Torpedo Shoot from Marx was a nautical-themed mashup of Skee-Ball and pinball. Released in 1977, the table-top action game challenged players, ages 5 to adult, to use torpedoes (marbles) to score points and try to hit the destroyer in the middle of the game.
GAMEPLAY
Each player had nine torpedoes to fire using a spring-action firing mechanism that shot each marble out of a spiral lamp toward various scoring holes on the game board. A plastic dome kept the torpedoes safely inside the playing area.
When each marble was shot, it fell into one of five target rings laid out in a familiar pattern for fans of Skee-Ball. After entering the ring, the balls automatically rolled down into the scoring slots. A perfect score was 450 points. The outermost circle was worth 10 points, leading to the smallest (and most difficult) inner ring of 50 points.
Pulling back the plunger at the game’s base automatically loaded the next shot. The spring-loaded shooter was marked with lines, allowing players to calibrate the force of each shot.
IN THE BOX
A complete game included the tabletop game, nine marbles, and a set of printed instructions. Torpedo Shoot was also released as Spiralball — same gameplay with different graphics and packaging.
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