Missile Command Game Comparison
Released: 1980 | Genre: Shoot ’em up | Publisher: Atari
Platforms: Arcade, Atari 2600, Atari 8-Bit, Atari 5200, Atari Lynx, Atari ST, Game Boy
Missile Command LAUNCHED in 1980 (see what i did there!). It was developed by Atari and published by them in North America, in Europe SEGA published the game with Taito being the publisher for the Japanese market.
Designed by Dave Theurer, who also designed Tempest that released in the same year, the Atari 2600 game was ported by Rob Fulop and went on to shift over 2.5million copies, making it the fourth highest selling Atari 2600 game behind Pac-Man, Pitfall! and Asteroids.
Playing Missile Command
Missile Command is played by moving a crosshair across the sky with a trackball. You then press one of the three buttons to launch a counter-missile from the one of the three nearest locations. When the missile explodes it creates a fireball that expands for a few seconds.
The aim is to destroy the oncoming enemy missiles with these blasts before they reach your base, if they destroy your batteries, you will no longer be able to launch counter missiles from these locations.
Also, each of the three batteries contain 10 missiles, they are useless once you have exhausted this supply and you will have to watch as the onslaught of enemy missiles fall on your base, in the hope you will survive.
The game is set over 11 stages, but if you are a highly skilled gamer, you can get as high as 256 waves with six cities to defend.
At the end of levels, you receive bonuses for all cities that remain standing, missile batteries are repaired after each level but cities are only rebuilt per 8,000 to 12,000 points.
Missile Command on the silver screen!
In 1991, a certain John Connor was playing Missile Command at the Galleria Arcade in Terminator 2: Judgement Day.
The movies arcade scene was actually filmed at the old Santa Monica place.
A Sequel?
Also in late 1980 a two-player sequel to Missile Command was tested but never saw a release. But it was rumoured a prototype appeared in an arcade in Santa Clara, California.
The game was very similar to the original only each player has their own set of cities and missile batteries, and the players can cooperate to help each other out too.
In 1992, Atari did develop a prototype of an arcade game called Arcade Classics for their 20th anniversary, this included Missile Command 2 and Super Centipede.
Edward Furlong as John Connor in Terminator 2
Game Box Arts
Missile Command Title Screens
Gameplay Screens
Missile Command Arcade Video
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