Gigolo (video game)
A memory game with adult themes for the Atari 2600.
Gigolo is a 1983 adult video game for the Atari 2600, originally published by American Multiple Industries under its Mystique brand and later by PlayAround. In North America, it came on a single cartridge that also contained Bachelor Party.
In the game, the player controls a man moving through a neighborhood of twelve houses. Seven men leave a jail at the start and each goes into a different house; the player must recall which houses are occupied. To enter a house, the player first withdraws money from an instant teller in $50 increments, up to $200. Each entry costs $10. Carrying over $50 causes a mugger to emerge from the jail and chase the player. Entering an occupied house leads to a bedroom scene where points are earned by moving the joystick up and down. Entering an empty house, revisiting a house already used, or not having enough money leaves the player vulnerable to police pursuit. The player can run by pressing the joystick button, but the police resume chasing after a short pause. Symbols at the top of the screen show remaining turns, and one is lost each time the player is caught.
Joel H. Martin is credited as the programmer. After American Multiple Industries left the video game business, the remaining Mystique titles were absorbed into the PlayAround line. Retrospective coverage from Kotaku noted that Gigolo and Cathouse Blues share the same core gameplay as gender-swapped counterparts within that expanded line.
In later reviews, Gigolo is usually discussed as part of PlayAround’s broader catalog of adult Atari 2600 games rather than as a major standalone release. Kotaku called it a "stealthy game of memory," while the Houston Press highlighted it as one of PlayAround’s gender-swapped adult games, directly comparing it to Cathouse Blues.
- release_year
- 1983
- publisher
- American Multiple Industries (Mystique label)
Lore & Background
Gigolo is a memory game in which the player controls a man navigating a neighborhood of twelve houses. At the start of the game, seven men leave the jail and enter separate houses, and the player must remember which locations are occupied. To enter a house, the player must first collect money from an instant teller, which pays out in $50 increments, up to a maximum of $200. Entering a 'den' costs $10. If the player carries more than $50, a mugger emerges from the jail and begins pursuing him. Entering an occupied house shifts the game to a bedroom scene, where points are scored by moving the joystick up and down. Entering an empty house, re-entering a previously used house, or failing to have enough money leaves the player temporarily vulnerable while police can chase. The player can run by pressing the joystick button, though police begin chasing again after a short delay. Remaining turns are indicated by symbols at the top of the screen, and one is lost each time the player is busted.
Reader's Guide
Gigolo is significant as part of the early wave of adult-themed video games for the Atari 2600, a niche market served by publishers like American Multiple Industries and its Mystique label. After American Multiple Industries exited the video game business, the remaining Mystique titles were folded into the PlayAround line. In retrospective coverage, Kotaku described Gigolo and Cathouse Blues as sharing the same core gameplay as gender-swapped counterparts within that expanded line. The game has generally been noted as part of PlayAround's broader line of adult Atari 2600 games, rather than as a major standalone release. Kotaku described it as a 'stealthy game of memory', while the Houston Press discussed it as one of PlayAround's gender-swapped counterparts to its male-led adult games, comparing it directly to Cathouse Blues. Its legacy lies in representing the intersection of early home video gaming and adult entertainment, a brief and controversial chapter in video game history.
Did You Know?
- Gigolo was released in 1983 for the Atari 2600.
- The dual-cartridge version containing both 'Gigolo' and 'Bachelor Party' was released under the PlayAround label, not the Mystique brand.
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