Battle of Britain (1985 video game)

Last updated

Battle of Britain
Battle of Britain cover art.jpg
Commodore 64 cover art
Developer(s) Personal Software Services
Publisher(s) Personal Software Services
SeriesStrategic Wargames
Platform(s) Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum
Release
  • UK: 1986 (Spectrum)
Genre(s) Turn-based strategy
Mode(s) Single-player

Battle of Britain is a turn-based strategy video game developed and published by Personal Software Services for the Commodore 64 and Amstrad CPC in 1985, and the ZX Spectrum the following year. The game is set during the Battle of Britain campaign of the Second World War and revolves around Britain's defence and prevention against a Nazi invasion. In the game, the player commands the Royal Air Force as they must defend key cities against the Luftwaffe.

Contents

The game contains elements of first-person shooting; during some sequences the game requires a certain number of aircraft to be shot down. Battle of Britain received mixed to positive reviews from critics upon release. Critics praised the fast pace of the gameplay and features, however, one reviewer was divided over the historical accuracy of the battle.

Gameplay

A still image of gameplay. Gold colours represent cities, green represents RAF air bases and yellow represents radar installations. Battle of Britain gameplay.png
A still image of gameplay. Gold colours represent cities, green represents RAF air bases and yellow represents radar installations.

The game is a turn-based strategy and focuses on air battles during the Battle of Britain campaign of the Second World War. The player commands squadrons of the Royal Air Force and the main objective of the game is to defend key cities and radar installations from the Luftwaffe. Unlike previous games in the series, Battle of Britain includes cursor movement, a scrolling interface and elements of first-person shooter gameplay. [3]

The game has three individual scenarios; training mode (set on the lowest difficulty), Blitzkrieg mode, and campaign mode. Blitzkrieg mode only lasts one in-game day and features the Luftwaffe going out for an "all-out" attack simultaneously on every target and city, while the campaign mode takes place over a period of 30 days and is set on the highest difficulty. [3] [4] In addition, the campaign mode features historically accurate movements and strategies used by both the RAF and Luftwaffe. [1] [4]

The game contains elements of first-person shooting. In this sequence, a Spitfire attempts to destroy a Messerschmitt Bf 109. Battle of Britain gameplay 2.jpg
The game contains elements of first-person shooting. In this sequence, a Spitfire attempts to destroy a Messerschmitt Bf 109.

At the start of the game, a wave of Luftwaffe aircraft (in the appearance of Balkenkreuz sprites on the map) will cross the English Channel and proceed to bomb various cities, air bases and radar installations. [1] [5] In response, the player must choose which RAF squadrons are scrambled and give orders to them. When an RAF squadron has successfully engaged a Luftwaffe unit on the map, if the player selected the optional arcade mode at the beginning of the game, the game will shift to first-person shooter perspective, in which the point of view is portrayed from a cockpit of a Spitfire. [3] During this dogfight sequence, the number of Luftwaffe casualties will depend on how many aircraft the player was able to shoot down, however, choosing not to play the dogfights does not appear to disadvantage the player. [4]

The game features a changing weather system, which will vary from every hour. Fog will close runways, [6] and storms will slow down resupplies. Over time, RAF squadrons will run out of ammunition or fuel, and thus must replenish at the nearest RAF station. [5] In between turns, the player has the opportunity to request reinforcements from RAF reserves, however the longer the campaign progresses, the quality of the reserves will diminish. [4]

Reception

The game received mixed to positive reviews from critics upon release. Gwyn Hughes of Your Sinclair praised the game's fast pace and tempo of gameplay, stating it to be "fast and furious". However, he criticised the arcade-style flying sequences, referring them as "dodgy" due to the system's lack of processing power. [3] Philippa Irvine of Crash praised the "all-action" theme of the game, and heralded the campaign as "impressive" in both terms of content and length. [4] Gary Rook of Sinclair User similarly praised the gameplay, suggesting that it had a "workmanship" quality to it, however he noted that it lacked a "certain sparkle". [5] Gordon Hamlett of ZX Computing found some aspects of the gameplay confusing, comparing it to juggling. [8] Jon Sutherland of Commodore User concluded that the game "is an enjoyable and absorbing game with a good balance between reflex and strategy gaming." [1]

A reviewer of Computer and Video Games stated that the game "isn't very good", nor the best Battle of Britain recreation on the market, and criticised on how interceptions were "far too easy" to make. [6] Reviewing the ZX Spectrum version of the game, a critic from Advanced Computer Entertainment cited the game as historically inaccurate due to it lasting only 30 days, whereas the actual Battle of Britain was considerably longer. However, they praised the gameplay as an "enjoyable challenge" and a good value for money. [7]

The game was a runner-up for the 1985 Strategy Game of the Year at the Golden Joystick Awards. [9]

Related Research Articles

<i>Emlyn Hughes International Soccer</i> 1988 video game

Emlyn Hughes International Soccer (EHIS) is a soccer computer game first released in 1988 by Audiogenic Software Ltd. The game is named after the popular English footballer Emlyn Hughes. It initially appeared on the Commodore 64, with other versions produced for the Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum, Atari ST and Amiga.

<i>Theatre Europe</i> 1986 video game

Theatre Europe is a turn-based strategy video game developed and published by Personal Software Services (PSS). It was first released in the United Kingdom for the Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, and Atari 8-bit computers in 1985. It was later released in France by ERE Informatique in 1986, and was released in the United States by Datasoft later that year. A port for the Tatung Einstein was released in 1989, in the UK.

<i>Ace of Aces</i> (video game) 1986 video game

Ace of Aces is a combat flight simulation game developed by Artech Digital Entertainment and published in 1986 by Accolade in North America and U.S. Gold in Europe. It was released for the Amstrad CPC, Atari 8-bit computers, Atari 7800, Commodore 64, MSX, MS-DOS, Master System, and ZX Spectrum. Set in World War II, the player flies a RAF Mosquito long range fighter-bomber equipped with rockets, bombs and a cannon. Missions include destroying German fighter planes, bombers, V-1 flying bombs, U-boats, and trains. In 1988, Atari Corporation released a version on cartridge for Atari 8-bit computers styled for the then-new Atari XEGS.

<i>Cauldron</i> (video game) 1985 video game

Cauldron is a video game developed and published by British developer Palace Software in 1985 for the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, and Amstrad CPC home computers. It contains both platform game and horizontally scrolling shooter sections. Players control a witch who aims to become the "Witch Queen" by defeating an enemy called the "Pumpking".

<i>Navy SEALs</i> (video game) 1990–1991 video game

Navy SEALs is a shoot 'em up platform video game developed and published by Ocean Software. It was first released in the United Kingdom for the Amstrad CPC, Amstrad GX4000 and Commodore 64 in 1990. It was later re-released in the rest of Europe for the ZX Spectrum, Atari ST and Amiga home computers in the following year. It was then ported to the Game Boy on 1 September 1991 in the United States. The game is based on the film of the same name and follows the protagonist, Lieutenant Dale Hawkins, progressing through five side-scrolling levels.

<i>Short Circuit</i> (video game) 1987 video game

Short Circuit is a video game based on the 1986 film of the same name. It was developed and published by British company Ocean Software, and was released in Europe in 1987, for Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64 (C64), and ZX Spectrum. It was published again in 1989 as a budget re-release.

<i>Yogis Great Escape</i> (video game) 1990 video game

Yogi's Great Escape is a platform game based on the 1987 movie of the same name. It was developed by British studio PAL Developments and published in 1990 by Hi-Tec Software as a budget game. It was released in Europe for Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, Atari 8-bit computers, and ZX Spectrum.

<i>The Real Ghostbusters</i> (1987 video game) 1987 video game

The Real Ghostbusters is a 1987 shoot 'em up arcade game developed and published by Data East. It is loosely based on Ghostbusters. In Japan, Data East released it as a non-Ghostbusters arcade game under the title Meikyuu Hunter G. In 1989, Activision published The Real Ghostbusters for Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum.

<i>Falklands 82</i> 1986 video game

Falklands '82 is a 1986 turn-based strategy video game developed and published by Personal Software Services for the ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64. The game is set during the 1982 Falklands War and revolves around the Argentine occupation and subsequent British re-capture of the Falkland Islands. The player controls the British Task Force as they must either defeat all Argentine forces on the archipelago or re-capture every settlement.

<i>Battlefield Germany</i> 1987 video game

Battlefield Germany is a turn-based strategy video game developed and published by Personal Software Services for the Commodore 64 released in April 1987. It was also ported to the Amstrad CPC and ZX Spectrum later that year. The game is set during a fictional scenario in which the powers of NATO and the Warsaw Pact engage in a conventional war throughout Europe, mostly centring in West and East Germany.

<i>Tobruk</i> (video game) 1987 video game

Tobruk: The Clash of Armour is a turn-based strategy video game developed and published by Personal Software Services. It was exclusively released in the United Kingdom for the Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum and Amstrad CPC in 1987. The game is set during the 1941 Siege of Tobruk of the Western Desert Campaign in World War II and revolves around the Allied forces attempts to overthrow German field marshal Erwin Rommel from the city.

<i>Battle for Midway</i> (video game) 1984 video game

Battle for Midway is a turn-based strategy video game developed and published by Personal Software Services. It was first released in the United Kingdom and France for the MSX in 1984, and was re-released for the Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum in 1985. It is the first instalment of the Wargamers series. The game is set during the Battle of Midway in the Pacific Ocean theatre of World War II and revolves around the United States Navy attacking a large Imperial Japanese fleet stationed at Midway Atoll, in retaliation for the attack on Pearl Harbor.

<i>Ace</i> (video game) 1985 video game

Ace is a combat flight simulator video game published for the Commodore 64, VIC-20, and Plus/4 in 1985 by Cascade Games. It was ported to the Amstrad CPC, Amstrad PCW, Amiga, and ZX Spectrum.

<i>Throne of Fire</i> 1987 video game

Throne of Fire is an action strategy video game. It was designed by Mike Singleton, developed by Consult Computer Systems, and published by Melbourne House. The game was released for the Amstrad CPC and ZX Spectrum in 1987. Throne of Fire is set in the Burning Citadel, located around the rim of a volcano.

<i>Top Gun</i> (1986 video game) 1986 video game

Top Gun is a 1986 combat flight simulation game based on the film of the same name. It was developed and published by British company Ocean Software, and was released for several computer platforms. In the United Kingdom, it was released for Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum in December 1986. The following year, it was released for Atari ST. In the United States, it was published by Thunder Mountain. In 1989, it was published by The Hit Squad as a budget re-release for ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64.

<i>Ghostbusters II</i> (computer video game) 1989 video game

Ghostbusters II is a 1989 action game based on the film of the same name. It was published by Activision for various computer platforms. British studio Foursfield developed a version for Commodore 64, Amiga, Atari ST, Amstrad CPC and ZX Spectrum, which also got ported to the MSX by New Frontier. It features three levels based on scenes from the film. Dynamix developed a separate version for the DOS, also based on the film. The non-DOS versions were praised for the graphics and audio, but criticized for long loading times, disk swapping, and the final level. The DOS, Commodore 64 and Amiga versions were the only versions released in North America.

<i>The Running Man</i> (video game) 1989 video game

The Running Man is a 1989 beat 'em up video game based on the 1987 film of the same name. It was developed by Emerald Software and published by Grandslam Entertainments for Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum.

<i>Judge Dredd</i> (1991 video game) 1991 video game

Judge Dredd is a 1991 platform shoot 'em up video game based on the character of the same name. It was developed by Random Access and published by Virgin Mastertronic. It was released in Europe in 1991, for the Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum. Critics found the gameplay repetitive.

<i>Pink Panther</i> (video game) 1988 video game

Pink Panther is a 1988 video game based on the character of the same name. It was developed by German company Magic Bytes and published by Gremlin Graphics. It was released in Europe for Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum. Pink Panther was criticized for its control and difficulty, although the Amiga and Atari ST versions received praise for their graphics.

<i>Yes, Prime Minister</i> (video game) 1987 video game

Yes, Prime Minister is a 1987 adventure game based on the television series of the same name. It was developed by Oxford Digital Enterprises and published by Mosaic Publishing. It was released in Europe for Amstrad CPC, BBC Micro, Commodore 64, DOS, and ZX Spectrum. Critics found it a faithful adaptation of the television series, but remarked on its high price, short length, and lack of long-term appeal.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Sutherland, Jon (December 1985). "Screen Scene - Battle of Britain". Commodore User . No. 27. EMAP. p. 57. Value: 4/5
  2. ↑ "Gallup Charts for 4 weeks up to 7/12/85". Amstrad Computer User. No. 15. Amstrad. February 1986. p. 24.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Hughes, Gwyn (March 1987). "Battle of Britain review". Your Sinclair (66). Archived from the original on 2015-07-02. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Irvine, Philippa (February 1987). "Frontline: Battle of Britain". Crash (37): 96, 97.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Rook, Gary (August 1986). "Battle of Britain review (SU)". Sinclair User (60): 44. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
  6. 1 2 3 "Battle of Britain review (CVG)". Computer and Video Games (70): 56. August 1987. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
  7. 1 2 "Battle of Britain review". Advanced Computer Entertainment (3). Future plc. December 1987. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
  8. ↑ Hamlett, Gordon (April 1987). "Battle of Britain review". ZX Computing (4). Retrieved 13 October 2015.
  9. ↑ "Golden Joystick Awards". Computer and Video Games . No. 55. Future plc. May 1986. pp. 90–91.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.