Missile Command is a 1980 arcade game released by Atari, Inc. as well as licensed Sega for release in Europe. The game is considered one of the most prominent representatives of the golden age of arcade video games . The plot of the game is simple: the six cities of the player are attacked by an endless stream of ballistic missiles , some of which are even divided into parts ( warheads with a separating warhead with individual guidance units, RGCh IN), and in the later levels there are also “smart bombs” that can get away from inaccurate aimed rockets. The player plays the role of the commander of three missile defense systems and can protect six cities in the zone of their operation from destruction.
| Missile command | |
|---|---|
| Developer | Atari, Inc. |
| Publisher |  Atari Inc.  Sega |
| Date of issue | Arcade Machine July 1980 1980 Atari 2600 1980 1980 |
| Genre | fixed shooter |
| Creators | |
| Game designer | Dave Toirer |
| Technical details | |
| Platforms | Arcade , Atari 2600 , others |
| Game modes | single-user and two players (in turn) |
| Control | Trackball 3 buttons |
| Type of shell | vertical , horizontal , cabin , mini |
| Display | raster , 256 × 231, horizontal, palette of 8 colors |
| CPU | M6502 (@ 1.25 MHz) |
| Sound | POKEY (@ 1.25 MHz) |
Content
Gameplay
The player moves the sight across the sky using a trackball and presses one of three buttons to launch a missile defense from the corresponding installation. Missiles explode, reaching the point of sight, forming a ball of fire that lasts for several seconds and destroys all enemy missiles that fall into it. There are three installations, each with 10 anti-ballistic missiles. The installation ceases to operate after all anti-missiles are used up, or if it is destroyed by enemy fire. Missiles from the central unit fly to the target at a much higher speed; only such missiles can effectively destroy the "smart bomb" at a distance.
The game has a number of levels of increasing difficulty. Each level includes a certain number of enemy missiles flying up. Missiles attack six cities, as well as anti-missile batteries; hit by an enemy rocket leads to the destruction of the city or missile defense battery. Enemy missiles can destroy only 3 cities in one level. The level ends if all cities are destroyed, or when all of the enemy’s missiles were destroyed or reached their goal. A player who has run out of rockets cannot control the events of the rest of the level. After completing the level, the player receives bonus points for the remaining cities and unused rockets. Between levels, anti-ballistic batteries are restored, and their ammunition is replenished; Destroyed cities are restored only when the set point value is reached (usually 10 thousand or 12 thousand).
The game inevitably ends with the destruction of all six cities. As with most early arcade games, it is impossible to “win” the game. The game simply continues with greater complexity: with faster and more numerous missiles of the enemy. Thus, the game is just a competition for survival. At the end of the game, instead of the standard text “Game Over”, the inscription “The End” is displayed on the screen, which may be a hint of the next “nuclear holocaust” (however, if a player is on the list of top achievements, the game prompts the player to enter the initials , and the sequence “The End” is skipped).
In Culture
In 2011, the 20th Century Fox film company signed an agreement with Atari on the film adaptation of the game [1] . Prior to this, the game has already hit the movie screens twice: in the films “ Quick Changes at Ridgemont High School ” and “ Terminator 2 ” [2] .
Notes
- ↑ Graser M. Atari arms 'Missile Command' for bigscreen . Variety (January 11, 2011). Date of treatment February 25, 2014.
- ↑ Lambie R. Missile Command movie on the way, courtesy of Fox . Den of Geek! (January 13, 2011). Date of treatment February 25, 2014.
Links
- Missile Command in the Arcade History Database
- Missile Command Guide on StrategyWiki