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1982

Eyes

Quick Overview

Eyes is a 1982 maze arcade game in which you control an eyeball through a maze. The core idea recalls Pac-Man: you have to collect all the dots, but here you shoot the dots rather than eating them. The game was developed by the Miami-based Digitrex Techstar and published by Rock-Ola, and in Europe it was distributed by the Italian company Zaccaria with different cabinet art.

Eyes

Basics

  • Release1982
  • DeveloperDigitrex Techstar (Miami)
  • PublisherRock-Ola
  • European distributorZaccaria (Italy)
  • GenreMaze shooter
  • Players1–2

Standout Features

A shooting maze built on the Pac-Man ideaDots have to be shot, not eatenChasing, shooting eyesEver faster and more numerous opponents

Gameplay

Maze stagesShooting dots instead of eating themEnemy eyes that reappearRising difficulty across levels

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Game Objective

You control an eyeball in a maze and have to collect all the dots to advance. You don't eat the dots, you shoot them. Computer-controlled eyes chase and shoot at you. Shooting one earns points and removes it for a while, but it reappears shortly after. Being shot by an eye is fatal. As the game goes on, more eyes appear, and they shoot faster and move faster.

Shooting in the Maze

Eyes turns Pac-Man's core idea into shooting. The chasing eyes don't just follow you, they shoot at you, which makes the game tenser than classic dot-collecting mazes. As the levels progress, more and faster eyes enter the scene.

Fun Facts

  • The game was released by Rock-Ola in 1982.
  • Eyes swaps Pac-Man's idea for shooting: you shoot the dots.
  • Computer-controlled eyes chase and shoot, and a shot eye reappears after a short time.
  • In Europe, Zaccaria also distributed a version with different cabinet art.
  • Rock-Ola, the publisher of Eyes, also published Nibbler, a game with similar visuals.

The Evolution of Arcade

Eyes is one of the maze games born after Pac-Man's success. What makes it interesting is that it swaps Pac-Man's core idea for shooting: here you shoot the dots, and your opponents shoot back. Eyes is less well known than Pac-Man, which makes it an interesting rarity today. In Europe, Zaccaria also distributed a version with different cabinet art.

Who Is It For?

Fans of classic maze games and arcade rarities. If you like Pac-Man, Eyes' unusual shooting twist makes for an interesting detour.