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{{Short description|1989 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
{{Infobox video game
|title = Ballistix
|title = Ballistix
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|developer = [[Reflections Interactive]]
|developer = [[Reflections Interactive]]
|publisher = '''Amiga''', '''Atari ST'''{{Video game release|UK|[[Psyclapse (company)|Psyclapse]]|EU|Sizzlers}}'''MS-DOS''', '''C64'''{{Video game release|UK|[[Psyclapse (company)|Psyclapse]]}}'''BBC Micro''', '''Acorn Electron'''{{Video game release|UK|[[Superior Software]]}}'''TurboGrafx-16'''{{Video game release|NA|[[NEC|NEC Technologies]]|JP|Coconuts Japan}}
|publisher = '''Amiga''', '''Atari ST'''{{Video game release|UK|[[Psyclapse (company)|Psyclapse]]|EU|Sizzlers}}'''MS-DOS''', '''C64'''{{Video game release|UK|[[Psyclapse (company)|Psyclapse]]}}'''BBC Micro''', '''Acorn Electron'''{{Video game release|UK|[[Superior Software]]}}'''TurboGrafx-16'''{{Video game release|NA|[[NEC|NEC Technologies]]|JP|Coconuts Japan}}
|designer = [[Martin Edmondson]]
|designer = [[Martin Edmondson]]
|released = 1989
|released = 1989
|genre = [[Sports video game|Sports game]]
|genre = [[Sports video game|Sports game]]
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==Gameplay==
==Gameplay==
[[Image:Ballistix-amiga.png|thumb|left|In game shot (Amiga). The black puck has just missed the goal after being deflected by the silver balls.]]The game is a unique futuristic sport which has been compared variously to [[pinball]],<ref name="electron"/> the board game [[Crossfire (board game)|Crossfire]]<ref name="zzap"/><ref name="commodore user"/> and [[shove ha'penny]].<ref name="electron"/> The player controls a cursor that can fire a stream of small balls. These are used to direct a puck across a court to score a goal. In the two-player game, this is hindered by an opponent, aiming for the opposite goal. In the single-player game, a form of gravity is the opposition.
[[Image:Ballistix-amiga.png|thumb|left|In game shot (Amiga). The black puck has just missed the goal after being deflected by the silver balls.]]
The game is a unique futuristic sport which has been compared variously to [[pinball]],<ref name="electron"/> the board game [[Crossfire (board game)|Crossfire]]<ref name="zzap"/><ref name="commodore user"/> and [[shove ha'penny]].<ref name="electron"/> The player controls a cursor that can fire a stream of small balls. These are used to direct a puck across a court to score a goal. In the two-player game, this is hindered by an opponent, aiming for the opposite goal. In the single-player game, a form of gravity is the opposition.


The game starts with a simple court but it gets progressively more difficult with added obstacles, simple mazes and bonus items. There are 130 courts in total (64 on the C64, 30 on the BBC/Electron). A court is completed when either player scores three goals. If the computer wins in the single-player game, that is [[game over]] although the game can be restarted from the same court. Goals can score a range of points depending on how far out they are scored from.
The game starts with a simple court but it gets progressively more difficult with added obstacles, simple mazes and bonus items. There are 130 courts in total (64 on the C64, 30 on the BBC/Electron). A court is completed when either player scores three goals. If the computer wins in the single-player game, that is [[game over]] although the game can be restarted from the same court. Goals can score a range of points depending on how far out they are scored from.
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==Reception==
==Reception==
''[[Computer Gaming World]]'' stated "many of the levels did not seem particularly creative", but nonetheless recommended the game based on the quality of the graphics and sound, and the many game options.<ref name="seacat198907">{{cite magazine | title=Marbles From Hell | magazine=[[Computer Gaming World]] | issue=61 | date=July 1989 | url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_61.pdf | accessdate=16 April 2016 | last=Seacat | first=Douglas | pages=35}}</ref> Roland Waddilove in [[Electron User]] gave the game a score of 9/10, concluding "''Ballistix'' is original, fun and very addictive".<ref name="electron">[http://8bs.com/elecgame/ballistix.htm "Having a Ball"], Electron User, vol 6 no 12, September 1989</ref> Mark Heley in [[CU Amiga]] said the game was "well up to the usual excellent standards of Psygnosis's releases", giving a score of 76%.<ref name="commodore user">[http://amr.abime.net/review_14918 ''Ballistix'' review], CU Amiga/64, May 1989</ref> [[Zzap!64]] praised the "attractive, sharp and very fast moving" graphics and found the two-player game "fun" but were less impressed with the one-player option, awarding an overall score of 72%.<ref name="zzap">[http://www.zzap64.co.uk/cgi-bin/displaypage.pl?issue=058&amp;page=010&amp;thumbstart=0&amp;magazine=zzap&amp;check=1 ''Ballistix'' review], Zzap!64, February 1990</ref>
''[[Computer Gaming World]]'' stated that "many of the levels did not seem particularly creative", but nonetheless recommended the game based on the quality of the graphics and sound, and the many game options.<ref name="seacat198907">{{cite magazine | title=Marbles From Hell | magazine=[[Computer Gaming World]] | issue=61 | date=July 1989 | url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_61.pdf | accessdate=16 April 2016 | last=Seacat | first=Douglas | pages=35}}</ref> Roland Waddilove in [[Electron User]] gave the game a score of 9/10, concluding that "''Ballistix'' is original, fun and very addictive".<ref name="electron">[http://8bs.com/elecgame/ballistix.htm "Having a Ball"], Electron User, vol 6 no 12, September 1989</ref> Mark Heley in [[CU Amiga]] said the game was "well up to the usual excellent standards of Psygnosis's releases", giving a score of 76%.<ref name="commodore user">[http://amr.abime.net/review_14918 ''Ballistix'' review], CU Amiga/64, May 1989</ref> [[Zzap!64]] praised the "attractive, sharp and very fast moving" graphics and found the two-player game "fun" but were less impressed with the one-player option, awarding an overall score of 72%.<ref name="zzap">[http://www.zzap64.co.uk/cgi-bin/displaypage.pl?issue=058&amp;page=010&amp;thumbstart=0&amp;magazine=zzap&amp;check=1 ''Ballistix'' review], Zzap!64, February 1990</ref>


==References==
==References==
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==External links==
==External links==
*{{moby game|id=/ballistix|name=''Ballistix''}}
* {{moby game|id=/ballistix|name=''Ballistix''}}
* {{abime|id=23}}
*[http://hol.abime.net/23 ''Ballistix''] at the Hall of Light


{{Ubisoft Reflections}}
{{Ubisoft Reflections}}
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[[Category:Commodore 64 games]]
[[Category:Commodore 64 games]]
[[Category:DOS games]]
[[Category:DOS games]]
⚫
[[Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games]]
[[Category:Psygnosis games]]
[[Category:Psygnosis games]]
[[Category:Superior Software games]]
[[Category:Superior Software games]]
[[Category:TurboGrafx-16 games]]
[[Category:TurboGrafx-16 games]]
[[Category:Video games developed in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Video games developed in the United Kingdom]]
⚫
[[Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games]]

Latest revision as of 00:19, 1 August 2024

Ballistix
Cover art by Melvyn Grant
Developer(s)Reflections Interactive
Publisher(s)Amiga, Atari ST
MS-DOS, C64
BBC Micro, Acorn Electron
TurboGrafx-16
Designer(s)Martin Edmondson
Platform(s)Amiga, Atari ST, Acorn Electron, BBC Micro, Commodore 64, DOS, TurboGrafx-16
Release1989
Genre(s)Sports game
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Ballistix is a video game created by Martin Edmondson for the Amiga and Atari ST and published by Psyclapse in 1989. It was also converted to a number of other home computers in the same year and the PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16 console in 1991. It is a fictional futuristic sport involving directing a puck to a goal by shooting small balls at it.

Gameplay

[edit]
In game shot (Amiga). The black puck has just missed the goal after being deflected by the silver balls.

The game is a unique futuristic sport which has been compared variously to pinball,[1] the board game Crossfire[2][3] and shove ha'penny.[1] The player controls a cursor that can fire a stream of small balls. These are used to direct a puck across a court to score a goal. In the two-player game, this is hindered by an opponent, aiming for the opposite goal. In the single-player game, a form of gravity is the opposition.

The game starts with a simple court but it gets progressively more difficult with added obstacles, simple mazes and bonus items. There are 130 courts in total (64 on the C64, 30 on the BBC/Electron). A court is completed when either player scores three goals. If the computer wins in the single-player game, that is game over although the game can be restarted from the same court. Goals can score a range of points depending on how far out they are scored from.

The display is an overhead view showing a small section of the court that scrolls to follow the puck.

Development and release

[edit]

The game was developed by Martin Edmondson for the Amiga and Atari ST. It was ported to MS-DOS and Commodore 64 with these four versions being published by the Psygnosis sub-label Psyclapse in 1989. It was also converted to the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron by Peter Scott and released for those platforms by Superior Software, also in 1989. In 1991, it was released for the TuboGrafx-16 (published by Psygnosis in the US) / PC Engine (published by Coconuts Japan in Japan). The cover image designed by Melvyn Grant was originally used for the 1981 novel The Steel Tsar and also the 1984 reissue of Judas Priest album Rocka Rolla.

Reception

[edit]

Computer Gaming World stated that "many of the levels did not seem particularly creative", but nonetheless recommended the game based on the quality of the graphics and sound, and the many game options.[4] Roland Waddilove in Electron User gave the game a score of 9/10, concluding that "Ballistix is original, fun and very addictive".[1] Mark Heley in CU Amiga said the game was "well up to the usual excellent standards of Psygnosis's releases", giving a score of 76%.[3] Zzap!64 praised the "attractive, sharp and very fast moving" graphics and found the two-player game "fun" but were less impressed with the one-player option, awarding an overall score of 72%.[2]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "Having a Ball", Electron User, vol 6 no 12, September 1989
  2. ^ a b Ballistix review, Zzap!64, February 1990
  3. ^ a b Ballistix review, CU Amiga/64, May 1989
  4. ^ Seacat, Douglas (July 1989). "Marbles From Hell" (PDF). Computer Gaming World. No. 61. p. 35. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
[edit]
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