Kozmik Krooz'r: An Unusual One Of Kind Game

Kozmik Krooz’r, originally known as Kapt. Krooz’r is an arcade video game developed by Bally Midway and released in 1982. Kozmik Krooz’r is a shoot-’em-up game in which players guide Kapt. Krooz’r to a rotating mothership at the top of the playfield, one which can only be entered when its tractor beam is operational. Players can also shoot enemies in one of eight directions and deflect firepower during their journey. Every fifth round, there is a bonus round where Kapt. Krooz’r must pick up space junk. The cabinet design was unique for its time, as the mothership is not stored as part of the game’s graphics. The spaceship is a physical plastic “toy”. A series of mirrors projects the mothership just above the game’s monitor, giving a much sharper and smoother image as it rotates than what could be achieved on the hardware at the time. Very few Kozmik Krooz’r cabinets were manufactured, making a working copy of the game very rare. Kozmik Krooz’r was not released for home systems, though was included in the 2004 release of Midway Arcade Treasures 2. Here, the mothership is represented by 3D polygons. The character Kapt. Krooz’r also features in the arcade game sequel Wacko. H/T >