Play Meter

Stern·s
first video
Practicing for
World War Ill
Entering a new dimension of elec-
tronic amusements, Stern Electron -
ics. Inc .. has expanded from pinball
manufacturering in announcing pro-
duction o f its first video game , Astra
Atari has announced the release of
Missile Command. a new one- or
two -player , full -color battle action
video game . Commenting on Atari 's
new product information. Frank
Ballouz. Atari marketing director ,
said : " Missile Command is the
ultimate battle action experience .
Along with full -color screen , graph -
ics, dramatic sound effects, and
unique TrakBall target control , it 's
th e first production video tope set for
50-cent single play as it is shipped
from th e factory .
" Extensive location testing has been
so dramatically favorabl e to both the
innovative game play and coinage
that this game really looks like the
next runaway hit. " he added .
Missile Command is a missile
defense strategy game . Players must
defend their city and missile bases as
lo ng as possible by guiding their
missile to intercept and destroy
waves of computer-controlled ICBM
missiles . killer satellites , and bombers
for points . When all cities are
destroyed , the game is over .
Increasi ng difficulty and skill
challenge is built -in . Wave one has
MIRVs (bran ching attack missiles) ,
wave two offers th e killer satellites,
wave six " smart" missiles.
Features include 19-inch color
video display. rugged and proven
TrakBall
target
control,
bonus
scoring possibilities. four operator-
adjustable game lengths. eight ad -
justable bonus cities. extended play
level. and adjustable coinage option.
Invader.
Th new solid stat . two -player
gam was to be launch d on the
mark t in lat e July and avai lable
through tern distributors worldwide .
A stra Invader. already proven
popular in selected test markets.
fea tures explosive non -stop play
action. according to Stern . Th e game
backglass is o f a colorful design
dramatizing the game theme of
cosm ic warfare .
For 25 cen ts per play. Astra In vade r
chall nges earthling players to de -
fend against an on -screen invasion of
UFOs and o th er "su p ersonic ene!\ly
craft ·•. Players are provided with a
sliding "laser base defense" and firing
button to attack and destroy invading
craft - before they attack . destroy ,
and eve ntually anni hilate earth .
Each invader craft destroyed in the
attacking channe l scores 10 points;
each craft destroyed while attacking
scores 20 points .
Each UFO destroyed scores 100 to
00 points . depending on attacking
mode .
The level o f difficulty increases in
correlation with players' score . Th e
ten highest scores to date are
regis! red on th e screen. Every
player' final score is ranked in
co mparison against higher scores to
dat .
Japanese technology hits the ~orld :
PLAY METER, September, 1980
-~
-
85