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| Airlock | |
|---|---|
 Cover art | |
| Developer(s) | Data Age |
| Publisher(s) | Data Age |
| Platform(s) | Atari 2600 |
| Release |
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| Genre(s) | Platform |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Airlock is a platform video game for the Atari 2600 published by Data Age in 1982. The player runs and jumps through the interior of a crippled submarine with only ten seconds to complete each level. [1]
In Airlock, players are challenged to think quickly and act decisively as they navigate the interior of a sinking submarine. The game's primary objective is to escape the submarine by progressing through its various levels, all while managing time constraints and avoiding obstacles.
As the player moves up each level of the submarine, they must collect two hatch keys to unlock the elevator that takes them to the next level. The time pressure increases the difficulty, as taking too long will cause the floors to flood, rendering escape impossible and resulting in a loss.
The roaming loose torpedoes from the crash add an additional layer of challenge to the gameplay. Players must jump over these torpedoes to avoid being momentarily stunned and losing precious time. Airlock tests the player's reflexes, decision-making skills, and ability to stay calm under pressure as they race to escape the submarine before it is fully submerged. [2]
Frank Lovece, writing for Electronic Fun with Computers & Games in 1982, disliked that "there's little to the game once you've passed the first level." He pointed out that because the remaining time carries over to subsequent levels, the game gets easier as you progress. [3]
In a review long after the game's release, Keita Iida concluded: "Graphics are drab in typical Data Age fashion, and sounds consist of nothing more than blips and beeps. On the other hand, it's one of the better efforts by one of the first casualties of the classic videogame era... although that's not saying much." [1]
Star Raiders is a space combat simulator video game created by Doug Neubauer and published in 1980 by Atari, Inc.The player assumes the role of a starship fighter pilot, protecting starbases from invading forces called Zylons. Piloting and combat are shown in the 3D cockpit view, while a 2D galactic map showing the status of the Zylon invasion. Neubauer made the game during in his spare time at Atari, inspired by contemporary media such as Battlestar Galactica and Star Wars, as well as the 1971 mainframe game Star Trek. Originally released the Atari 400/800 computers, Star Raiders was later ported to the Atari 2600, Atari 5200, and Atari ST.
Pitfall! is a video game developed by David Crane for the Atari Video Computer System and released in 1982 by Activision. The player controls Pitfall Harry, who has a time limit of 20 minutes to seek treasure in a jungle. The game world is populated by enemies and hazards that variously cause the player to lose lives or points.
Phoenix is an video game developed for arcades in Japan and released in 1980 by Taito. The game is a Fixed-screen shooter where the player controls a space ship, and must shoot at incoming enemies that fly from the top of the screen down towards the enemies.
Kangaroo is a four-screen platform game released as an arcade video game 1982 by Sun Electronics and distributed in North America by Atari, Inc. Kangaroo is one of the first arcade games similar in style to Donkey Kong without being a direct clone. The player takes the role of a boxing glove-wearing mother kangaroo who is trying to rescue her joey from fruit-throwing monkeys. Despite featuring jumping, there is no jump button. Instead, the player pushes up on the joystick—or up and diagonally—to leap. Atari published ports for the Atari 2600 and Atari 5200. The 5200 port was released for the Atari 8-bit family through the Atari Program Exchange.
Caverns of Mars is a vertically scrolling shooter for the Atari 8-bit family of home computers. It was written by Greg Christensen, with some features later added by Richard Watts, and published by the Atari Program Exchange (APX) in 1981. Caverns of Mars became the best selling APX software of all-time and was moved into Atari, Inc.'s official product line, first on diskette, then on cartridge.
Air-Sea Battle is a fixed shooter developed and published by Atari, Inc. for the Atari VCS. It was one of the nine launch titles for that system when it was released in September 1977. Air-Sea Battle is partially based on the 1975 Atari arcade video game Anti-Aircraft where each player uses a ground-based gun to shoot passing aircraft. The cartridge adds other variants, such as planes dropping bombs on ships and a carnival-themed shooting gallery.
Astro Chase is a multidirectional shooter written by Fernando Herrera for the Atari 8-bit family. It was published by First Star Software in 1982 as the company's first game. Parker Brothers licensed it, releasing cartridge versions for the Atari 8-bit family and Atari 5200 console in 1983 and a Commodore 64 version in 1984. Exidy licensed it for arcade use with its Max-A-Flex cabinet.
Journey Escape is a video game developed and manufactured by Data Age in San Jose, California for the Atari 2600 console, and released in 1982. It stars the rock band Journey, one of the world's most popular acts at the time, and is based on their album Escape.
Aztec Challenge refers to either of two early action video games published by COSMI, as well as two subsequent remakes. In all game versions the player takes control of a running Aztec warrior. The first was a side-scrolling platform-jumping game created by Robert Tegel Bonifacio and released in 1982 for the Atari 8-bit family. Subsequently, a different game with the same title and overall theme was created by Paul Norman and released for the Commodore 64. It includes a level in a modified-first-person 3D-style.
Spider-Man is a vertical scrolling action game written by Laura Nikolich for the Atari 2600, and released in 1982 by Parker Brothers. It was both the first video game to feature Spider-Man and the first Marvel Comics based video game.
Assault is a 1983 fixed shooter video game developed and published by Bomb for the Atari 2600. Controlling a spaceship fixated at the bottom of the screen, gameplay involves the player shooting projectiles towards an enemy mothership that deploys smaller ships to attack the player. The player must also prevent enough projectiles from touching the bottom of the screen.
Lost Luggage is a 1982 action video game developed and published by Games by Apollo for the Atari 2600. The player controls skycaps working at an airport and tries to collect pieces of luggage that fall overhead from a frantic luggage carousel. A two-player mode, in which the second player controls the direction the luggage falls, is also available.
Dolphin is a side-scrolling video game created by Matthew Hubbard for the Atari 2600 and released by Activision in 1983. Dolphin requires the player to use audio cues in order to survive.
Submarine Commander is a simulation video game for the Atari 8-bit family written by Dean Lock and published by Thorn EMI Computer Software in 1982. A VIC-20 port by Gary York was released in 1983, and an Apple II version by Patrick Buckland the same year. The Atari version was re-released in 1985 on cassette on the Sparklers budget label. A version for the TI-99/4A was announced but was not released until 1986 when a third party bought the rights.
Spider Fighter is a fixed shooter designed by Larry Miller for the Atari 2600 and published by Activision in 1982. The object of Spider Fighter is to protect an orchard containing fruit—grapes, strawberries, oranges, and bananas—from four kinds of bugs. Digital Press described it as "much like the coin-op game Stratovox but w/o the voice."
Canyon Climber is a video game designed by Steve Bjork and James Garon for the TRS-80 Color Computer and published by Tandy Corporation in 1982. Ports to other home computers were published by Datasoft. Canyon Climber is a three-screen platform game with an American Southwest theme. Two of the screens are direct analogs of those in Donkey Kong.
Fireball is a Breakout clone video game developed by Arcadia for the Atari 2600. The game was released on cassette tape and required the Starpath Supercharger add-on to play.
Seafox is a shoot 'em up written by Ed Hobbs and published by Broderbund in 1982 for the Apple II and as a cartridge for the Atari 8-bit family. A VIC-20 port, also on cartridge, was released in 1983.
No Escape! is an Atari 2600 video game developed and published by Imagic in 1983. The player controls Jason, leader of the Argonauts, who fights off the Furies sent by the Greek gods. A two-player mode, in which the second player competes against the first turn-by-turn, is also available.
Mines of Minos is an Atari 2600 maze video game developed and published by CommaVid in 1982. The player controls a mining robot in a maze, fighting off alien attackers. A two-player mode, in which the second player can control an alien, is also available.
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