Combat (video game)
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| Combat | |
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| Developer(s) | Atari |
| Publisher(s) | Atari |
| Designer(s) | Larry Kaplan |
| Release date(s) |  October 1977 |
| Genre(s) | Fixed Shooter |
| Mode(s) | Multiplayer |
| Platform(s) | Atari 2600 |
| Media | Cartridge |
| Input | Joystick |
- For the 1985 Exidy arcade shooter, see Combat (Exidy game). For the dedicated console by Coleco, see Telstar Combat!
Combat is an early video game by Atari for the Atari 2600. It was released as one of the nine launch titles for the system in October, 1977, and was included in the box with the system from its introduction until 1982. Combat was based on two earlier black-and-white coin-operated arcade games produced by Atari: Tank (published under the Kee Games name) in 1974 and Anti-Aircraft II in 1975.
Earlier in 1977, Coleco had released the similarly titled Telstar Combat!, an entry in its Telstar series of dedicated consoles. Unlike the Coleco game, Combat had color graphics and numerous gameplay variations. The 27 game modes featured a variety of different combat scenarios, including tanks, biplanes, and jet fighters. The tank games had interesting options such as bouncing munitions ("Tank-Pong") and invisibility. The biplane and jet games also allowed for variation, such as multiple planes per player and an inventive game with a squadron of planes versus one giant bomber. Sears also produced a licensed version of Combat titled Tank Plus (alluding to the original arcade game Tank) as the game packaged with its "Tele-Games" branded Atari 2600 console, the Sears Video Arcade. Combat was programmed by Joe Decuir and Larry Wagner.
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[edit] Gameplay
Combat boasted having 27 games in one, which were all variations on the tank gameplay.
[edit] Tank game
The Tank game in Combat had the basis of two tanks controlled by players each moving around a playing field and shooting the other player until time ran out. The player with the higher score would win. There were various types of shots a player could have depending on which level they chose, including straight missiles, guided missiles, machine gun (for rapid fire), direct hit and Tank Pong in which the shots would bounce off the walls and Invisible Tank in which the players would be invisible. There was also an Invisible Tank pong option. Along with the play styles there were also mazes to choose from including an empty field, a simple maze and a complex maze.
[edit] Biplanes
Another level choice in Combat were the Biplanes. Unlike the Tank version, this was played with three types of firing shots (straight-missile, guided missile, and machine guns). However, there were several different gameplay modes. Instead of having two bi-planes fight it out. Players had the option of have a group of two flyers together versus another two as well as a three on one battle. Instead of having mazes to fly through, there were two clouds in the middle of the stage that either player could fly into temporarily hiding them from view of the other player.
[edit] Jet
Very similar to the biplanes level, was the jets option. In this mode, only straight missile and guided missiles were used. It still had the same map and squadron options as the biplanes mode.
[edit] Sequel
Atari developed a sequel to the popular Combat scheduled for release in 1984, but the video game crash of 1983 caused the game to be delayed and finally cancelled. Combat 2 featured a more sophisticated version of the original's tank game. The game took place in a forest environment divided by a river that could be crossed by either of two bridges. In some modes, the tanks could move under the trees and in others, the tanks were forced to go around or shoot their way through. While the game never hit store shelves, it was illegally manufactured in cartridge format and sold at Classic Gaming Expo in 2001. Atari finally officially released it on the Atari Flashback 2 dedicated console, in 2005.
