Dark Star (1984 video game)

Last updated
Dark Star
Publisher(s) Design Design
Platform(s) ZX Spectrum
Release 1984
Genre(s) Shoot 'em up

Dark Star is a 1984 ZX Spectrum shoot 'em up developed and published by Design Design. [1]

Contents

Gameplay

Reception

Dark Star received positive reception from video game critics.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ZX Spectrum</span> 1982 series of home computers

The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit home computer developed and marketed by Sinclair Research. It is one of the most influential computers ever made, and also one of the best selling computers ever, with over five million units sold. It was first released in the United Kingdom on 23 April 1982, and around the world in the following years, most notably in Europe, the United States, and Eastern Bloc countries.

<i>Sabre Wulf</i> 1984 video game

Sabre Wulf is an action-adventure game released by British video game developer Ultimate Play the Game for the ZX Spectrum home computer in 1984. The player navigates the pith-helmeted Sabreman through a 2D jungle maze while collecting amulet pieces to bypass the guardian at its exit. The player does not receive explicit guidance on how to play and is left to decipher the game's objectives through trial and error. Sabreman moves between the maze's 256 connected screens by touching the border where one screen ends and another begins. Each screen is filled with colourful flora, enemies that spawn at random, and occasional collectibles.

<i>Jetpac</i> 1983 arcade-style shooter video game

Jetpac is a shooter video game developed and published by Ultimate Play the Game and released for the ZX Spectrum and VIC-20 in 1983 and the BBC Micro in 1984. It is the first game to be released by Ultimate Play the Game, the company which later became Rare. The game follows Jetman as he must rebuild his rocket in order to explore different planets, while simultaneously defending against hostile aliens. It was written by Ultimate co-founder Chris Stamper with graphics designed by his brother, Tim Stamper. Reviewers praised Jetpac's presentation and gameplay, and it won "Game of the Year" at the Golden Joystick Awards in 1983.

<i>Underwurlde</i> 1984 video game

Underwurlde is a 1984 action-adventure platform video game in the Sabreman series by Ultimate Play the Game for the ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64. The player controls the adventurer Sabreman as he jumps between platforms in a castle and its caverns to find an escape past the exit guardians. Underwurlde features about 600 flip screen areas. Unlike other games of its time, Sabreman is not injured when touched by enemies and is instead knocked backwards. Underwurlde is the second game in the series, between Sabre Wulf and Knight Lore, and released shortly before the latter for the ZX Spectrum in late 1984. Another developer, Firebird, ported the game to the Commodore 64 the next year.

<i>Skool Daze</i> 1984 video game

Skool Daze is a computer game released by Microsphere in 1984 for the ZX Spectrum and ported to the Commodore 64 the following year. It was written by David Reidy, with graphics designed by Keith Warrington. The game was commercially and critically successful, and praised for its original concept. It has since been regarded as one of the pioneers of the sandbox game genre.

<i>Atic Atac</i> 1983 video game

Atic Atac is an arcade-adventure video game developed and published by Ultimate Play the Game, released for the ZX Spectrum in 1983 and the BBC Micro in 1985. The game takes place within a castle in which the player must seek out the "Golden Key of ACG" by unlocking doors and avoiding enemies. It was Ultimate's second game to require 48K of RAM; most of their previous games for the Spectrum ran on unexpanded 16K models.

<i>Wanted: Monty Mole</i> 1984 video game

Wanted: Monty Mole is a platform video game published in July 1984 for the ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64 home computers. It is the first game released by Gremlin Graphics and the first game in the Monty Mole series. Monty Mole is a fictional mole created by Ian Stewart, the director of the company.

<i>Tornado Low Level</i> 1984 video game

Tornado Low Level is a multidirectional flight game developed by Costa Panayi and published in 1984 by the company he co-founded, Vortex Software. The game was released for the ZX Spectrum in 1984, with ports for the Amstrad CPC and Commodore 64 in 1985.

<i>Potty Pigeon</i> 1984 video game

Percy The Potty Pigeon is computer game written by Shaun Hollingworth for the ZX Spectrum and published by Gremlin Graphics in 1984. The Commodore 64 version was programmed by Antony Crowther. There are 2 versions of the game. In the C64 version the goal is to fly around and collect sticks to build a nest whereas the Spectrum version required worms collecting and feeding the chicks. The player can defecate on cars and make them crash.

Crystal Computing, later renamed Design Design, was a British video game developer founded in 1982 by Chris Clarke and Ian Stamp while students at the University of Manchester. Graham Stafford, Neil Mottershead, Simon Brattel and Martin Horsley, joined the company as it expanded. The company's first software release was a compilation of games for the Sinclair ZX81, though it was with the ZX Spectrum that Crystal found its greatest success. A deal with the machine's manufacturer Sinclair to distribute Crystal's Zeus Assembler gave the company sufficient funds for a major marketing campaign for their next product, Halls of the Things, an arcade adventure game that became their most successful title.

<i>Bruce Lee</i> (video game) 1984 video game

Bruce Lee is a platform game written by Ron J. Fortier for Atari 8-bit computers and published in 1984 by Datasoft. The graphics are by Kelly Day and music by John A. Fitzpatrick. The player takes the role of Bruce Lee, while a second player controls either Yamo or alternates with player one for control of Bruce Lee.

<i>Dark Sceptre</i> 1987 video game

Dark Sceptre is a strategy adventure video game by Mike Singleton's design team Maelstrom Games, for Beyond Software. It was published by Firebird Software for the ZX Spectrum in 1987 and for the Amstrad CPC in 1988.

<i>Chequered Flag</i> (video game) 1983 racing video game

Chequered Flag is a racing video game developed by Psion Software and published by Sinclair Research in 1983. It was the first driving game published for the ZX Spectrum and one of the first computer car simulators.

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

Rambo is a 1985 video game based on the film Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985). The game was designed by David Collier and Tony Pomfret with the ZX Spectrum version converted by Platinum Productions.

<i>Blade Runner</i> (1985 video game) 1985 video game

Blade Runner is a 1985 shoot 'em up game loosely inspired by the 1982 film Blade Runner. The game was published in 1985 by CRL Group PLC for Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, and Amstrad CPC. Reviews of the game were mostly negative.

<i>Seiddab Trilogy</i> Video game series

The Seiddab Trilogy is a series of video games designed by Steve Turner for the ZX Spectrum and published by Hewson Consultants. It consists of 3D Space-Wars (1983), 3D Seiddab Attack (1984), and 3D Lunattack. All three games were later published together as The Seiddab Trilogy by Hewson for the Rotronics Wafadrive. The series name is derived from the word "baddies" being spelt in reverse.

<i>Zoids: The Battle Begins</i> 1986 video game

Zoids: The Battle Begins is a 1986 video game designed by Chris Fayers, developed by the Electric Pencil Company, and published by Martech. and released in Europe for the ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, MSX and Commodore 64 computers. Based on the Zoids toy series, the player controls a human who was fused with one of the robots and has to reclaim parts of a larger mech.

<i>Scott Adams Scoops</i> 1987 video game

Scott Adams Scoops is a compilation of video games designed by Scott Adams and published by U.S. Gold for a variety of home computers: Pirate Adventure, Strange Odyssey, Voodoo Castle, and Buckaroo Banzai.

<i>Steve Davis Snooker</i> 1984 video game

Steve Davis Snooker is a sports simulation video game developed and published by CDS Software in 1984. The budget release published by Blue Ribbon Software reached the top of the UK charts in May 1988. Steve Davis Snooker simulates the cue sport snooker. Released under licence from 6-time Snooker World Champion, Steve Davis.

<i>Beatle Quest</i> 1985 video game

Beatle Quest is a text adventure video game developed and published by Number 9 Software. Written by Garry Marsh, the game was developed using The Quill software program. It was released for the Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum computers in 1985.

References

  1. "Your Spectrum 11 - Joystick Jury". www.users.globalnet.co.uk. 1985-02-01. Retrieved 2018-08-30.
  2. "A Crash Smash". Crash . No. 11. December 1984. pp. 97–98.
  3. "Software Reviews". Computer And Video Games . No. 40. February 1985. p. 44.
  4. Jenkins, Charlie (December 1987). "Twilight". Sinclair User . No. 69. p. 57.