Gaming
tate
What does tate mean?
Vertical shmups were built for arcade screens turned on their side, so you got the full tall playfield. Tate mode rotates the display 90 degrees to recreate that at home, no squished borders, full resolution. Purists insist on it.
"Playing Dodonpachi in tate on a rotated monitor is a different game entirely."
Origin
Japanese 'tate' meaning 'vertical', as opposed to 'yoko' (horizontal). From arcade cabinets that mounted the monitor sideways.
Frequently asked questions
What does tate actually mean?
It's Japanese for 'vertical'. In shmups it refers to rotating the screen 90 degrees so a vertical shooter fills the whole display the way it did in the arcade.
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