Attack the Grubnal empire in Magical Spot!

Hey Arcaders!

As we’re learning- Universal was always looking at a game… say-  Space Invaders, or Galaxian… and saying        ” How can we make uniquely ours”…  and that’s how they came up with Magical Spot!

The Grubnal Empire is heading towards earth! Your single shooterstar ship is the only one in the quadrant! Shoot the Grubnoids  before the reach your ship- They form cocoons… then emerge as Ultramoths! they are fast… and make a beeline for your ship! Don’t fail Shooterstar- the galaxies safety is in your hands!

• Developer / Publisher: Universal Co., Ltd. 
• Release Year: 1980 
• Platform: Arcade 
• Genre: Shooter / Action 
• Visual / Perspective: Fixed / flip screen 
• Players: 1–2 (alternate play) 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Another stunner!

Gameplay & Mechanics

• You control a laser ship that moves horizontally at the bottom of the screen. 
• At the top of the screen, a UFO flies back and forth, releasing “grubs.” 
• Grubs descend toward holes (visualized as a grid of dots). When they reach these holes, they turn into larvae. 
• Larvae take two hits to destroy: 
  1. First hit: changes their color (e.g. to purple) and slows them down. 
  2. Second hit: kills them. 
• If a larva reaches the bottom, it forms a cocoon. After seven cocoons have formed, they hatch into “ultramoths.” 
• Ultramoths are fast, more dangerous, and fire back at the player. 
• Once you (the player) survive / destroy the ultramoths, the game cycles back to the UFO releasing more grubs. 
• You begin with a limited number of ships (lives), and you can earn extra ships when reaching certain score thresholds. 

Difficulty & Design Notes

• According to shooter-game retrospectives, Magical Spot is quite difficult: larvae / grubs require two hits, can recover / persist, and the ultramoths are very aggressive. 
• The cabinet artwork is notably stylized: some commentary suggests Universal’s cabinet design (for Magical Spot and its peers) was inspired by Art Nouveau / Beardsley-like imagery. 
• Universal’s early arcade catalog (circa 1980) lists Magical Spot (and Magical Spot II) among its shooter titles. 

Hardware / Technical Details

• CPU: Z80 (according to the Universal game-list) 
• Manual / Service Info: There is a detailed operation & service manual for Magical Spot, which includes how to play, switch settings, parts list, circuit diagrams, etc.

Versions / Sequels

• There is a Magical Spot II version also released in 1980. 
• According to Arcade-Museum, Magical Spot II is considered an “updated, easier version” of the original.
• GameFAQs confirms Magical Spot II as an action / vertical shooter released in 1980.

Legacy & Collectability

• The game is relatively rare in terms of fully intact original cabinets; collectors have noted Magical Spot as a “grail” type arcade machine. 
• There are documented finds: for example, one cabinet was found in Cincinnati in very good condition. 
• Vintage flyers / marketing materials for Magical Spot are collectible. 
• On the Universal / UPL arcade game list, Magical Spot is explicitly listed with a Z80 board.

Strategy & Tips (from Gameplay Info)

• Prioritize shooting grubs / larvae before they reach the holes — stopping them early prevents cocoons. 
• When larvae are hit once (but not yet destroyed), their color changes — use that visual cue to follow up with a second shot. 
• Be careful when cocoons accumulate; once seven form, you’re in for the ultramoth wave, which is very dangerous. 
• During the ultramoth phase, mobility and evasion are critical — their shots are fast. 
• Surviving waves gives you repeats, but the game likely increases in difficulty (speed, patterns) over time. 

So what do you think of Magical Spot- why was it named Magical Spot? There is music missing… it seems like- Id love to hear an actual board set… maybe with the standard thumps or sirens that games of the day had. it doesn’t hinder the gameplay… which is frantic! Sadly- no home ports were made of Magical Spot- I think this would have been a great edition to the Colecovision library!

If you wish to play this classic… emulation is the way to go. I think is a great game… very hard… but there’s fun to be had!

Keep Playin’ Like It’s 1981!