Star Fox (1983 video game)
| Star Fox | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Mythicon |
| Publisher(s) | Mythicon |
| Designer(s) | Bruce De Graff |
| Platform(s) | Atari 2600 |
| Release date(s) | 1983 (USA) |
| Genre(s) | Shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single player, multiplayer |
| Distribution | ROM Cartridge |
Star Fox is a video game for the Atari 2600 console, developed and published by Mythicon in 1983. Although the front cover of the game states "Game 1 in the Star Fox Series," no sequels were ever made.
Story
The game takes place in the year 4024 AD. The story begins as a robot freighter carrying a cargo of extremely valuable trimetalisium energy crystals crash lands on the planetoid Beta-7. An enemy star cruiser, escorted by a squadron of fighter drones, is en route to the planetoid to seize the crystals.
The player's objective is to recover the crystals before the enemy while doing battle with the fighter drones.
From the box:
STAR FOX: Patrol Communique 4024/8: Friendly robot freighter downed on planetoid Beta-7 in your quadrant.
Cargo: Valuable trimetalisium energy crystals. Enemy star cruiser with fighter drones en route to confiscate these highly valuable blue energy crystals.
Mission: Recover as many crystals as possible. Destroy all enemy fighter drones you encounter. Intelligence reports that enemy is combat testing new models of these drones as will periodically replace them during melee. Each replacement drone is faster and more maneuverable than the previous drone.
Mission Status: Critical. Expect extreme danger when penetrating orange atmosphere of Beta-7 planetoid. No further communication authorized. Good hunting.
Legal issues/trademark
The trademark for the Star Fox name was never filed in the United States, but Mythicon, Inc. managed to obtain the trademark in Europe. The name was never used in Europe. When the company disbanded in 1983, presumably the trademarks continued to be held by certain Mythicon directors.
Reception
In a Digital Press article on the worst games for the Atari 2600, Star Fox was ranked nineteenth.[1]
| “ | [...]you control a spaceship on a mission to extract gems beneath the ocean depths. Your ship is defenseless at the bottom of the screen, and amazingly the gems become intelligent and avoid your efforts while taking advantage of the fact that your ship cannot move sideways while at the bottom. Only one enemy and one gem per screen. The playfield and difficulty never change. I give credit to Mythicon for not releasing their second cart in the "Star Fox Series". | ” |
A review by "The Video Game Critic" gave Star Fox his lowest 'F-' rating, finding fault with every aspect of the game.[2] The only other Atari 2600 games ranking so low are Karate and Spacechase.[3]
References
- ↑ Oleniacz, Kevin. "The Worst of the Atari 2600". Digital Press. Retrieved 2006-06-29.
- ↑ http://www.videogamecritic.net/2600ss.htm#Star_Fox
- ↑ http://www.videogamecritic.net/2600.htm