Summary
- Release Year: 1977
- Genres: Shooter
- Platforms: Atari 2600, PC (Microsoft Windows)
- Developers: Atari
- Publishers: Atari, Atari, Inc., Polyvox
Air-Sea Battle (1977)
Air-Sea Battle is a classic arcade shooting game released in 1977 by Midway Manufacturing. It is a simple but addictive game that can be enjoyed by players of all ages. The goal of the game is to shoot down enemy planes and ships while avoiding being hit yourself.
Air-Sea Battle is played on a vertical screen. The player controls a gun turret at the bottom of the screen. Enemy targets appear at the top of the screen and move towards the player. The player must shoot the targets before they reach the bottom of the screen.
There are six different types of game available in Air-Sea Battle, and for each type, there are one or two groups of three games, for a total of twenty-seven game variants. Within each group, variant one is the standard game, variant two features guided missiles which can be directed left or right after being fired, and variant three pits a single player (using the right gun) against a computer opponent, which simply fires continuously at the default angle or speed.
Game types
- Air Battle: The player shoots down enemy planes.
- Sea Battle: The player shoots down enemy ships.
- Air-Sea Battle: The player shoots down both enemy planes and ships.
- Tank Battle: The player shoots down enemy tanks.
- Missile Battle: The player shoots down enemy missiles.
- Skeet Shooting: The player shoots down clay pigeons.
Gameplay
Each round of Air-Sea Battle lasts two minutes and sixteen seconds. The player with the higher score at the end of the round wins. If one player reaches 99 points before the time expires, they win the game.
The player’s score is increased by shooting down enemy targets. The number of points awarded for each target varies depending on the type of target and the difficulty level of the game.
The player can also earn bonus points by shooting down multiple targets in a row. The bonus multiplier increases with each consecutive target that is shot down.
The player’s gun turret can be moved left and right to aim at targets. The player can also fire missiles, which can be directed left or right after being fired.
Enemies
The player faces a variety of different enemy targets in Air-Sea Battle. These targets include:
- Planes: Planes fly across the screen in formation. The player must shoot down all of the planes in a formation to earn points.
- Ships: Ships sail across the bottom of the screen. The player must shoot down all of the ships in a formation to earn points.
- Tanks: Tanks drive across the screen. The player must shoot down all of the tanks in a formation to earn points.
- Missiles: Missiles are fired from the top of the screen. The player must shoot down all of the missiles in a wave to earn points.
- Clay pigeons: Clay pigeons are launched from the bottom of the screen. The player must shoot down all of the clay pigeons in a wave to earn points.
Power-ups
The player can collect power-ups that give them special abilities. These power-ups include:
- Speed: This power-up increases the speed of the player’s gun turret.
- Firepower: This power-up increases the firepower of the player’s gun turret.
- Shield: This power-up gives the player a shield that protects them from enemy fire.
- Missile: This power-up gives the player a missile that can be fired at enemy targets.
Legacy
Air-Sea Battle was a popular arcade game in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It was one of the first games to feature multiple game types and variants. Air-Sea Battle was also one of the first games to use a trackball for player input.
Air-Sea Battle has been ported to a variety of home platforms over the years, including the Atari 2600, the Commodore 64, and the Nintendo Entertainment System. The game has also been released on mobile devices in recent years.
Air-Sea Battle is a classic arcade game that is still enjoyed by players today. It is a simple but addictive game that can be enjoyed by players of all ages.
Review Score
8/10
Art
Cover Art
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