The vector graphics here are kinda stunning to look at with this one; the black-and-white aesthetic working perfectly for a space setting. Pretty straightforward to control and play, too. I can see why this one's a classic.
As with a lot of these older Atari titles, I found myself wondering about the mystery of Asteroids' appeal. The game is fascinating in its simplicity. My mind wanders during play after play. How is it that I have to stop myself from reading intentionality into the random patterns and velocities of asteroids as they break? How is it that shots from large (and even worse, small) UFOs seem to be directed at the spike that represents my spaceship? How is it that, simply by calling the game "Asteroids," I read that shape as a spaceship and the mushroom-like shapes as, well, Asteroids? And why is it so difficult for me to routinely crack 10,000 points?
Fun early shoot 'em up, gets a little chaotic
FWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH
For some reason, Asteroids really clicks with me. Something about the vector graphics, the clunky controls, it all just feels really nice.
For some reason, Asteroids really clicks with me. Something about the vector graphics, the clunky controls, it all just feels really nice.
Asteroids is an addictive little arcade penny pincher game in which you break up asteroids. It's sort of like the film Armageddon, but without anything that makes it like the film Armageddon, so I suppose it really isn't anything like the film Armageddon at all.
you shoot asteroids in this one. that's it
A lot more like the very old space shooters than Space Invaders. Driving off the screen is put to much better use here than in Spacewar and Computer Space.
Played as part of Atari 50.
It's a shame that the most fun part of this--the movement--is something that you really only should do if you can't shoot something down in time. It's so slippery and difficult to control that it's better to just put all your focus into aiming at things, but when you do end up moving it makes the game so much more tense and gripping.
That's not to say that this isn't a fairly solid arcade game, and it's definitely way crazier for the time, but you really do just end up kinda sitting in one spot spamming in the vague direction of objects until something comes flying at you and you can't move out of the way in time and die. Space Invaders is definitely the best of these early space shooters, and the audio track from it being so explicitly copied here (but without the accompanying speed-up in gameplay) does kinda make me wish I was just playing that instead.
It's a shame that the most fun part of this--the movement--is something that you really only should do if you can't shoot something down in time. It's so slippery and difficult to control that it's better to just put all your focus into aiming at things, but when you do end up moving it makes the game so much more tense and gripping.
That's not to say that this isn't a fairly solid arcade game, and it's definitely way crazier for the time, but you really do just end up kinda sitting in one spot spamming in the vague direction of objects until something comes flying at you and you can't move out of the way in time and die. Space Invaders is definitely the best of these early space shooters, and the audio track from it being so explicitly copied here (but without the accompanying speed-up in gameplay) does kinda make me wish I was just playing that instead.
I give Asteroids a light 6!
Played at The Operating Room arcade in Des Moines, Iowa. Didn't play for very long; I do not plan on returning to this title.
Bem superestimado. Controles super duros e frustrantes.
they dont make em like they used to!
GooeyScale: 50/100
GooeyScale: 50/100
Asteroids marcou uma geração e toda a indústria dos jogos, dando um norte aos jogos shooter e criando o subgênero Shoot 'em up, com uma mecânica e gráficos simples mas que eram o suficiente para a sua época.
Nota: 6/10 (★★★) - Legal
Nota: 6/10 (★★★) - Legal
[Hi-Score:5740] [Achievements: 0/12 (Retroachievements)]
A great classic. The vector graphics, sound design, and fluidity of movements make this game memorable. Too bad i suck.
A great classic. The vector graphics, sound design, and fluidity of movements make this game memorable. Too bad i suck.
I felt with Space Invaders that, being one of the earliest shooters and that being a genre I really love, the very simplistic version of that formula worked for me a lot better than a simple ball and paddle game, or a more stripped back version of the mascots and platformer games that would get a lot better with a few years. This seems to confirm that feeling, because yet again Asteroids is a far stronger game than a lot of the arcade stuff i've sampled around it. With the additional movement and more "shoot this thing", with less of a limit on how long you get to shoot for before you're invaded by... space, things feel perhaps even better than Space Invaders too, a very strong and replayable effort here, one that I fully understand and sympathise with people who may have wasted far too many quarters on this. Just about topping Space Invaders, will be interested to see if anything gets one over on this before the move to the big console success that i'm more familiar with shows up.