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{{Short description|1983 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
{{Infobox video game
|title = Beamrider
|title = Beamrider
|image = [[File:Beamrider cover art (Intellivison).jpg|200px|Beamrider]]
|image = Beamrider cover art (Intellivison).jpg
|caption = Intellivision cover art
|caption = Intellivision cover art
|developer = Action Graphics<ref name=manual2600/><br>Cheshire Engineering (2600)<ref name=manual2600/>
|developer = [[Activision]]
|publisher = Activision
|publisher = [[Activision]]
|designer = [[David Rolfe (programmer)|David Rolfe]]
|designer = David Rolfe<ref name="giantlist"/>
|released = '''Intellivision'''{{vgrelease|INT=1983}}'''Atari 2600'''{{vgrelease|INT=1983}}'''Atari 5200'''{{vgrelease|NA=1983}}
|released = '''Intellivision'''{{vgrelease|NA|1983}}'''Atari 2600'''{{vgrelease|NA|1983}}'''Atari 5200'''{{vgrelease|NA|1983}}
|genre = [[Shoot 'em up#Scrolling shooters|Scrolling shooter]]
|genre = [[Fixed shooter]]
|modes = [[Single-player video game|Single player]]
|modes = [[Single-player video game|Single-player]]
|platforms = [[Intellivision]], [[Atari 2600]], [[Atari 5200]], [[Atari 8-bit]], [[ColecoVision]], [[Commodore 64]], [[MSX]], [[ZX Spectrum]]
|platforms = [[Intellivision]], [[Atari 2600]], [[Atari 5200]], [[Atari 8-bit]], [[ColecoVision]], [[Commodore 64]], [[MSX]], [[ZX Spectrum]]
}}
}}


'''''Beamrider''''' is a [[Shoot 'em up#Scrolling shooters|scrolling shooter]] designed for the [[Intellivision]] by [[Activision]] [[programmer]] [[David Rolfe (programmer)|David Rolfe]]. The game was then ported to the [[Atari 2600]] (with a slightly reduced feature set), [[Atari 5200]], [[Atari 8-bit]], [[ColecoVision]], [[Commodore 64]], [[ZX Spectrum]] as well as the [[MSX]] platform.
'''''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]].


==Summary==
==Gameplay==
[[File:Beamrider_Atari_8-bit_PAL_screenshot.png|thumb|left|Gameplay screenshot (Atari 8-bit)]]
''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]]s. The player is given three at the start of each sector.
''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.


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" ([[1-up|extra lives]]) appear. They can be picked up for an extra ship, but if they are shot they will transform into ship-damaging debris.
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.


⚫
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/>
''Beamrider'' is considered by some{{who|date=June 2012}} as the closest you'll ever get to having ''[[Tempest (arcade game)|Tempest]]'' on the 2600, thanks to the similar gameplay and appearance.


⚫
==Reception==
⚫
Activision offered special ''Beamrider'' [http://www.atariage.com/2600/archives/activision_patch_page.html?PatchName=Beamrider&ImageName=Beamrider patches] to players who could get to Sector 14 with 40,000 points and sent in a screenshot of their accomplishment.
⚫
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>


⚫
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>
==Ports==
''Beamrider'' was made available on [[Microsoft|Microsoft's]] ''[[Game Room]]'' service for its [[Xbox 360]] console and for [[Microsoft Windows|Windows-based]] [[personal computer|PC]]s in August 2010.


==See also==
==Artificial intelligence research==
{{Portal|Video games|1980s}}
In December 2013, [[DeepMind]], a Google company, published a study that claimed its artificial intelligence software equaled human performance playing ''Beamrider.'' <ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2014/01/27/google-deepmind-artificial-intelligence/4943049/]</ref>
*[[List of Activision games: 1980–1999]]

* ''[[Radar Scope]]'' (1979)
⚫
==Reception==
* ''[[Juno First]]'' (1983)
⚫
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=http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PqZNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=D4MDAAAAIBAJ&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>

⚫
Your Commodore's reviewer described the Commodore 64 version of the game as "a really good, wholesome arcade zapping game."<ref>http://archive.org/stream/02-your-commodore-magazine/Your_Commodore_Issue_02_1984_Nov#page/n31/mode/2up</ref>


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name="giantlist">{{cite web|title=The Giant List of Classic Game Programmers|url=https://dadgum.com/giantlist/ |last1=Hague |first1=James}}</ref>
<ref name="manual2600">{{cite web |title=Beamrider Atari 2600 manual |url=https://archive.org/details/Beamrider_1983_Activision |website=archive.org |publisher=Activision |date=1983}}</ref>
}}


==External links==
==External links==
*{{atarimania|id=11536}}
*''[http://www.atariage.com/software_page.html?SoftwareLabelID=23 Beamrider]'' at [[AtariAge]]
*{{atarimania|id=576}}
*{{WoS_game|id=0000489}}
*{{WoS_game|id=0000489}}
*[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]]


[[Category:1983 video games]]
[[Category:1983 video games]]
[[Category:Scrolling shooters]]
[[Category:Fixed shooters]]
[[Category:Atari 2600 games]]
[[Category:Atari 2600 games]]
[[Category:Atari 5200 games]]
[[Category:Atari 5200 games]]
[[Category:Atari 8-bit family games]]
[[Category:Atari 8-bit computer games]]
[[Category:ColecoVision games]]
[[Category:ColecoVision games]]
[[Category:Commodore 64 games]]
[[Category:Commodore 64 games]]
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[[Category:ZX Spectrum games]]
[[Category:ZX Spectrum games]]
[[Category:Activision games]]
[[Category:Activision games]]
[[Category:Video games developed in the United States]]
[[Category:Single-player video games]]

Latest revision as of 20:04, 18 May 2024

Beamrider
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
ReleaseIntellivision
Atari 2600
Atari 5200
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]
Gameplay screenshot (Atari 8-bit)

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]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "Beamrider Atari 2600 manual". archive.org. Activision. 1983.
  2. ^ a b Hague, James. "The Giant List of Classic Game Programmers".
  3. ^ Holyoak, Craig (1984-05-30). "Here are ColecoVision's jewels". Deseret News. pp. 4 WV. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
  4. ^ "Your Commodore Magazine Issue 02". November 1984.
[edit]
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