Martianoids

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Martianoids
Developer(s)	Ultimate Play The Game
Publisher(s)	U.S. Gold
Release date(s)	1987
Genre(s)	Arcade
Mode(s)	Single player
Rating(s)	N/A
Platform(s)	ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC
Media	tape
Input	keyboard, joystick

Martianoids is a ZX Spectrum video game developed by Ultimate Play The Game and published by U.S. Gold in 1987. Although it uses isometric projection, as with Ultimate's second-generation isometric releases such as Nightshade and Gunfright, Martianoids used a scrolling display rather than the flip-screen of earlier titles such as Knight Lore and Alien 8.

As with the contemporary Ultimate title Bubbler, Martianoids was not written by the partnership of Tim Stamper and Chris Stamper. It was instead programmed by a team at U.S. Gold, and was therefore an Ultimate game in name only. It was Ultimate's penultimate title for 8-bit home computers. In 1988 the company became Rare Ltd, embarking on a long-running partnership with Nintendo to develop console games.

[edit] Introduction

Typically for an Ultimate release, players are given a tantalising and cryptic introduction :

THE MISSION

After a long journey with only routine maintenance to do, Markon is suddenly attacked by vicious and barbaric Aliens ... THE MARTIANOIDS.

The MARTIANOIDS enter your ship, disrupting the passage of programs as they are transmitted through The Brain of Markon, draining your battery in desperate suicidal attacks to destroy you and your ship.

Their Photon Weapons pass through the internal parts of The Brain destroying all Active Components in their path.

Your task is to guide the program from the Transmitter to the Receiver in each sector. When a program is received the internal defences are activated, thus preventing any further damage in that sector of The Brain. Beware of Disposal Chutes as your program will fall down these and be lost. If all the Active Components in each sector are destroyed then, the sector is destroyed and can no longer be repaired or activated. Spare Batteries are located around The Brain for you to use when your charges become low.

To defend yourself you have Lasers which destroy internal walls, Active Components, Replacement cones, and Aliens.

To help you in your mission, your Console displays a map which shows your position within The Brain, the position of the program and the status of each sector. Red indicates the sector has been destroyed, White that has been activated and flashing Red and Yellow indicates a sector under attack. Also your Console displays messages to tell you what is happening within The Brain.

[edit] Images

[edit] External links

• Martianoids at Ultimate Wurlde
• Martianoids at World of Spectrum
• Martianoids review at CRASH magazine