https://www.retrogames.cz/play_080-Atari2600.php
Missile Commando 1980 | Arcade
emulador pc
1-interacción: -
2-mundo/apartado artístico: 6
3-concepto: 7.4
4-puesta en escena: 6
5-narración: -
6-sonido/apartado sonoro: 6.7
7-jugabilidad: 6
8-historia: -
9-duración/ritmo: 8
10-impacto: 7
8
7.4
7
6.7
6
6
41.1/60pts
68.5 promedio
Missile Commando 1980 | Arcade
emulador pc
1-interacción: -
2-mundo/apartado artístico: 6
3-concepto: 7.4
4-puesta en escena: 6
5-narración: -
6-sonido/apartado sonoro: 6.7
7-jugabilidad: 6
8-historia: -
9-duración/ritmo: 8
10-impacto: 7
8
7.4
7
6.7
6
6
41.1/60pts
68.5 promedio
Played at the VS. Arcade bar in Lincoln, Nebraska. I had a hard time figuring out the controls, but I really only tried the game out of curiosity, not so much out of a desire to have fun.
A brilliant piece of Cold War media. Yes, I mean that. Contextualized in the Atari 50 collection, the blurb that reads that designer Dave Theurer was inspired by nightmares of nuclear annihilation comes through loud and clear. Or maybe Theurer had nightmares as a result of designing and programming this one. Either way, Missile Command puts players in a no-win situation. Missiles rain down and players might choose the awful logic of protecting a few cities and their arsenal of missiles over having a full slate of cities. Setting a high score and earning an extra credit is easily doable after a few rounds, but avoiding the flashing light of "THE END"? Not so much.
Played as part of Atari 50.
Can't believe they made video games political... Jokes aside, wow, this is shockingly good. Every play feels vital since any fuckups stick with you for most likely the entire rest of your play session. Suuper anxious and tense, and when you lose you're hit with probably one of the best game over screens ever? It's crazy to see something this fully formed and concise this early on in the history of games, maybe arcade games kinda rule.
Can't believe they made video games political... Jokes aside, wow, this is shockingly good. Every play feels vital since any fuckups stick with you for most likely the entire rest of your play session. Suuper anxious and tense, and when you lose you're hit with probably one of the best game over screens ever? It's crazy to see something this fully formed and concise this early on in the history of games, maybe arcade games kinda rule.
A true, brilliant video game inspiration of the Cold War era and fear of nuclear annihilation. Missile Command seemingly takes the design cues of 1978's Space Invaders, focusing more on the strategy of timing and aiming your shots to protect your shelters.
And the best part, it's one of the few arcade games that I've experienced actual dread from playing. From the limited missiles at your disposal, to the haunting "THE END" screen upon losing. You can just feel how the designers felt making this.
It's not meant to be political. It's meant to add human tension.
And the best part, it's one of the few arcade games that I've experienced actual dread from playing. From the limited missiles at your disposal, to the haunting "THE END" screen upon losing. You can just feel how the designers felt making this.
It's not meant to be political. It's meant to add human tension.
One of the first games where that desolate retro vibe is entirely deliberate. I almost see this as a horror game in a weird way, what with the amount of tension and dread constantly ramping up. So many split-second decisions and somehow each feels meaningful. Makes me wish I still had my old trackball mouse.
The specific version I played was not on here, so I'm just going with the OG. Dear reader, I could not command those missiles very well.
Missile Command was interesting. It did take some getting used to, but shooting the missiles was kind of fun. It's ok for what it is and was probably impressive in 1980, but this isn't something I want to return to when I revisit the arcade.
(Atari 50)
Missile Command freaking rules, whether you're playing it on original hardware with a trackball or with a mouse/controller. Holds up super well with a steep difficulty curve and bespoke strategy.
Missile Command freaking rules, whether you're playing it on original hardware with a trackball or with a mouse/controller. Holds up super well with a steep difficulty curve and bespoke strategy.
This one was pretty interesting, but not something I myself could really get into. You shoot down missiles to defend a city by using a cursor and aiming directly at them. Again, it is unique for a game like this in 1980, but not my preferred arcade gameplay style.
Game #173
Game #173
I have no idea who is launching these damn missiles across the world to the point where every major cities needs their own Iron Dome ala Israel, but it sure makes for one decent game.
2600 Version:
I'm surprised how well they were able to port Missile Command to the 2600, so much so that I find it a superior version to the Arcade, it still has all the s strategic elements of attempting to make sure that you have to strategize shooting your missile at the perfect time to take out multiple missiles coming at the bases. But here the game has you just controlled a singular missile rather than 3 different missile launchers on the left side, center, and right side of the bases. You still have to deal with certain missiles that shoot multiple Mini missiles, as well as yellow missiles that tend to move to the side in order to avoid the trajectory at which you think that they're coming. I am surprised they alsoIncluded these ships in this version, and while they don't shoot missiles compared to the arcade machine, they do still cause massive explosions. I think honestly I really enjoyed the 2600 more than the arcade version. It's a great game to play for fun.
Played on Atari 50.
I'm surprised how well they were able to port Missile Command to the 2600, so much so that I find it a superior version to the Arcade, it still has all the s strategic elements of attempting to make sure that you have to strategize shooting your missile at the perfect time to take out multiple missiles coming at the bases. But here the game has you just controlled a singular missile rather than 3 different missile launchers on the left side, center, and right side of the bases. You still have to deal with certain missiles that shoot multiple Mini missiles, as well as yellow missiles that tend to move to the side in order to avoid the trajectory at which you think that they're coming. I am surprised they alsoIncluded these ships in this version, and while they don't shoot missiles compared to the arcade machine, they do still cause massive explosions. I think honestly I really enjoyed the 2600 more than the arcade version. It's a great game to play for fun.
Played on Atari 50.
(played as part of ATARI 50)
A very impressive port from arcade to 2600. Any game that makes that transition while remaining even baseline playable is a big win, but this might actually improve on the original. Looks great, plays great, maintains the feel and some of the scary effects. Great job!
A very impressive port from arcade to 2600. Any game that makes that transition while remaining even baseline playable is a big win, but this might actually improve on the original. Looks great, plays great, maintains the feel and some of the scary effects. Great job!
Bordering on seizure inducing with the flashing colours (but hey, it's in colour!), Missle Command is another really good arcade classic. Use your missle stores at your three bases to shoot down the enemy missiles before running out or getting blown up yourself. Feels great.
The 2600 is a significant downgrade visually, but still awesome enough to be running on home hardware.
The 2600 is a significant downgrade visually, but still awesome enough to be running on home hardware.
First game I remember playing with a trackball controller. Really good use of it even if its a little unconventional. Once they start actively evading my shots I'm pretty much guaranteed a game over but I have fun anyway.
Played the sit-down cockpit model at Funspot in NH.
Played the sit-down cockpit model at Funspot in NH.
Listen to the guy in here opining on this as a piece of serious Cold War commentary. I think he's probably onto something.
Kind of dark to be playing this game as a little kid now that I think about it. But hey man, it was kinda cool trying to pin point your missiles to counter the attacking missiles. And loved seeing the explosions. Go figure.
the story for this game actually made me genuinely sad
Iron Dome type game
A cold war skin pulled over Space Invaders with a bit more dynamism and good sound effects make for a solid experience.
Retro Yearly List #6 [1980: Missile Command]
Ok, I was not expecting too much of that one, but after some time it really caught my attention. The concept looks very simplistic at first, but after trying it I could see a bunch of different mechanics which work very well. Like for example, the side silos shoot slower than the middle one, the smart bombs that require more precise shots, etc. If you wanna chase a great score you have to understand the game on a deep level and use strategies to survive. Btw, have you noticed that, in that game, you are just trying to delay the inevitable decimation of your cities? You're all doomed anyway, sad story.
Ok, I was not expecting too much of that one, but after some time it really caught my attention. The concept looks very simplistic at first, but after trying it I could see a bunch of different mechanics which work very well. Like for example, the side silos shoot slower than the middle one, the smart bombs that require more precise shots, etc. If you wanna chase a great score you have to understand the game on a deep level and use strategies to survive. Btw, have you noticed that, in that game, you are just trying to delay the inevitable decimation of your cities? You're all doomed anyway, sad story.
"I miss when games weren't so political."
Missile Command in the year 1980:
Missile Command in the year 1980:
One of Atari's tightest games ever, the game that changed my mind about a decade ago about the arcade experience.
Galloping Ghost only has a 3" trackball (I swear the og is 4") but it still feels good to flick it across and strike down missiles and ships. Brilliant.
Galloping Ghost only has a 3" trackball (I swear the og is 4") but it still feels good to flick it across and strike down missiles and ships. Brilliant.
I feel this is the first of the Atari 50 games I really enjoy on its own more than as simply a historical piece. The gameplay's simple but fluid enough to potentially wanna play more. Not only that, also very interesting historically, the way something so simple by today's standards was able to create fear in the climate of the 80s.
For as many post-apocalyptic games as there are in the world now, there's few games about the apocalypse. Missile Command is a fantastic, perfect game about how much it sucks that cities can be destroyed for a few million dollars, and how helpless anyone trying to help is.
I am generally shocked how much worse this one is compared to the 2600 version, like it even looks worse in terms of visuals. Yes it doesn't include aspects from the arcade machine where there are ships that shoot out missiles. Compared to the 2600 version that has these many ships that just crash into the bases. But I cannot believe that they legit just made the entire game of flat landscape compared to before where it seemed like the bases were in trenches, which is mostly the style at which the arcade had it, that even the 2600 emulated it. But here this is just a flat landscape and it makes it so that you have less time to actually save a base if it's about to get hit. Not only that but it just is a worse version of the arcade machine that isn't even fun.
If I have to put a ranking in terms of the 3 versions that I've played it would be:
1. 2600
2. Arcade
3. 5200
What a massive letdown, and while it is more like the arcade version, it just feels like a worse version of the 2600 version, while looking worse.
The most insulting thing is that they remove the blinking light from the incoming missiles that are about to try to hit you, and they just made them straight colored lines and wow that is a nitpick, it indicated whether or not they were going to split or not. The blinking lights were purposely put there because in case there was a missile variation that split, you could see it. In the 5200 version it can't see it, and it's small detail that got removed that makes it worse than the 2600 version.
Played on Atari 50
If I have to put a ranking in terms of the 3 versions that I've played it would be:
1. 2600
2. Arcade
3. 5200
What a massive letdown, and while it is more like the arcade version, it just feels like a worse version of the 2600 version, while looking worse.
The most insulting thing is that they remove the blinking light from the incoming missiles that are about to try to hit you, and they just made them straight colored lines and wow that is a nitpick, it indicated whether or not they were going to split or not. The blinking lights were purposely put there because in case there was a missile variation that split, you could see it. In the 5200 version it can't see it, and it's small detail that got removed that makes it worse than the 2600 version.
Played on Atari 50
Arcade Version:
It's essentially a tower defense where you control 3 different missile launches on the left, middle, and right side of the of the village/base you're protecting with 3 in between the interior sides of the the 3 missile launches while destroying incoming missiles that are aimed for both your weapons and the bases. When a missile launcher is taken out, you can no longer use it until the next level. The bases however when destroyed stayed destroyed. You also have the ability to run out of missiles. Once all the bases are destroyed its game over.
The game actually gets tougher with having these giant bombs appear as another hazard. Another thing is the speed and movement of the missiles. There are also the missiles that scatter into more missiles that are more annoying.
The way the missile launchers/bombs work is they cause an explosion taking out any incoming object within the explosion radius and because you're given a specific number of missiles per canon (10 for each, in total 30) you have to stratigically plan our your attack to destroy the missiles.
Once all your bases are taken out, it's game over and you get NUKED.
Fun tower defense game worth playing.
It's essentially a tower defense where you control 3 different missile launches on the left, middle, and right side of the of the village/base you're protecting with 3 in between the interior sides of the the 3 missile launches while destroying incoming missiles that are aimed for both your weapons and the bases. When a missile launcher is taken out, you can no longer use it until the next level. The bases however when destroyed stayed destroyed. You also have the ability to run out of missiles. Once all the bases are destroyed its game over.
The game actually gets tougher with having these giant bombs appear as another hazard. Another thing is the speed and movement of the missiles. There are also the missiles that scatter into more missiles that are more annoying.
The way the missile launchers/bombs work is they cause an explosion taking out any incoming object within the explosion radius and because you're given a specific number of missiles per canon (10 for each, in total 30) you have to stratigically plan our your attack to destroy the missiles.
Once all your bases are taken out, it's game over and you get NUKED.
Fun tower defense game worth playing.
A game about predicting and postponing the inevitable, Missile Command manages to be an extremely challenging game but I think it gets too challenging pretty quickly. A lot of different types of bombs including splinter ones make things hard along with planes but I feel like each base being a button is a weird mechanic when there's a lot to focus on as it is with the seizure inducing visuals.
THE END.
THE END.
(played as part of ATARI 50)
An excellent concept realized quite well. The main thing - the bombs raining down and having to lead them with your missiles - would have honestly been enough by itself, but a lot of fun little tweaks like the terrifying cluster bombs that split off at low altitude, plane enemies firing from halfway down the screen, chain reactions as the bombs are set off in air, etc., make this feel fuller than many of its contemporaries.
Even though it's fun immediately and throughout, I feel like the difficulty ramps up way too fast, with the bombs seemingly doubling in speed every level. With the whole thing of the game being firing ahead of them, you don't really have enough time to acclimate yourself to the speed-ups before you're dead, and levelling that steep curve out at least a little would let the player dial it in without having to just play the first few levels over and over. But, you know, quarters, etc...
I think I played a version of this on PC a long time ago where there was only one fire button and your missile automatically launched from whichever base was closest and had ammo. I must say that I strongly prefer that simplified setup to a separate button for each base, which I think only adds unnecessary confusion to a strong core design conceit that doesn't need any.
Also - legendary Game Over screen, top ten ever type stuff.
An excellent concept realized quite well. The main thing - the bombs raining down and having to lead them with your missiles - would have honestly been enough by itself, but a lot of fun little tweaks like the terrifying cluster bombs that split off at low altitude, plane enemies firing from halfway down the screen, chain reactions as the bombs are set off in air, etc., make this feel fuller than many of its contemporaries.
Even though it's fun immediately and throughout, I feel like the difficulty ramps up way too fast, with the bombs seemingly doubling in speed every level. With the whole thing of the game being firing ahead of them, you don't really have enough time to acclimate yourself to the speed-ups before you're dead, and levelling that steep curve out at least a little would let the player dial it in without having to just play the first few levels over and over. But, you know, quarters, etc...
I think I played a version of this on PC a long time ago where there was only one fire button and your missile automatically launched from whichever base was closest and had ammo. I must say that I strongly prefer that simplified setup to a separate button for each base, which I think only adds unnecessary confusion to a strong core design conceit that doesn't need any.
Also - legendary Game Over screen, top ten ever type stuff.
A pretty simple game that's core philosophy is "where they will be, not where they are" that can get really intense!
My score was 21850!
My score was 21850!