It may have been meant to be tongue-in-cheek, but there could be some truth behind the “discovery” by an Engadget reader. Apparently, the logo for Android is extremely similar to a creature from Gauntlet: The Third Encounter. (See comparison here)
It isn’t that surprising that is has taken so long for someone to make the connection. Gauntlet: The Third Encounter is generally thought to be one of many bottom-of-the-barrel concepts for the old Atari Lynx console. With the time between the game and today, and most of the newer generations not even knowing what an Atari is, I am more amazed that anyone was able to play the game long enough to see the similarities.
As you can see from the source link above, the Gauntlet character is one of many bit characters from the game. Also called ‘Android’, it has an oval-shaped body, antenna, and even a separation through the head that looks a lot like the line acting as a mouth for the Google logo. There are also cylinder arms, circle eyes, and they are roughly the same dimensions.
Some Google fans will claim it is a coincidence, but when you see them matched up (again, check out the source link) it is hard to justify that opinion. Now, it could have been accidental. Maybe someone used to play Gauntlet: The Third Generation and the image stuck in their mind while they slowly forgot about the game itself. With it being such an obscure title I am willing to believe that no one would have caught it.
But it is also as possible that this was a case of intellectual theft. Either way, Google has some explaining to do. They may also have a lawsuit on their hands, if this gets back to Atari.
© 2010 Micmn.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Recent Feedback