- The Washington Times - Friday, September 27, 2013

Atari, the stuff of 1981 video game legends, is making a comeback of sorts — in the casino gambling industry.

Slot machine makers are looking to produce a batch of new games that hearken back to penny arcade days and are targeted at the middle-age market, The Associated Press reported. One of their inspirations: Atari’s famous Centipede game.

The point is to tap into that nostalgia, while upping casino revenues.

For users, that means gambling is taking on a less-luck-of-the-draw, more skill-based approach. One Centipede slot machine developed by International Game Technology hitting casino floors converts points from playing — from shooting the digital insects — into money.

And the two-player version is even more competitive. The one who shoots more insects is the one who wins the money, AP reported.

The new games made their debut at the annual casino trade show this week in Las Vegas. Now, other manufacturers are looking to develop similar skill-based games, AP reported.

• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.

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