Backgammon

APF Imagination Machine - Released - October 1, 1978

This is one of the earliest Backgammon videogame along with the Channel F Backgammon released the year before (1977). There are two game variations: - two players game - play against the computer This is an important point: to be able to play against the computer. In 1978 it was not that common. The graphics are quite decent for such an early version.

Baseball

APF Imagination Machine - Released - October 1, 1978

It seems like all gaming systems must have their Baseball game, as early as 1978! Indeed the RCA Studio II, the Fairchild Channel F, the Bally Astrocade and the Atari VCS all had their Baseball game! The controls are similar to other Baseball games. The outfielders are moved with the joystick, though you can't move them after the ball is pitched. They're spaced a little oddly, so there's usually a gap in right field that the computer player manages to hit to more often than not. To pitch, you send the ball with the fire button and control its path with the joystick. To bat you simply press the fire button. The Bally's players are animated better, so if I had to rank this one by graphics, I'd place it as better than the Fairchild's version but not as good as the Bally's, based on overall look and player animations. Control-wise the Bally outfielders had a better range of motion, without the gap that the APF players can't seem to fill. At bat, it seems harder to get a hit on the APF than it does on the Bally and I don't feel I have the same control over where the ball is hit. Pitching is pretty similar in that you've got a lot of control over the ball after you "throw" it and it is fun to try to fake out the person at bat with wildly curving balls that they swing at anyway. You can play with a friend or against the computer.

Blackjack

APF Imagination Machine - Released - October 1, 1978

Another Blackjack game, but maybe the best one released in 1978, compared to its competitors (Channel F, Atari VCS, Bally Astrocade). The APF M1000 is the only system to bother to include symbols for the suit! You can choose the number of decks up to four that the dealer draws from.

Bowling / Micro Match

APF Imagination Machine - Released - October 1, 1978

This cartridge offers two games: Bowling and Micro Match Bowling: This game is one of the earliest bowling videogame released, along with the RCA Studio II version (1977), the Fairchild Channel F bowling (1978) and the Atari VCS (1978). All of them seem to have been inspired by the first bowling arcade videogame Robot Bowl (1977). You can play Bowling for the APF-1000 with up to 4 players. Like the other bowling games of the time, your ball is moving constantly back and forth and you must decide when you want to throw it by pressing the fire button at the right moment. There is no way to put hook effect on the ball here. Micro Match: Micro Match is a memory game. The object of the game is to match the hidden object or word with a similar object or word. If you guess correctly, the squares will disappear from the screen and you go again. Here again you can play with up to 4 players. There are 5 different game modes, from the easiest to the hardest, depending on what you must find (colors, patterns or words) and how many items (pairs or triplex)

Boxing

APF Imagination Machine - Released - October 1, 1978

Boxing is a recreation of the sport viewed from a side view perspective. The player can move the boxer forward and backward, throw punches and block the opponent's punches. The objective is to knock out the opponent (by managing five hits in a row) or win the most number of rounds.

Brickdown / Shooting Gallery

APF Imagination Machine - Released - October 1, 1978

This cartridge offers two games, Brick Down and Shooting Gallery. Brick Down: Brick Down is of course a copy of the arcade hit Breakout from Atari (1976), but here the playfield if turned 90° to the right, so that the paddle up and down like a normal pong game. The object of the game is to destroy all the bricks in the wall. Options include fast or slow ball speed, 8 or 12 layers wall. Shooting Gallery: Shooting Gallery is a simple shooting game for two players. Screen is split in two halves, one for each player. On each side a moving target is moving back and forth. You must shoot this target as many times as possible. Each time a target is hit, it will change color, size (smaller) and speed (faster). The color cycle goes like this: green - blue - purple - red - white. If the white target is hit, it disappears, the game is over. Your bullets are limited and this is how you will know who has won, but looking at the number of remaining bullets.

Casino I: Roulette / Keno / Slots

APF Imagination Machine - Released - October 1, 1978

One of the earliest videogame dedicated to Casino games. This cartridge offers 3 different games: Roulette, Keno and Slot.

Catena

APF Imagination Machine - Released - October 1, 1978

A game of skill and challenge designed for the whole family to play. Play ends when every square is occupied. The winner is the one with the majority of squares in his color. The game board is constructed of 64 squares. After the board is laid out, each player than takes a turn, making one move for each turn.

Hangman / Tic-Tac-Toe / Doodle

APF Imagination Machine - Released - October 1, 1978

This cartridge offers 3 games: Hangman: Classic Hangman videogame, though this one might be the first of its genre on a console along with Hangman for the Atari VCS 2600, and Hangman for the Channel F released the same year (1978). Maybe there was even earlier versions on computer systems, but no proof has been found yet. This version for the APF M1000 offers many options and a has built-in vocabulary! Options include: from 1 to 4 player games, 3 to 6 letter words, 7 to 10 letter words or 3 to 10 letter words; and you can of course enter your own words. Tic Tac Toe: Simple Tic Tac Toe game but well realised. You can play with a friend or against the computer. Doodle: Very simple paint program where you move a virtual pen on the screen with the joystick and you choose one of the 9 colors available by pressing the button in cycle.

Pinball / Dungeon Hunt / Blockout

APF Imagination Machine - Released - October 1, 1978

Pinball - three variations of Pinball. Dungeon Hunt - 70 squares, behind which are hidden 8 different colored objects. For finding monochrome additional bonuses are added. Up to 4 players. Blockout - 4 variations of the snake. A game for two.

Rocket Patrol

APF Imagination Machine - Released - October 1, 1978

This is the built-in game for the APF MP-1000 videogame system released in 1978. The object of the game is to destroy the most space ships within 1 minute period. In 1 player mode (see video below), your opponent is the videogame system. For the first minute it will fire at the space ships trying to score most points. Then, it's your turn, also for 1 minute. The player has an advantage over the system, as he can move the firing station from left to right along the bottom of the screen. It was inspired by the Atari arcade game Anti-Aircraft (1975)

Space Destroyers

APF Imagination Machine - Released - October 1, 1978

A space invaders knock-off with little no differences from the classic arcade game. Released in 1978 by APF Electronics.

UFO / Sea Monsters / Break It Down / Rebuild / Shoot

APF Imagination Machine - Released - October 1, 1978

This cartridge offers many variations based around shooting duels. UFO 1 & 2 The objective of these games is to destroy mmore UFOs than you oppponent. The difference between UFO 1 and 2 is the score value of the destroyed UFOs. Sea Monsters Destroy the monsters at the bottom of the sea, but don't kill the fishes! Break it down/rebuild The objective of break it down is to use the least amount of shots to break up the rotating square. The square consists of 24 pieces, 24 being thus the best score possible. Rebuild is just the opposite of Break it down. Use the least amount of shots to rebuild the rotating square. Shoot a little / Shoot / Shoot a lot The objective of these games is to the targets as many times as possible. When a target is hit, it changes color and speed. The difference between the 3 variations is how many shots you can do (20, 50 or 99).