{{Short description|1981 video game}} {{Infobox VG | title = ''K-Razy Shoot-Out'' | image = K-Razy Shoot-Out cover.jpg | caption = | developer = K-Byte | publisher = K-Byte <br> CBS Software <br> CBS Electronics (5200) | designer = Keith Dreyer <br> Torre Meeder<ref name=giantlist/> | series = | released = '''1981:''' Atari 8-bit<br>'''1983:''' Atari 5200 | genre = Multidirectional shooter | platforms = Atari 8-bit, Atari 5200 }}
'''''K-Razy Shoot-Out''''' is a clone of the arcade video game ''Berzerk'' developed by K-Byte, a division of Kay Enterprises, and released for Atari 8-bit computers in 1981.<ref name=eg/> The game was written by Torre Meeder and Keith Dreyer,<ref name="atarimania">{{cite web|title=K-Razy Shoot-Out|url=http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-k-razy-shoot-out_6759.html|website=Atari Mania}}</ref> and was the first Atari 8-bit cartridge from a third-party developer.{{r|ccvag1983spring}} An Atari 5200 version followed in 1983. The team of Dreyer and Meeder also wrote the 1983 Atari 8-bit game ''Boulders and Bombs''.<ref name=giantlist/>
''K-Razy Shoot-Out'' is part of a series of titles with the "K-" prefix, including ''K-Razy Kritters''<ref>{{cite web|title=K-Razy Kritters|url=http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-k-razy-kritters_s2844.html|website=Atari Mania}}</ref> and ''K-Star Patrol''.<ref>{{cite web|title=K-Star Patrol Manual|url=https://archive.org/details/agm_K-Star_Patrol|website=archive.org}}</ref> All of them were published on cartridge. After CBS Software purchased K-Byte,<ref name=ahl/> the games were published under the CBS brand, including the Atari 5200 port of ''K-Razy Shoot-Out''.<ref name="ahq">{{cite web|last1=Iida|first1=Keita|title=Atari 5200 Review: K-RAZY SHOOT-OUT|url=http://www.atarihq.com/reviews/5200/k-razy_shoot-out.html|website=AtariHQ.com}}</ref>
==Gameplay== As in ''Berzerk'', the goal is to destroy all of the robots occupying a series of randomly generated mazes. In ''Berzerk'', if the player takes too long to clear a maze, an indestructible bouncing ball ("Evil Otto") drives the player to an exit. ''K-Razy Shoot-Out'' uses a visible timer instead.<ref name="ap">{{cite web |title=K-Razy Shoot-Out |url=https://www.atariprotos.com/5200/software/shootout/shootout.htm |website=Atari Protos}}</ref> If the timer runs out, the game ends. If the player exits a maze without clearing it, the player has to replay one or two mazes without getting points.<ref name="manual">{{cite book |title=K-Razy Shoot-Out |date=1981 |publisher=CBS Software |url=https://archive.org/details/KRazyShootOutCBS/page/n0}}</ref>
==Reception== ''K-Razy Shoot-Out'' sold 35,000 copies by June 1982.<ref name="maher20120326">{{cite web | url=http://www.filfre.net/2012/03/the-wizardry-phenomenon/ | title=The Wizardry Phenomenon | work=The Digital Antiquarian | date=2012-03-26 | access-date=9 July 2014 | author=Maher, Jimmy}}</ref> John J. Anderson of ''Creative Computing Video & Arcade Games'', wrote that as a ''Berzerk'' clone, "the only element that's missing is the speech ... lots of fun, and has a great deal of staying power".<ref name="ccvag1983spring">{{Cite magazine |last1=Anderson |first1=John J. |author-link1=John J. Anderson |last2=Small |first2=David |last3=Wolcott |first3=Eric F. |date=Spring 1983 |title=Atari Personal Computer Games |url=http://www.atarimagazines.com/cva/v1n1/ataripcgames.php |magazine=Creative Computing Video & Arcade Games |page=93}}</ref> It won the 1983 Arcade Award for "Best Arcade/Action Computer Game" from ''Electronic Games'' magazine.<ref name=eg/> The ''Berzerk'' similarity was mentioned, but also that the game has "a unique flavor" on its own way.
==See also== * ''Robot Attack'' * ''Robon'' * ''Thief''
== References == <references>
<ref name="ahl">{{cite journal|last1=Ahl|first1=David|title=1983 Winter Consumer Electronics Show|journal=Creative Computing|date=April 1983|volume=9|issue=4|page=18|url=https://www.atarimagazines.com/creative/v9n4/18_1983_Winter_Consumer_Elec.php|last2=Staples|first2=Betsy}}</ref> <ref name=eg>{{cite journal|title=1983 Arcade Awards|journal=Electronic Games|date=January 1983|page=34 |url=https://archive.org/details/Electronic_Games_Volume_01_Number_11_1983-01_Reese_Communications_US/page/n33}}</ref> <ref name="atarimania">{{cite web|title=K-Razy Shoot-Out|url=http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-k-razy-shoot-out_6759.html|website=Atari Mania}}</ref> <ref name="giantlist">{{cite web |last1=Hague |first1=James |title=The Giant List of Classic Game Programmers |url=https://dadgum.com/giantlist/}}</ref>
</references>
Category:1981 video games Category:Action games Category:Atari 5200 games Category:Atari 8-bit computer games Category:Multidirectional shooters Category:Video game clones Category:Video games developed in the United States Category:CBS Software games Category:K-Byte games Category:CBS Electronics games