Head On (video game)
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | 1978 |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Arcade video games |
Head On is an arcade video game created by Sega/Gremlin and launched by Sega in 1979. It stands as the pioneering maze game centered on the objective of gathering dots. Designed by Lane Hauck at Sega/Gremlin in the United States, it achieved the position of the fourth top-grossing arcade title in 1979 across both Japan and the US markets.
Later that same year, Sega introduced a follow-up titled Head On Part II. The original game served as a foundation for multiple imitations and notably influenced Namco's Rally-X released in 1980.
Gameplay
The gameplay involves two vehicles continuously navigating rectangular maze pathways. At four distinct openings, these cars have the option to switch lanes. Players aim to collect every dot while steering clear of collisions with an AI-controlled vehicle traveling in the opposite direction.
Development
Conceived around 1978 during Sega's acquisition of Gremlin Industries, Head On was developed in the US by Sega/Gremlin with Lane Hauck as its designer. After assessing an early prototype, Sega engineer Shikanosuke Ochi recommended substituting the conventional timer-based rounds with a lives system inspired by Taito's Space Invaders. Hauck adopted this modification, which he regarded as essential to the game's commercial success.
The title supports both vertical and horizontal screen orientations: vertical displays for Japanese cocktail-style cabinets and horizontal setups for standard upright cabinets common in the US.
Reception
Commercially, Head On achieved significant success in arcades. In Japan, it became Gremlin's leading export and a major title following the surge caused by Space Invaders. It secured the fourth position among Japan's highest-grossing arcade games in 1979, behind only Space Invaders, Galaxian, and Sega's own Monaco GP. Similarly, in the United States, it ranked as the fourth top-earning arcade game of that year, following Space Invaders, Football, and Sprint 2.
Legacy
The core mechanic of Head On—navigating a maze to collect dots—has been associated with the conceptual development of Pac-Man (1980). Although direct influence remains unconfirmed, its popularity in Japan during the period when Pac-Man was created suggests a possible link. Later 1979 releases such as Space Chaser and Car Hunt further refined this gameplay style, exhibiting clear parallels to Pac-Man.
Ports were developed for platforms including the Commodore 64 and VIC-20 in 1982, alongside Japanese versions for the PC-8801 and Sharp MZ. The game was subsequently featured in collections like the Sega Saturn anthology Sega Memorial Selection Vol.1 and the PlayStation 2 compilation Sega Ages Vol. 23.
Sequels
In 1979, Sega released a sequel named Head On 2 or Head On Part II, which introduced side lanes enabling cars to turn and incorporated improved artificial intelligence.
Sega's title Car Hunt (also from 1979), informally dubbed Head On III, offered more intricate mazes with elevated roadways, full directional turns, and varied enemy behaviors. The SG-1000 game Pacar blended features from Car Hunt with elements reminiscent of Pac-Man.
During the 2000s, a mobile adaptation of Head On was made available exclusively in Japan through Sega’s portals such as Sonic Cafe, Puyo Puyo Sega, and Sega Ages.
Clones
Shortly after its U.S. debut, Exidy announced a similar game called Crash (1979). Following contact from Sega/Gremlin, Exidy ceased production. Despite this, Crash still ranked seventh among top-grossing arcade games in the U.S. for 1979, leading Exidy to develop related titles like Targ (1980).
Several licensed Japanese versions of Head On were produced by companies including Irem and Nintendo, which released a variant titled Head On N (ヘッド・オン・Ｎ, Heddo On N). The gameplay heavily influenced Namco's Rally-X, while Konami’s 1987 arcade release Fast Lane bore strong resemblance with enhanced visuals and additional features.
The concept behind Head On inspired numerous home computer clones such as Tunnels of Fahad for the TRS-80, Car Wars on the TI-99/4A, Spectravideo’s Killer Car, ZX Spectrum’s Car Chase, as well as Atari titles like Dodge 'Em for the 2600 and Dodge Racer for Atari 8-bit systems. These adaptations varied from three to six lanes in their design.