Black Widow

Gameplay

Black Widow was a dual-joystick color vector shooter set on a spider's web. The player controlled a spider using one joystick for movement and another for firing in eight directions. Waves of insects — including bugs, rockets, and grubs — invaded the web. Grubs hatched into more dangerous enemies if left alone. The web itself served as the playing field boundary, creating a hexagonal arena.

Historical Significance

Black Widow was one of the later Atari color vector games. It used the same dual-joystick control scheme that Eugene Jarvis had popularized with Robotron: 2084 (a raster game). While not a massive commercial hit, Black Widow demonstrated the visual appeal of color vector graphics for arena-style shooters. The game ran on Atari's AVG color vector hardware.

Fun Facts & Legacy

The game's enemy designs were inspired by actual insects and arachnids, though rendered in the abstract geometric style that vector displays demanded. Black Widow is considered by collectors to be one of the more underrated color vector titles. The game featured bonus rounds where players could collect money symbols on the web for extra points.