Airstrike (video game)
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| Airstrike | |
|---|---|
 Cassette insert | |
| Publisher | English Software |
| Designer | Steven A. Riding[1] |
| Platform | Atari 8-bit |
| Release | |
| Genre | Scrolling shooter |
Airstrike is a horizontally scrolling shooter written by Steven A. Riding for Atari 8-bit computers.[1] It was published in 1982 as the first release from UK-based English Software. Similar to Konami's 1981 Scramble arcade video game,[3][4] the player flies through caverns while shooting and bombing targets, avoiding terrain, and managing fuel and (unlike Scramble) ammunition. The company described the game as "Very, very, difficult!" in magazine advertisements,[5] and reviewers agreed with that assessment. Having to press the space bar to drop a bomb, while using a joystick for movement and firing, was also criticized.
Airstrike was followed by Airstrike II, also programmed by Riding, in 1983.[6]
The player controls a ship that flies horizontally to the right through caverns. Pressing the joystick button fires a laser, and the space bar drops a bomb.[7] As in Scramble, fuel is limited, but can be replenished by shooting targets marked with an "F". Airstrike also restricts ammunition: the ship starts with 40 shots and 10 bombs and more are gained by destroying ammo dumps (marked with an "A"). Surface to air missiles on the terrain launch up toward the ship and can be destroyed when either on the ground or in mid-flight.
There are five difficulty settings.
