Atari 2600 Encyclopedia: Do you know Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back?

Release Date: 1982
Publisher: Parker Brothers
Controller: Joystick
Players: 1 – 2
Genre: Shoot’em Up
Alternate Title: N/A
Model #: PB5050
Rarity: 2
Programmer: Rex Bradford

This movie based shooter is one of the finest, most challenging titles around.

Join the battle of Hoth in your Snowspeeder as a fleet of the Empire’s AT-AT Walkers march in unison towards your rebel base. While the Empire can never truly be defeated, you can hold them off long enough for your comrades in arms to escape. The game begins with your Snowspeeder sitting on the icy tundra, theechoing march of the AT-AT Walkers echoing in the distance. As you take off and speed towards them, you can check your radar to see just how close you are to the lead one. As you engage it in combat, it will take forty-eight hits to bring it down, or one precise strike to a randomized weak point that reveals itself from time to time. If you manage to defeat the first one, move quickly to the second one before
more are on the way. Battling the mechanical beasts can be a chore given how much armor they have, but thankfully you can fly right through them (at least on most gameplay options). Be aware though that their shots can travel through their body as well, so just because you are behind them doesn’t mean you are safe.

As you take damage your ship will begin to change colors, turning a bright yellow just before you explode. When this happens simply fly out of harm’s way and land on the ice below for some temporary repairs that regain a notch of health. If you manage to stay in the fight for two solid minutes with a single Snowspeeder, the Force will
overtake you, giving you twenty seconds of invincibility to go along with the Star Wars theme. There are numerous difficulty settings, mostly controlling how fast theWalkers move towards your base. You can also pick whether or not you want solid = walkers (meaning if you try and fly through them you’l die) and if you want them to have smart bombs. These are littledevices that are released and will pursue you until your demise. This game is simply a joy to play. The controls are tight, the music is spot on, and the gameplay really makes you feel like you’re taking part in one of the most famous movie battles of all time. you are a fan of the movies or shooters, this should be high up on your list.

 

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