas (1983). Bally...
shooter games such as Star Fire, Missile Command, SubRoc-3D, Star Wars, AstronBelt, Sinistar and Discs of Tron as well as racing games such as Monaco GP...
for video games in the 1980s and 1990s, beginning in 1983 with Sega's AstronBelt. Cinematronics and American Laser Games produced elaborate arcade games...
even bears a passing resemblance to Cube Quest's developer Simutrek. AstronBelt, another arcade game with graphics overlayed on existing video Polybius...
Ltd. in the United States for two years which included titles such as AstronBelt, Flicky, Future Spy, and Up 'N Down. Bally Midway was purchased in 1988...
Fighter Video game Data East 1980 Astro Invader Video game Stern 1980 AstronBelt Video game Sega 1983 Atari Basketball Video game Atari, Inc. 1979 Ataxx...
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