Pole Position
ポール・ポジション
Description
Race your Indy car around the Fuji course before the timer runs out. The first run is the qualifying lap and your starting position is determined by your completion time. Avoid road hazards and other cars as you drive, earning extra time for each completed lap.
Pole Position was produced by Atari in 1982.
Atari released 139 machines in our database under this trade name, starting in 1972. Atari was based in United States.
Other machines made by Atari during the time period Pole Position was produced include: Neutron Star, Tempest Tubes, Tempest, Triangle, Maze Invaders, Akka Arrh, Atari Force Liberator, Fast Freddie, Black Widow, and Gravitar
Specs
| Name | Pole Position |
|---|---|
| Developer | Atari (United States) |
| Year | 1982 |
| Type | Videogame |
| KLOV/MOG # | 9063 |
| Class | Wide Release |
| Genre | Racing |
| Monitor |
|
| Conversion Class | unique |
| Game Specific | Pole Position Pinout |
| Dipswitch Settings | |
| # Simultaneous Players | 1 |
| # Maximum Players | 1 |
| Game Play | Single |
| Control Panel Layout | Single Player |
| Controls |
|
| Sound | Unamplified Mono (requires one-channel amp) |
| Cabinet Styles |
|
| Bezel | Pole Position Bezel Image |
| Control Panel | Pole Position Control Panel Image |
| Side Art | Pole Position Side Art Image |
| PCB | Pole Position PCB Image |
Game Introduction
Prepare to qualify! A sophisticated game for its day, with scaleable foreground objects and speech. Keep an eye out for the billboards! Also famous for burning the power input edge connectors and finger contacts on the PCB. Several custom integrated circuits.
Pole Position KLOV/IAM 5 Point User Score: 4.00 (17 votes)
Fun Factor: 4.07
Overall Like |
4.41 |
|---|---|
| Fun (Social) | 3.76 |
| Fun (Solo) | 4.18 |
| Collector Desire | 3.47 |
Technical Rating: 3.93
| Gameplay | 4.18 |
|---|---|
| Graphics | 3.88 |
| Originality | 3.82 |
| Sound/Music | 3.71 |
Personal Impressions and Technical Impressions each account for half of the total score.
Within the Personal Impressions category, Like
carries a little more weight than the other factors.
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Images
Trivia
This game was one of the choices presented to BallyMidway from Namco for sublicensing. BallyMidway chose IMappyI while Atari was left with IPole PositionI. IPole PositionI went on to become the biggest game of 1983 number four on httpwww.atarihistory.com30secrets.html .
Cabinet Information
The sitdown version of the game uses separate accelerator and brake pedals while the upright only uses a single pedal.
Miscellaneous
Pole Position was created by Namco Inc. who also manufactured the game for the entire world except for the United States. Aside from the words which are in Japanese found on and in the Namco version, the graphics on the side of the cabinet are basically the same as well as the billboards that are seen throughout the game. Compared to the Atari release, the only differences are the Atari Racing decal on the simulated dashboard and the little blimp that can be seen at the beginning of a race that is marked Atari with the message Prepare To Qualify. In the Namco version, the blimp has no markings on it.
VAPS Arcade/Coin-Op Pole Position Census
There are 15,368 members of the Video Arcade Preservation Society / Vintage Arcade Preservation Society, 9,708 whom participate in our arcade census project of games owned, wanted, or for sale. Census data currently includes 167,369 machines (7,023 unique titles).
Very Common - There are 671 known instances of this machine owned by Pole Position collectors who are active members. Of these, 624 of them are original dedicated machines. 2 of them are conversions in which game circuit boards (and possibly cabinet graphics) have been placed in (and on) another game cabinet. 41 of them are only circuit boards which a collector could put into a generic case if desired.
For Sale - There are 25 active VAPS members with a Pole Position machines for sale. There are 9 active VAPS members with a Pole Position circuit boards for sale.
Wanted - Very Popular - There are 32 active VAPS members currently looking for Pole Position.
This game ranks a 83 on a scale out of 100 (100 = most often seen, 1=least common) in popularity based on census ownership records.
This game ranks a 50 on a scale out of 100 (100 = most often seen, 1=least common) in popularity based on census want list records.
Rarity and Popularity independently are not necessarily indications of value. [More Information]
Flyers
1982
/ 6 Pages
1982
/ 2 Pages
1982
1982
/ 2 Pages
Technical
The game uses two Z8002 microprocessors, one Z80 microprocessor and a Namco 6channel stereo PSG for sounds.
Legacy or Series
- Pole Position
- Pole Position II
- TX-1
- TX-1 V8
Manuals
Foto-Finder® (Books)
- Arcade Treasures Kurtz (ISBN 088740619X) Page: 111; Color photo
- The Encyclopedia of Arcade Video Games Kurtz (ISBN 0764319256) Page: 129; Color photo Price guide: No
- Arcade Fever Sellers (ISBN 0762409371) Page: 104; Color photo
- Encyclopedia of Arcade Video Games Kurtz (ISBN 0764319256) Page: 129; Color photo
Additional References (logged in members often see more)
- 3D Model (External): cockpit (688f6f067393bae3533276a8c0b1c862)
- 3D Model (External): Upright (Irish Version) (5caff19a-bf6e-4edf-8ef1-2e2f3e12d8d1)
- 3D Model (External): Upright (17697f85466d9f96533276a8c0b1c862)
Arcade Map - Play This Game
Our members have reported that Pole Position is playable at 3 locations:
| Name | Location | State | Country | Details | Check-ins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bit Bar | 278 Derby St, Salem | Massachusetts | United States | Unknown | 1 |
| Level One Bar + Arcade | 130 Hutchinson Ave, Columbus | Ohio | United States | Unknown | 0 |
| Lost Levels - Claremont | 530 W First St, Claremont | California | United States | Arcade | 0 |
eBay Listings
Click to search eBay for Pole Position Videogame machines and related items.
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TOP WATCHED LISTINGS FOR: Pole Position
Pole Position II Video Arcade Game Board by Atari
Auction ends in: 2 weeks, 14 hours
1 EACH ATARI POLE POSITION, POLE POSITION 2 ARCADE VIDEO GAME SWITCH. NOS. MINT.
Auction ends in: 3 weeks, 4 days
Pole Position Video Arcade Flyer Original 1982 Video Game Foldout Brochure Retro
Auction ends in: 2 weeks, 2 hours
Atari Pole Position Arcade CPU PCB Board Set. Used. Untested.
Auction ends in: 2 weeks, 1 day
POLE POSITION Tiny Arcade Game Mini Joystick Electronic Toy Retro Doll Desk NEW
Auction ends in: 4 weeks, 10 hours
BRAND NEW! POLE POSITION Tiny Arcade Game Retro Mini Electronic Keychain
Auction ends in: 3 weeks, 3 days
Untested original Atari pole position shifter parts lot Arcade Game If42
Auction ends in: 2 weeks, 3 days
Auction Results
Logged in members can see all related auctions.
Auctions Recap
| Year | Count | Median $ | Average $ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 1 | 115.00 | 115.00 |
| 2016 | 2 | 661.25 | 661.25 |
| 2017 | 6 | 466.00 | 503.21 |
| 2018 | 3 | 826.00 | 1,062.00 |
| All Years | 12 | 531.00 | 636.90 |
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