Spindizzy

Article summary

Spindizzy is a 1986 isometric video game published by Electric Dreams Software, who released it on several 8-bit home computer systems. Combining action and puzzle elements, the game features a series of landscapes consisting of ramps and corridors suspended in a three-dimensional space. The player must navigate a transforming probe through the landscapes within a time limit. Development was headed by Paul Shirley, who drew inspiration from Ultimate Play the Game games that feature an isometric projection. He approached the design as a mixture of an adventure game and a puzzle game, feeling that the ball rolling mechanic allowed for creative puzzles. Electric Dreams partnered with Activision to publish Spindizzy in the United States. However, Shirley eventually severed the contract due to late royalty payments and disagreements over Activision's business practices. The game was successful in the United Kingdom and was well received by contemporary video game press. Reviewers praised its visuals and design but criticised its audio. Similarities were drawn to Marble Madness, which was released in arcades two years earlier and on home platforms in 1986. Years after Spindizzy s release, publications continued to praise it in respective reviews. The game was followed by a 1990 sequel titled Spindizzy Worlds.

Key claims

1. release date: 1986 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95

Discussion questions

1. Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
2. The record states that the release date is "1986". What evidence would count against this claim?
3. Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
4. If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?

Bibliography

1. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1378925652