Avoid the Noid (video game)

Avoid the Noid is a video game developed and released in 1989 by Capcom for the PC platform. It was created as an advertising tie-in for the Domino's Pizza chain, featuring their then-mascot, the Noid. The game is a platformer where players must deliver a pizza within a 30-minute time limit, navigating through various obstacles and avoiding the Noid, an antagonist who attempts to prevent the delivery.

Gameplay

In Avoid the Noid, players control a pizza delivery person who must reach the top of a multi-story building within a half-hour to deliver a pizza. The game is divided into levels, each representing a floor of the building, with the final level being a confrontation with the Noid himself. Players must dodge obstacles such as enemies, traps, and puzzles. The Noid uses various methods to hinder the player's progress, including setting traps and directly attacking the player.

The game is known for its challenging gameplay and was a reflection of the popular advertising campaign by Domino's Pizza during the late 1980s. The slogan "Avoid the Noid" was used by the company to promote the idea that their pizzas would arrive fresh and hot, as opposed to their competitors, with the Noid character symbolizing the pitfalls of pizza delivery.

Development

Avoid the Noid was developed by Capcom, a company renowned for its contributions to the video game industry, particularly in the arcade and home console markets. The game was part of a trend during the 1980s and 1990s where companies would create video games as promotional tools for products and services. The choice to develop a game around the Noid character stemmed from the mascot's popularity and the desire to capitalize on the character's recognition with the gaming audience.

Reception

Upon release, Avoid the Noid received mixed reviews. Critics praised the game for its inventive use of the Domino's Pizza mascot and found it to be an amusing marketing strategy. However, some criticized the game for its difficulty level and for being a thinly veiled advertisement. Despite the mixed critical reception, the game has since gained a cult following among fans of retro gaming and is remembered as a quirky piece of video game and advertising history.

Legacy

The Noid character and the Avoid the Noid game are remembered as iconic examples of 1980s pop culture. The game's connection to a popular advertising campaign makes it a unique case study in the use of video games for marketing purposes. Over the years, the Noid has seen a resurgence in popularity, leading to new merchandise and references in modern media. Avoid the Noid remains a notable example of the intersection between video games and advertising.