Journey's Trek from Billboard Hits to Arcade Adventures

In the early 1980s, two video games featuring the iconic rock band Journey were released, but their quality was underwhelming. Despite the band's popularity, Journey Escape (1982) for Atari 2600 and Journey (1983) for arcade failed to gain widespread recognition due to their limited graphics, gameplay, and questionable design choices. While Journey Escape relied solely on the band's name and a disappointing 8-bit version of "Don't Stop Believin'", Journey for arcade offered a marginally better experience with digitized headshots of the band members and synthesized renditions of their songs.

The Journey of Journey: From Chart-Topping Anthems to Arcade Antics

License to Retro: The Genesis of Journey Video Games

As the iconic rock band Journey soared through the charts in the early 1980s, their music found an unexpected outlet in the world of video games. Today, these largely forgotten relics of the era stand as intriguing artifacts, providing a glimpse into a time when the boundaries between entertainment mediums were being playfully blurred.

JOURNEY ESCAPE: A Rock 'n' Roll Odyssey (1982)

The genesis of Journey video games was Atari's 1982 home console release, "JOURNEY ESCAPE." Developed by Data Age, a company known for its unremarkable output, this game marked the first time a rock band had their name and music licensed for a video game. Drawing inspiration from Journey's hit album "Escape," the game tasked players with guiding each band member through "mobs of love-crazed groupies and shifty-eyed promoters" in order to reach their escape vehicle.

Despite its groundbreaking nature, "JOURNEY ESCAPE" fell short in terms of gameplay and graphics. The use of an 8-bit version of "Don't Stop Believin'" for the intro screen hinted at a promising musical experience, but the game's original music proved uninspired. Its release was met with lukewarm reception, and Data Age, already struggling financially, soon faded into obscurity.

JOURNEY (1983): A Galactic Adventure

Bally Midway's attempt at a Journey video game, simply titled "JOURNEY," hit arcades in March 1983. While not without its flaws, this game offered a more ambitious and technically impressive interpretation of the band's music and lifestyle.

The game takes place on a futuristic mission where "wild alien groupoids" have seized the band's instruments. The player controls a band member through five mini-games on five different planets, navigating obstacles and retrieving the missing instruments. Throughout, synthesized versions of Journey's popular songs provide an energetic soundtrack, including "Don't Stop Believin'," "Keep on Runnin'," and "Stone in Love."

Upon completing the mini-games, the band reunites in their Scarab vehicle, only to face a final challenge in the form of a "spectacular concert at the Galactic Stadium." Here, the player controls a road manager who must fend off crazed fans while the band performs a looped recording of their hit "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)."

The use of digitized black-and-white headshots of the band members on the cartoony character sprites was an innovative touch for its time. However, the gameplay itself was repetitive, and the difficulty level increased frustratingly upon losing lives.

A Legacy of Curiosity

Despite their critical and commercial shortcomings, the Journey video games hold a unique place in video game history. They were among the first to incorporate licensed rock music and served as early examples of adapting pop culture properties into interactive experiences.

Today, these games are primarily curiosities for retro gaming enthusiasts and Journey fans alike. While they may not have been as groundbreaking as Journey's music, they offer a glimpse into the band's cultural impact and the playful experimentation of the early video game era.

Rediscovering the Past

For those interested in experiencing these digital relics firsthand, used cartridges for "JOURNEY ESCAPE" can be found on online marketplaces. Additionally, an emulator is available for "JOURNEY" at the Internet Archive. Whether for nostalgic purposes or a simple curiosity about the intersection of music and gaming, the Journey video games offer a peculiar and entertaining journey back in time.