F-1 (arcade game)

F-1 is an electro-mechanical arcade driving game, but resembles an arcade driving video game.^[1][2] The player steers a car around a race track, trying to avoid all cars.^[3] The gameplay is viewed from the perspective of the driver's viewpoint, which is displayed on the screen using a projector system.^[4]

The player sits in a cockpit-like arcade cabinet, in front of a large projection screen. It projects realistic color visuals, including the front of the player's car, a roughly circular track, and two competing racing cars, and generates sound effects. When the player collides with another car, the game triggers a crash sequence, where an array of fire and smoke burst onto the screen.^[1]

F-1 was designed by engineer Sho Osugi of the Nakamura Manufacturing Company, who worked on many of the company's earlier driving-themed electro-mechanical arcade games.^[5] The game is based on Osugi's previous racing games Racer (1973) and Formula-X (1975), the latter of which was only found in areas such as bowling alleys due to its massive cabinet size — this led to him producing a smaller version that could be fitted more easily into smaller stores and other entertainment centers.^[5] This smaller version was also made to be a drastic improvement over the original, featuring more realistic lighting effects and a more effective projector system.^[5] The 1968 driving game Indy 500 by Kansai Seiki Seisakusho (Kasco) is also believed to have been a possible source of inspiration for the game, due to Nakamura Manufacturing's strong business relationship with them.^[6] F-1 was released by Nakamura Manufacturing in October 1976 in Japan under the Namco branding. A month later it was licensed to Atari, Inc. for release in the United States, although Nakamura was credited on promotional material and the cabinet itself.

F-1 was widely successful upon release,^[7] becoming one of Namco's first major arcade hits.^[8] In Japan, F-1 was the highest-grossing arcade game for two years in a row according to the annual Game Machine charts, in 1976^[9] and 1977,^[10] until it was eventually dethroned by Taito's shoot 'em up video game Space Invaders in 1978.^[11] F-1 was the seventh highest-earning arcade game of 1978, and the highest-earning electro-mechanical game that year.^[12]

In the United States, it was one of the top two most talked about arcade games at the AMOA 1976 show, and the most talked about driving game at the show (where Atari also demonstrated the driving video games Sprint 2 and Night Driver).^[1] Atari national sales manager Frank Ballouz found the game to be the "hottest" arcade game of the year, reacting to its positive response at the AMOA and IAAP tradeshows.^[13] F-1 went on to become the 12th highest-grossing arcade game of 1977 according to Play Meter, and the year's highest electro-mechanical game on the list (the top ten were video games).^[14] It was later the 16th highest-grossing arcade "video" game of 1979, according to Play Meter.^[2]

The December 1976 issue of Play Meter magazine gave F-1 a positive review following its AMOA 1976 demonstration, praising the gameplay, visuals, sound, cabinet, and "frightening" crash sequence.^[1] The December 25, 1976 issue of Cash Box magazine praised the game's responsive controls and impressive visual effects, alongside its attractive cabinet design.^[13]

F-1 has been cited as the first Formula One arcade game.^[15] A sequel, F-1 Mach, was released in 1977.^[16] It was among Japan's top five highest-earning electro-mechanical arcade games of 1977.^[10]

In the 1978 film Dawn of the Dead, one of the characters is playing this game at the mall.^[7] Similar scenes involving a character playing the game (and crashing during gameplay) are in the 1981 film Neige and the 1982 film Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains.

A racing video game Pole Position (1982) was later developed by Namco and designed by Sho Osugi based on their experience with producing electro-mechanical driving games in the 1970s, particularly F-1.^[4]