Atari Games developed the 1985 arcade game Gauntlet, famous for its four-player cooperative cabinet.
Gauntlet was developed by Atari Games and released in arcades in 1985. Its cabinet supported up to four simultaneous players, each selecting one of four fantasy characters: the Warrior, Valkyrie, Wizard, or Elf. Players explored maze-like rooms, fought monsters, collected keys, and searched for food and treasure.
The game’s cooperative design was a major attraction. Rather than competing for a single score, players could combine abilities and share the challenges of a sprawling dungeon. The cabinet’s multiple control stations also encouraged groups to play together in the same physical space.
Gauntlet is sometimes attributed to Atari, Inc., because that company created many earlier arcade classics. The specific developer and publisher associated with the 1985 release was Atari Games, the later arcade division formed after the separation of Atari’s home and coin-operated operations. Ed Logg led the design.