Software:Spider Fighter
| Spider Fighter | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Activision |
| Publisher(s) | Activision |
| Programmer(s) | Larry Miller[1] |
| Platform(s) | Atari 2600 |
| Release | 1982 |
| Genre(s) | Fixed shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Spider Fighter is a fixed shooter designed by Larry Miller for the Atari 2600 and published by Activision in 1982.[1] The object of Spider Fighter is to protect an orchard containing fruit—grapes, strawberries, oranges, and bananas—from four kinds of bugs.[2] Digital Press described it as "much like the coin-op game Stratovox but w/o the voice."[3]
According to the manual, Miller was "the newest addition to the Activision design team."[2] He went on to create the Atari 2600 racing game Enduro for Activision, released in 1983.[1]
Gameplay
In each level, the player protects three pieces of fruit using a blaster that moves horizontally along the bottom of the screen. The joystick button fires a shot upward toward four types of attackers. Each level contains a set number of "master nests": enemies which can grab a piece of fruit and drag it off the left side of the screen. A nest drops the fruit when shot. The game ends if all fruit has been stolen or all of the blasters are destroyed. The type of fruit varies per level: grapes, strawberries, oranges, and bananas.
There is an option to have the shots move horizontally with the blaster after being fired, allowing them to be steered.[2]
At the time of release, anyone who sent a photo showing a score of 40,000 or more points received a patch for the Activision "Spider Fighters."[2]
Reception
Spider Fighter was not as successful as Activision's other fixed shooter released earlier the same year, Megamania.
Electronic Fun with Computers & Games gave the game 3 out 4 joysticks in the May 1983 issue.[4] A June 1983 Electronic Games review was more critical, claiming it a "keen disappointment" and a "mediocre title from a superior game company."[5] Joystik took the middle road, calling it "a better than average bottom-shoot game that somehow looks like it should be more difficult than it is."[6]
In an AtariHQ retrospective review, Keita Iida said "2600 players who are familiar with Activision's usual efforts (which are exceptional overall) might feel a bit let down by Spider Fighter."[7]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Hague, James. "The Giant List of Classic Game Programmers". https://dadgum.com/giantlist/.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Spider Fighter Manual". 1983. https://archive.org/details/Spider_Fighter_1983_Activision.
- ↑ "The Digital Press Virtual Collectors Guide". http://www.digitpress.com/video-game-guide/?mode=GameInfo&gameid=24229.
- ↑ Wiswell, Phil (May 1983). "Spider Fighter". Electronic Fun with Computers & Games: 64. https://archive.org/stream/Electronic_Fun_with_Computer_Games_Vol_01_No_07_1983-05_Fun_Games_Publishing_US/Electronic_Fun_with_Computer__Games_Vol_01_No_07_1983-05_Fun__Games_Publishing_US#page/n61.
- ↑ "Spider Fighter". Electronic Games: 40. June 1983. https://archive.org/stream/electronic-games-magazine-1983-06/Electronic_Games_Issue_16_Vol_02_04_1983_Jun#page/n39/mode/2up.
- ↑ Gorzelany, Jim (July 1983). "The Home Front: Spider Fighter". Joystik 1 (6): 61. https://archive.org/details/joystik_magazine-1983-07/page/n61/mode/2up/.
- ↑ Iida, Keita. "Spider Fighter". http://www.atarihq.com/reviews/2600/spider_fighter.html.
External links
- Spider Fighter at Atari Mania
- Spider Fighter can be played for free in the browser at the Internet Archive
- 1983 TV commercial
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