Ping Pong Deluxe

Ping Pong Deluxe is the inaugural release from Slipped Disk Software, developed by John Dalgliesh and posted to the Info-Mac archive as the ultimate two-player Pong simulation. The submission cheekily disavows fondness for the ancient white-ball-and-paddle original, then sets out to make Mac users the best version anyway, free of any shareware fee.

Two-player duel

Built as a real-time, two-player contest on a single Macintosh, the game pits two paddles against each other rather than against a CPU opponent, so the action is keyboard-versus-keyboard at the same desk.

Weapons and enhancers

The author advertises "Anti-OtherGuy" weapons to deploy against your opponent and "HelpMe!" enhancers to bail yourself out, layering arcade twists onto the otherwise stark Pong premise.

Audio and visuals

Presentation pushes well past the original's blips: sharp 256-colour graphics, digitized sound effects, and a complete four-channel music soundtrack run alongside the gameplay.

System requirements

Ping Pong Deluxe requires System 7, a 256-colour display, and a 13-inch or larger monitor. The release is fully free with no shareware fees attached, per the author's Info-Mac note.