Mad Planets
| Mad Planets | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Gottlieb |
| Publisher(s) | Gottlieb |
| Designer(s) | Kan Yabumoto[1] |
| Artist(s) | Jeff Lee[1] |
| Platform(s) | Arcade |
| Release date(s) | 1983 |
| Genre(s) | Multi-directional shooter |
| Mode(s) | 1-2 player alternating |
| CPU | 8088 |
| Sound | 6502 |
| Display | Raster, Vertical |
Mad Planets is a 1983 arcade shooter from Gottlieb in which the player fends off angry planets and moons attacking from all directions. The game was designed and programmed by Kan Yabumoto,[1][2] with art by Jeff Lee and sound by David D. Thiel.[1] Lee and Thiel previously worked on Q*bert for Gottlieb.[3]
Gameplay
The player uses a flight-style joystick to move a spaceship around the screen, a rotary knob to orient it, and a trigger on the stick to fire. Planets appear at the start of a level and begin growing. They can be destroyed prior to reaching full size and sprouting moons. Once a planet has moons, it's shielded until all its moons have been launched at the player's ship.[4] A planet that has lost all of its moons becomes angry and charges the player.[5]
Floating astronauts appear in mini bonus rounds after every third level, then every fourth after level twelve.[6] They can be collected by flying over them. Orbiting comets pick up speed the longer they go without being shot. Comets increase in value by 100 points, to a maximum of 1000, until a comet leaves the screen or the level ends.[6]
If a wave is completed by destroying all planets before they reach full size, a substantial bonus is awarded.[7]
Clones
Martech published two clones for home computers: Crazy Comets and its sequel Mega Apocalypse.[8] Crazy Comets even uses the same title screen logo as Mad Planets, but with "Crazy" replacing "Mad" and "Comets" replacing "Planets."
References
- 1 2 3 4 "Mad Planets". Arcade History.
- ↑ "The Giant List of Classic Game Programmers". dadgum.com.
- ↑ "Q*bert". Gaming History.
- ↑ Mad Planets Flyer. D. Gottlieb & Co. 1983.
- ↑ "Mad Planets". Killer List of Video Games.
- 1 2 Sabbatini, Mark. "MAME Reviews: Mad Planets". Retrogaming Times.
- ↑ "Angry Planets from the Arcade's Past - Mad Planets". World 1-1.
- ↑ Wilkins, Chros. "C64Gems : Mega Apocalypse". Retro Now!.