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1981

Super Cobra

Quick Overview

Super Cobra is Konami's horizontally scrolling shooter from 1981, in which you fly a helicopter instead of a spaceship through caverns and enemy defense systems. The machine in the museum is the licensed version by Zaccaria, an Italian company based in Bologna. In the United States it was manufactured and distributed by Stern Electronics. The game is the spiritual successor to Scramble: it carries the same core idea forward, but with longer stages and much tougher gameplay.

Super Cobra

Basics

  • Release1981
  • DeveloperKonami
  • Manufacturer (this machine)Zaccaria (Bologna, Italy), licensed from Konami
  • North American publisherStern Electronics
  • GenreHorizontally scrolling shooter
  • Players1–2
  • PredecessorScramble (1981)

Standout Features

A helicopter instead of a spaceshipTen sections, then the base (eleven sections in total)Fuel that can be replenished by destroying tanksContinue where you left off with extra credits

Gameplay

Horizontally scrolling stagesLaser and bombsFuel managementLooting the base at the end

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Game Objective

Fly your helicopter through caverns and enemy territory, using a laser and bombs to destroy defenders, tanks and UFOs. Fuel runs down over time but can be replenished by destroying fuel tanks. You pass through ten sections, and then have to extract loot at the base. Unlike Scramble, you can continue where you left off by adding more credits.

Zaccaria: An Italian Cabinet, a Konami Game

Zaccaria was a company based in Bologna, Italy, founded by the brothers Marino, Franco and Natale Zaccaria, and it operated from 1974 to 1990. It built both pinball and arcade machines, and in pinball it was the third largest manufacturer in the world after Bally and Williams. The company secured licenses to many popular Konami games: besides Super Cobra it also built Scramble, Frogger, Comidar (based on Amidar), Hyper Sports and Hyper Olympics. Thanks to their distinctive look, Zaccaria cabinets are sought-after collectibles today.

Fun Facts

  • Super Cobra is the spiritual successor to Scramble.
  • In the game you fly a helicopter instead of a spaceship.
  • The museum's machine is the licensed version by the Italian company Zaccaria, built in Bologna.
  • By October 2, 1981, Stern had built 12,337 cabinets for the US market.
  • It was Stern's third best-selling arcade classic after Berzerk and Scramble.
  • Unlike Scramble, the game can be continued with extra credits.
  • Parker Brothers brought it to several home systems, including the Atari 2600 and ColecoVision.
  • It appeared on PlayStation in 1999 as part of Konami Arcade Classics.
  • In October 2020, Hamster released it in the Arcade Archives series for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4.

The Evolution of Arcade

Super Cobra is a longer, tougher follow-up to Scramble: it has eleven sections instead of six. Most ports were based on Super Cobra rather than Scramble, because publishers considered it the "definitive" version. Parker Brothers brought it to the Atari 2600, Atari 5200, ColecoVision, Intellivision and Odyssey².

Who Is It For?

Fans of classic horizontally scrolling shooters, tough endurance challenges and arcade history. If you know Scramble, Super Cobra is its natural follow-up.