Omega Race

Omega Race is a classic vector arcade game. This game takes place on a single screen with a large square in the middle that displays your score, lives and other information. (This information square also serves as huge obstacle). You control a spaceship that moves much like the ship in Asteroids (except it is a lot faster, and reacts well at even high speeds). You zip around the perimeter of the score area zapping several different enemy types (that all look very similar to each other). Gameplay is very fast paced, it usually takes under a minute to complete each level.

This game was designed to compete with Asteroids and is superior in many ways. Midway made four different dedicated cabinets for this game. All of them are works of art. With great sideart, black lights, mirrors, and other enhancements. One thing of note is that the high score table will not display the initial "FUK" or "FUC" (early censorship at its best).

We, the leaders of the Omegan Star System, have spent countless eons perfecting our method of training our warriors to defend our star colonies. This method -- you may call it OMEGA RACE -- has proven so successful that evildoers tremble at the mere thought of interfering with us. As a result, our lives have become rather mundane and boring. So now we search the galaxies for other forms of intelligent life fast and tough enough to meet the challenge of our OMEGARACE. Having failed to locate such life, we're settling for you. We await you in the arena!

There were four different Omega Race cabinets made, upright, sit-down, mini, and cocktail. They are all quite different in appearance (even having different sideart). I haven't been able to track down enough information to set a price on one of these. (Although I saw a dead sit-down one go for $300 at an auction in the summer of 2000).

The Atari version of this game came with a special joystick that had a second button. If this is missing you can use a ColecoVision or Sega Genesis controller instead. This game is valued at around $4 USD (price current as of September 2001). As always, games with boxes and manuals are worth more.