Centipede

Centipede is the 1981 arcade classic by Atari, designed in part by Dona Bailey — one of the first women to design a major arcade game. A centipede winds down the screen through a field of mushrooms. Shoot segments to break it up. Each segment hit drops a new mushroom and creates two smaller centipede pieces. Don’t let it reach you. Atari’s biggest hit of 1981 and a foundational arcade title.

How to play

• Arrow keys (or WASD) — move your shooter in the bottom strip.
• Space — fire bullets straight up.
• Centipede starts at the top, winds left and right, descends one row at walls and mushrooms.
• Bullets that hit a centipede segment kill that segment, leaving a mushroom and splitting the centipede in two.
• Mushrooms take 4 hits to destroy.
• If the centipede reaches the bottom strip, you lose a life. Three lives total.
• Clearing the whole centipede spawns a new one (faster and longer over time).

Beginner strategy

• Aim for the head. The head sets the direction. Cutting the head changes the centipede’s path.
• Clear mushrooms in firing lanes. Each mushroom in your shooting column blocks bullets.
• Don’t let the field clog. Lots of mushrooms = fast centipede descent. Clear periodically.
• Bottom strip is your turf. You move side to side freely, but centipede in the strip is instant death.
• Spiders and fleas. Later levels add fast-moving spiders (across screen) and fleas (drop down). Prioritize them.

Intermediate strategy

• Centipede split optimization. Splitting in the middle creates two halves both heading toward you. Cut at the end to keep flow direction.
• Mushroom poison/health. Different colors indicate different states. Yellow/red = poison; pink = power.
• Scorpion alert. Scorpions poison mushrooms they touch. Avoid poisoned mushrooms — they cause centipede to descend straight down.
• Bonus points for fast clears. Quick centipede destruction = bonus.
• Power-ups. Some Centipede versions have rapid fire, multi-shot bullets.

Advanced strategy

• Mushroom topology control. Build “highways” of mushrooms that channel the centipede toward easy-shot positions.
• Speed at high levels. Late-game centipedes move at near-screen-blur speeds.
• Pattern shooting. Top players memorize wave patterns and pre-position shots.
• The 1,000,000+ record. The original Centipede has no kill screen. Records exceed 5 million.
• Trackball control. Original arcade Centipede used a trackball — more accessible than joysticks for new players.

The design innovation

Centipede was one of the first arcade games designed to appeal to women. Atari’s market research found that the colourful palette and “garden” theme expanded the player base significantly compared to space shooters. The trackball control was also more accessible than joysticks. The game’s commercial success proved the market for non-male-coded arcade games.

Centipede history

• 1981 — Centipede released. Designed by Dona Bailey and Ed Logg. Atari’s biggest hit of the year.
• 1982 — Atari 2600 / 5200 ports. Massive home console seller.
• 1983 — Millipede: direct sequel with more enemies and mechanics.
• 1995 — Centipede (PlayStation/PC): 3D revival.
• 2010 — Centipede: Origins: mobile and modern releases.
• Cultural impact: Centipede’s mushroom-and-bug aesthetic became a defining 1980s gaming image.

Common mistakes

• Ignoring mushroom buildup. Clogged fields = fast centipede descent.
• Not shooting the head. Hits anywhere split the centipede; head shots change direction.
• Slow reactions in late levels. Speed scaling is brutal.
• Wasting shots on the field. Mushrooms take 4 hits. Don’t burn shots randomly.

Variants

• Centipede (original).
• Millipede. Sequel with more enemy types.
• Centipede: Infestation. 3D action revival.
• Centipede Origins. Modern mobile version.
• Microsoft’s Centipede (Windows). Bundled version.

FAQ

• Q: How many segments in the centipede? A: Usually 9-12 initially. Hits split it; segments come back as the level progresses.
• Q: Do mushrooms regrow? A: Destroyed mushrooms can regrow with multi-hit damage if certain enemies don’t poison them.
• Q: What’s a “scorpion”? A: Scorpions poison mushrooms they pass over. Poisoned mushrooms cause centipedes to descend straight down — dangerous.
• Q: Why is Centipede important? A: It was the first major arcade game designed by a woman (Dona Bailey) and proved the market for non-male-coded arcade games.

For other arcade classics, try Space Invaders, Galaga, Asteroids, or Pacman.