Producer: Silversoft
Memory Required: 16K
Recommended Retail Price: £5.95
Language: machine code
Author: C Knight

Armageddon is a copy of the arcade favourite 'Missile Command', where you launch missiles from a limited supply to defend your cities. There are several versions of this game already around for the Spectrum, one indeed called by the same name from Ocean.

This version has all the familiar features of the arcade game. The six cities are protected by three missile bases. Naturally the bases must be defended most ardently otherwise there's nothing left to protect the cities. In addition to the incoming missile traces, there are low flying aircraft and satellites which launch independent projectiles of their own. Some missiles are heat sensitive and will hover over an exploding missile until it is safe to descend further. Each attack wave grows in intensity until it is almost impossible to survive.

COMMENTS

Keyboard positions: sensible
Joystick options: Kempston (via 2-part load, watch out!)
Keyboard play: responsive
Use of colour: good
Graphics: average, nice explosions
Sound: average, nice frying noise for explosions
Skill levels: increases with each screen
Lives: 6 (cities)

This is a pretty close copy, with the major drawback being that four way movement keys to track the missiles is no substitute for the arcade originals tracker ball control.

Hard to determine the value of a game which already been so much copied. The use of colour and the graphics are good, everything moves at a fast pace and it's difficult to master, but in the end it doesn't have lasting appeal for me.

The various options for firing are useful, but you're probably better off with the joystick for targeting. A fast version with neat graphics.

Producer: Silversoft, 16K
£5.95 (1)
Author: C Knight

Silversoft's version of the much-copied 'Missile Command' arcade original is well up to scratch with good use of colour, and average sound. The graphics are simple but effective with very nice explosions and a suitably disgusting frying sound to accompany them. Features six cities, three missile bases, aircraft and bomb-dropping satellites, and heat sensitive missiles which hover above a detonation until it's safe to descend further. Get increasingly fast, medium addictive, sensible control keys and Kempston joystick (via a 2-part load). Overall CRASH rating 68% M/C.

Producer: Silversoft, 16K
£5.95 (1)
Author: C Knight

Silversoft's version of the much-copied 'Missile Command' arcade original is well up to scratch with good use of colour, and average sound. The graphics are simple but effective with very nice explosions and a suitably disgusting frying sound to accompany them. Features six cities, three missile bases, aircraft and bomb-dropping satellites, and heat sensitive missiles which hover above a detonation until it's safe to descend further. Get increasingly fast, medium addictive, sensible control keys and Kempston joystick (via a 2-part load). Overall CRASH rating 68% M/C.

ARCADE APOCALYPSE - MISSILE COMMAND GAMES

Our erstwhile arcade sleuths, CHRIS PASSEY & MATTHEW UFFINDELL duet of their track balls and compare some Spectrum 'Missile Command' type games.

'Missile Command' is the arcade classic in which the player defends six cities from enemy missiles. These missiles leave traces on the screen, splitting up at lower levels to make life more difficult. In addition planes and killer satellites move across the screen dropping more missiles. Heat sensitive missiles (or smart bombs) are able to avoid your defensive explosions and have to be hit accurately (direct hit) or deluged with explosions. Defence is by means of three missile bases, each having ten missiles. Any missile you launch will head for, and detonate at the point where your cross wire sight is set. The game continues until all your cities have been destroyed. The control of the sight is achieved by means of a track ball, which gives a very positive, accurate movement (analogue) and is very necessary for this type of game. The Spectrum games, of course, do not have a track ball provision.

Armageddon by Silversoft
Retail Price: £5.95
Memory: 16K

This is quite an accurate copy of the original in layout, and has the six cities and three laser bases. Each base has its own fire button. Although the keys are fairly well laid out, individual base firing is rather difficult with a total of 7 keys. Because of this, I welcomed the computer-aided firing option which allows you to fire from the nearest base with one key press. This has a slight bias to the outer bases to avoid draining the centre one. The Kempston option greatly improves playability. Graphics are quite good and colourful but not very smooth. The explosions are quite different from the original, being clouds of smoke. Good sound with a nice frying noise adding to the feel. There are planes and satellites, also smart weapons (move straight down). These latter are a little jerky due to character position movement. Overall, a reasonable game.
CP

This has a two-part load - you input whether you want to use a Kempston joystick. The first thing you notice about this version is its sound, very good effects. The cross hair movement is block and not smooth - not actually a disvantage as the explosions are realistically long lasting. This version has several features which the Softek one doesn't like alien craft and satellites and intelligent missiles which hover over your explosions until it's safe. Also three missile silos and a useful auto-fire select. A game that is a good copy of the arcade original and I think is the second best version for keyboard use.
MU

Note on ratings: To be enjoyed to the full, 'Missile Command' games should be played with a joystick (shame there is not a track ball) because keyboard play, in general, cannot give the same degree of accuracy and control. Although the same may be said for many other types of game, we are sure 'Missile Command' fans will agree that this is the game which needs it the most badly. Therefore the ratings given below have been split in two, one for keyboard only play, and one for joystick play. The two reviewers figures have been averaged as, in general, they turned out to be in agreement.

Ratings are given on a scale between zero and 100 points, and do not reflect what a game may receive in a regular review.

Memory: 16K
Price: £5.95
Joystick: Kempston

Armageddon is based on that well-known arcade game Missile Defence. It involves defending six cities from incoming waves of thermo-nuclear missiles and other airborne weapons. According to the instructions, you may have to sacrifice some civilian targets for ultimate success, although missile bases are said to be your enemy's main target.

As a game it is very fast and requires good reactions. The graphics are fairly simple but include effective mushroom clouds. There is only one level of skill and since the game is so fast-moving it would benefit from several levels.

Problems were experienced loading the game but all Silversoft games are guaranteed and can be exchanged. Overall more attention should be paid to providing a better game than having a good title page.

Armageddon can be obtained from Silversoft.

MACHINE: Spectrum 16/48K
JOYSTICK: No
CATEGORY: Arcade
SUPPLIER: Silversoft
PRICE: £5.95

A very nice translation of Missile Command. Fast, colourful and with extra attacking weapons which can only be destroyed by direct hits. Great fun, if you like saving the earth.