Sneakers (Apple video game)

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Sneakers
The title screen from the Apple II video game Sneakers.
Developer(s) Mark Turmell
Publisher(s) Sirius Software
Designer(s) Mark Turmell
Release date(s) 1981
Genre(s) Shooter
Mode(s) Single player
Platform(s) Apple II
Input Paddles / Keyboard

Sneakers is a 1981 video game for the Apple II computer, created by Mark Turmell and published by Sirius Software.

[edit] Description

The premise of Sneakers is similar to Atari's Space Invaders or Sirius's Space Eggs -- namely to use either paddles or the keyboard to move a ship left or right across the bottom of the screen while shooting or evading enemies. If an enemy destroys your ship, a much larger mothership will descend and put a new one into play. You begin the game with four such ships in reserve. There are eight kinds of enemy you must face, each of which attacks in a wave of its own with a unique strategy. Once you've completed all eight waves, you proceed to level 2 in which the same enemies attack again, but in greater numbers or more challenging ways.

Wave 1: Sneakers
The first wave pits you against the innocuous "Sneakers", smiling, white-legged creatures that fly randomly around the screen. If one collides with you, it will destroy your ship, but otherwise they do not pursue you or fire upon you. Sneakers are blue when flying freely, but turn red when sitting on the ground or travelling vertically. Each is worth 10 points.

Wave 2: Cyclops
The Cyclops are small red, blue and white craft with a single black "eye" that sweeps back and forth. They travel straight across the screen from left to right, and whenever fired upon accelerate and descend slightly toward your ship. Missing too many shots will bring them low enough that they collide with you. Cyclops are worth 25 points.

Wave 3: Saucers
Resembling flying saucers, these ships drop a steady rain of bombs as they fly back and forth above you. When destroyed, they sometimes release a larger, more powerful bomb that can unexpectedly veer diagonally. Saucers are 30 points each.

Wave 4: Fangs
The insect-like "Fangs" dance back and forth in formation near the top of the screen, and will sometimes morph into an indestructible, falling spiked form. Fangs are 35 points.

Wave 5: H-Wings
The TIE Fighter-ish ships in this wave don't fire, but move quickly and are difficult to avoid. Destroying one earns you 50 points.

The Cyclops wave.
The Cyclops wave.

Wave 6: Meteors
In this wave you don't face an enemy per se, but instead must make your way through a dense field of meteors. These meteors can be shot and destroyed, but most must simply be avoided. Much larger asteroids occasionally appear. Destroy enough of the meteors in this wave and you may receive a points bonus.

Wave 7: Scrambles
Scrambles are colorful triangular objects that fall toward your ship, but which you can deflect by shooting at them. Deflect each one a sufficient number of times and it won't return.

Wave 8: Scrubs
The final wave consists of diagonally-moving formations of small blue objects called "Scrubs". Shooting a Scrub will cause it to break formation and slowly fall. Shooting it again in this form will gain you extra points, but will cause it to fall toward you much more quickly.