Beamrider: Difference between revisions
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|image = Beamrider cover art (Intellivison).jpg |
|image = Beamrider cover art (Intellivison).jpg |
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|caption = Intellivision cover art |
|caption = Intellivision cover art |
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|developer = Action Graphics<ref name=manual2600/> |
|developer = Action Graphics<ref name=manual2600/><br>Cheshire Engineering (2600)<ref name=manual2600/> |
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|publisher = [[Activision]] |
|publisher = [[Activision]] |
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|designer = David Rolfe<ref name="giantlist"/> |
|designer = David Rolfe<ref name="giantlist"/> |
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}} |
}} |
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'''''Beamrider''''' is a [[fixed shooter]] written for the [[Intellivision]] by David Rolfe and published by [[Activision]] in 1983.<ref name="giantlist"/> The game was ported to the [[Atari 2600]] (with a slightly reduced feature set), [[Atari 5200]], [[Atari 8-bit |
'''''Beamrider''''' is a [[fixed shooter]] written for the [[Intellivision]] by David Rolfe and published by [[Activision]] in 1983.<ref name="giantlist"/> The game was ported to the [[Atari 2600]] (with a slightly reduced feature set), [[Atari 5200]], [[Atari 8-bit computers]], [[ColecoVision]], [[Commodore 64]], [[ZX Spectrum]], and [[MSX]]. |
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==Gameplay== |
==Gameplay== |
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[[File:Beamrider_Atari_8-bit_PAL_screenshot.png|thumb|left|Gameplay screenshot (Atari 8-bit)]] |
[[File:Beamrider_Atari_8-bit_PAL_screenshot.png|thumb|left|Gameplay screenshot (Atari 8-bit)]] |
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''Beamrider'' takes place above [[Earth]]'s [[atmosphere]], where a large alien shield called the ''Restrictor Shield'' surrounds the Earth. The player's objective is to clear the Shield's 99 sectors of alien craft while piloting the Beamrider ship. The Beamrider is equipped with a short-range ''[[laser]] [[Lasso|lariat]]'' and a limited supply of [[torpedo |
''Beamrider'' takes place above [[Earth]]'s [[atmosphere]], where a large alien shield called the ''Restrictor Shield'' surrounds the Earth. The player's objective is to clear the Shield's 99 sectors of alien craft while piloting the Beamrider ship. The Beamrider is equipped with a short-range ''[[laser]] [[Lasso|lariat]]'' and a limited supply of [[torpedo]]es. The player is given three at the start of each sector. |
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To clear a sector, fifteen enemy ships must be destroyed. A "Sentinel ship" will then appear, which can be destroyed using a torpedo (if any remain) for bonus points. Some enemy ships can only be destroyed with torpedoes, and some must simply be dodged. Occasionally during a sector, "Yellow Rejuvenators" ([[ |
To clear a sector, fifteen enemy ships must be destroyed. A "Sentinel ship" will then appear, which can be destroyed using a torpedo (if any remain) for bonus points. Some enemy ships can only be destroyed with torpedoes, and some must simply be dodged. Occasionally during a sector, "Yellow Rejuvenators" ([[Life (video games)#Extra lives|extra lives]]) appear. They can be picked up for an extra ship, but if they are shot they will transform into ship-damaging debris. |
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Activision offered a ''Beamrider'' patch to players who could get to Sector 14 with 40,000 points and sent in a screenshot of their accomplishment.<ref name=manual2600/> |
Activision offered a ''Beamrider'' patch to players who could get to Sector 14 with 40,000 points and sent in a screenshot of their accomplishment.<ref name=manual2600/> |
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The ''[[Deseret News]]'' in 1984 gave the ColecoVision version of ''Beamrider'' three stars, describing it as "basically a slide-and-shoot space game."<ref name="holyoak19840530">{{cite news | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PqZNAAAAIBAJ&pg=7081%2C6575510 | title=Here are ColecoVision's jewels | work=Deseret News | date=1984-05-30 | accessdate=10 January 2015 | author=Holyoak, Craig | pages=4 WV}}</ref> |
The ''[[Deseret News]]'' in 1984 gave the ColecoVision version of ''Beamrider'' three stars, describing it as "basically a slide-and-shoot space game."<ref name="holyoak19840530">{{cite news | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PqZNAAAAIBAJ&pg=7081%2C6575510 | title=Here are ColecoVision's jewels | work=Deseret News | date=1984-05-30 | accessdate=10 January 2015 | author=Holyoak, Craig | pages=4 WV}}</ref> |
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A reviewer for ''[[Your Commodore]]'' described the Commodore 64 version of the game as "a really good, wholesome arcade zapping game."<ref>https://archive.org/stream/02-your-commodore-magazine/Your_Commodore_Issue_02_1984_Nov#page/n31/mode/2up</ref> |
A reviewer for ''[[Your Commodore]]'' described the Commodore 64 version of the game as "a really good, wholesome arcade zapping game."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/stream/02-your-commodore-magazine/Your_Commodore_Issue_02_1984_Nov#page/n31/mode/2up|title = Your Commodore Magazine Issue 02|date = November 1984}}</ref> |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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{{Portal|Video games|1980s}} |
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*[[List of Activision games: 1980–1999]] |
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* ''[[Radar Scope]]'' (1979) |
* ''[[Radar Scope]]'' (1979) |
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* ''[[Juno First]]'' (1983) |
* ''[[Juno First]]'' (1983) |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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*{{atarimania|id=11536}} |
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*[http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-2600-vcs-beamrider_11536.html ''Beamrider''] for the Atari 2600 at Atari Mania |
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*{{atarimania|id=576}} |
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*[http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-beamrider_576.html''Beamrider''] for the Atari 8-bit family at Atari Mania |
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*{{WoS_game|id=0000489}} |
*{{WoS_game|id=0000489}} |
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*[https://archive.org/search?query=beamrider&and%5B%5D=mediatype%3A%22software%22&and%5B%5D=year%3A%221983%22&and%5B%5D=year%3A%221984%22 Several versions of Beamrider] emulated on the browser at the [[Internet Archive]] |
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[[Category:1983 video games]] |
[[Category:1983 video games]] |
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[[Category:Atari 2600 games]] |
[[Category:Atari 2600 games]] |
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[[Category:Atari 5200 games]] |
[[Category:Atari 5200 games]] |
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[[Category:Atari 8-bit |
[[Category:Atari 8-bit computer games]] |
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[[Category:ColecoVision games]] |
[[Category:ColecoVision games]] |
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[[Category:Commodore 64 games]] |
[[Category:Commodore 64 games]] |
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[[Category:Activision games]] |
[[Category:Activision games]] |
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[[Category:Video games developed in the United States]] |
[[Category:Video games developed in the United States]] |
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[[Category:Single-player video games]] |
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Latest revision as of 20:04, 18 May 2024
| Beamrider | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Intellivision cover art | |
| Developer(s) | Action Graphics[1] Cheshire Engineering (2600)[1] |
| Publisher(s) | Activision |
| Designer(s) | David Rolfe[2] |
| Platform(s) | Intellivision, Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Atari 8-bit, ColecoVision, Commodore 64, MSX, ZX Spectrum |
| Release | Intellivision
|
| Genre(s) | Fixed shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Beamrider is a fixed shooter written for the Intellivision by David Rolfe and published by Activision in 1983.[2] The game was ported to the Atari 2600 (with a slightly reduced feature set), Atari 5200, Atari 8-bit computers, ColecoVision, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, and MSX.
Gameplay
[edit]
Beamrider takes place above Earth's atmosphere, where a large alien shield called the Restrictor Shield surrounds the Earth. The player's objective is to clear the Shield's 99 sectors of alien craft while piloting the Beamrider ship. The Beamrider is equipped with a short-range laser lariat and a limited supply of torpedoes. The player is given three at the start of each sector.
To clear a sector, fifteen enemy ships must be destroyed. A "Sentinel ship" will then appear, which can be destroyed using a torpedo (if any remain) for bonus points. Some enemy ships can only be destroyed with torpedoes, and some must simply be dodged. Occasionally during a sector, "Yellow Rejuvenators" (extra lives) appear. They can be picked up for an extra ship, but if they are shot they will transform into ship-damaging debris.
Activision offered a Beamrider patch to players who could get to Sector 14 with 40,000 points and sent in a screenshot of their accomplishment.[1]
Reception
[edit]The Deseret News in 1984 gave the ColecoVision version of Beamrider three stars, describing it as "basically a slide-and-shoot space game."[3]
A reviewer for Your Commodore described the Commodore 64 version of the game as "a really good, wholesome arcade zapping game."[4]
See also
[edit]
- List of Activision games: 1980–1999
- Radar Scope (1979)
- Juno First (1983)
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Beamrider Atari 2600 manual". archive.org. Activision. 1983.
- ^ a b Hague, James. "The Giant List of Classic Game Programmers".
- ^ Holyoak, Craig (1984-05-30). "Here are ColecoVision's jewels". Deseret News. pp. 4 WV. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
- ^ "Your Commodore Magazine Issue 02". November 1984.
External links
[edit]- Beamrider at Atari Mania
- Beamrider at Atari Mania
- Beamrider at SpectrumComputing.co.uk
- Several versions of Beamrider emulated on the browser at the Internet Archive