The Rules

So what will it take to get my high score officially recognised as the world’s best on the Pengo arcade game?

The following is reproduced from the Twin Galaxies website - www.twingalaxies.com. There’s a few other bits and pieces, but this seems to be the crux of it.

First, the settings of the Pengo arcade game machine must be as follows:

Dip Switch Bank A:
1-2 = Closed
3 = Closed/Open [Upright/Cocktail]
4-5 = Closed
6 = Open
7 = Closed
8 = Open

Dip Switch Bank B:
1-2 = Closed
3-4 = Open
5-6 = Closed
7-8 = Open

The above Dip Switches, when properly designated, will give the following Twin Galaxies Tournament Settings, used for this title;
5 Pengos
Bonus Pengo @ 30,000
Normal Play
Medium Difficulty

And secondly, to submit a valid score, it is necessary to make a full uninterrupted recording of the entire game - from switching on the machine to entering one's initials at the end of the game:

You MUST record your entire game, starting from before you power on your console to the point where you enter your name in (if appropriate). It is very important to record this to prevent the disqualification of your record attempt. In general, use the following as the basis for starting but note that you must check for any machine-specific rules also.

You should record at least 5 seconds of “dead-air” before powering on your machine. Dead-air is simply the “nothing” that exists before powering on. Power on the game system and allow the machine to boot normally. If the system is cartridge-based and a cartridge must be inserted in order to start the system, have your game cartridge already inserted. For more modern systems with ejectable media (CDs or DVDs for example), please boot the game system without the media inserted (for some systems this is a requirement). In this case, once the system is on and fully booted up, insert your game disc, and boot the game. Proceed through the menu structure of the game (if applicable) at a leisurely pace, setting up the game as per the rules of the variation.

Play your game from start to finish, and once you have achieved your score, be sure to allow the game to show all closing scenes, menus, and input your initials if prompted by the game.

So there it is.

The recording requirement might be a bit of a problem for the public machine I've been using, but when I start getting a few more decent scores, I’m sure we can work something out.

And the requirement for six Pengos - rather than the four I’ve always played with - is very enticing. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a game with that many Pengos.

Looks like I might have to have a chat with the very friendly and (hopefully!) understanding people at the museum and see what they can do.