Marine Date

Marine Date is an arcade game that was released by Taito Corporation in 1981; it utilises a Zilog Z80 microprocessor (running at 2.5 MHz), but it is not known what chips it uses for audio. The player must use a trackball in order to assist a red octopus with bouncing through an aquatic maze (while avoiding hazards, such as coral and sharks) so he can meet up with his yellow girlfriend (who is waiting for him at the maze's goal) - however, the octopus has to reach each maze's goal within a specific number of shots, or he shall run out of energy and fail the level. If the player sees a shark coming, they can also press the game's "Ink Button" to make the octopus spit ink at the shark and kill it for additional points; furthermore, bubbles will occasionally rise up from the ocean floor (and if the octopus gets caught by them, they shall carry him to a new position, so the player will have to realign their aim). As in Taito's own Crazy Balloon, the maze shall change each time the octopus reaches its goal - but if a mermaid is passing by and the player manages to bounce the octopus into her, she will immediately carry him to his girlfriend at the current level's goal, so he shall receive its bonus and proceed to the next level.