Clean Sweep

Clean Sweep

Arcade cabinet - USA.

Developer Ramtek Publisher Ramtek, Volley Industries Published 1974-05-?? Platforms Arcade Genres Ball and paddle, Block breaker Multiplayer Alternating versus Distribution Commercial

Clean Sweep is a seminal block breaker video game developed and published by Ramtek for the arcade in May 1974. The game is one of, if not the first to use RAM to store the game's state, and ROM to store game graphics.

The objective of Clean Sweep is to eliminate all the dots on the screen by bouncing a ball with a paddle.

Personal

Own?	No.
Won?	No. As far as I know, the game doesn't have a win condition.

While researching the ball and paddle genre of video games, I found out about this game.

Review

1	2	1	1	2

Best Version: Arcade

Good

• The game serves as a prototype for the block breaker genre of video game. Although it doesn't function exactly as later games would, they owe a lot to this game.
• By utilizing both RAM and ROM, the game was able to have more targets and more details graphics than most other games of the time.
• Drawing a rounded paddle helps the player more intuitively know how the ball will rebound off it.

Bad

• The paddle moves so quickly, it's pretty difficult to control.
• The ball's speed doesn't accelerate at a consistent manner, but instead frequently jumps in speed or slows down abruptly based on the angle you hit it with the paddle. This makes it even harder to hit.

Ugly

• There isn't much to this game. If you're able to clear all the dots, the game just immediately draws a new set. There is no fanfare for clearing them, you just get a slight score bonus.
• The game is media challenged. The display is monochromatic, the sound is just beeps, and even the cabinet art is dull.

Media

Cabinet Art

• 

  Arcade cabinet - USA.

Documentation

• 

  Flyer - USA.

• 

  Flyer - USA.

• 

  Flyer - Canada.

Videos

Gameplay - Emulated.

Gameplay - Cabinet.

Representation

Strong female character?	Fail	There are no characters.
Bechdel test?	Fail	There are no characters.
Strong person of color character?	Fail	There are no characters.
Queer character?	Fail	There are no characters.

Credits

Role	Staff
Entire Game (Uncreditied)	Howell Ivy

Titles

Language	Native	Transliteration	Translation
English (Canada)	Flip-Out
English (USA)	Clean Sweep
Japanese (IPM)	ＰＴ スターダスト	Suta Dasuto	PT Stardust
Japanese (Universal)	スターラブ	Suta Rabu	Star Rub

Links

   

• arcade-museum.com/Videogame/clean-sweep - Arcade Museum.