| Galaforce | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Publisher(s) | Superior Software Acornsoft |
| Designer(s) | Kevin Edwards |
| Platform(s) | Acorn Electron, BBC Micro |
| Release | 1986 |
| Genre(s) | Fixed shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Galaforce is a fixed shooter video game for the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron, written by Kevin Edwards and published by Superior Software in 1986. It spawned a sequel, Galaforce 2 (1988), and later, Galaforce Worlds (2003).
The game is set in the 25th century, in the fictional Magellanic galaxy. The player takes the role of a pilot of the Galaforce, an elite unit of the United Cosmological Federation, on a mission to conquer and overthrow hordes of "savage" aliens. [1]
Galaforce is inspired by arcade fixed shooter games, particularly the Galaga series, but is not a specific clone. The player controls a spaceship that can move horizontally and vertically in the bottom part of the screen (as in Galaga 3 ). The ship comes under attack from successive formations of aliens. The object of the game is to survive while scoring as highly as possible. Unlike many similar games, not all aliens need to be destroyed. Most of the formations involve aliens entering from one side of the screen, moving quickly across the screen in a set pattern, then leaving the screen or disintegrating at the edge. This most resembles a "Challenging Stage" in Galaga as unlike the standard Galaga stages, the aliens do not settle into a Galaxian style swarm.
There are thirteen different aliens, requiring between one and ten hits to be destroyed, and a large number of different formations. The game is broken up into zones that include a series of formations. The aliens in Zone 1 do not fire at the player and never fly into the bottom area of the screen so as long as the player does not move upwards, it is not possible to be killed. The zones get progressively more difficult, with aliens entering or leaving the screen at the bottom (from Zone 2), firing at the player (from Zone 4) and firing homing bombs (from Zone 14). Some formations are known as multiplier formations where a small number of one type of alien keep spawning other aliens until the originals are destroyed. [1]
The game was created by Kevin Edwards for the BBC Micro and ported to the Acorn Electron. [2] The Electron version runs a little slower and in a four colour mode rather than the eight colour mode used on the BBC. Both versions were released in September 1986 by Superior Software. [3] It was the first title released under the joint Superior Software / Acornsoft name in the new double-cassette sized cases which would become standard for Superior releases.
Electron User gave the game a score of 9/10 with reviewer Jon Revis concluding "Galaforce is a game to get the adrenaline flowing, the kind of game you continue playing when you close your eyes in bed at night - it should carry a government health warning!". [4]
Galaforce was included on the Play It Again Sam 2 compilation in 1988 and re-issued as part of the Superior/Blue Ribbon budget range in 1989.
Following the motorbike racing game Crazee Rider , Kevin Edwards created a sequel to Galaforce. The game is similar with the main difference being the inclusion of end of level bosses and bonus items. It also supports two players, alternating turns. Galaforce 2 was first released on the Play It Again Sam 6 compilation in 1988. [5] It was later given a stand-alone release in the Superior/Blue Ribbon budget range in 1990. [6]
An updated and expanded version of the game was released as Galaforce Worlds for Microsoft Windows in 2003 by Superior Interactive, [7] and iOS and Android versions of Galaforce Worlds were published in 2017. [8] These versions add extra worlds, zones, power-ups and achievements to the earlier game format.
Galaga is a 1981 fixed shooter arcade video game developed and published by Namco. In North America, it was released by Midway Manufacturing. It is the sequel to Galaxian (1979), Namco's first major video game hit in arcades. Controlling a starship, the player is tasked with destroying the Galaga forces in each stage while avoiding enemies and projectiles. Some enemies can capture a player's ship via a tractor beam, which can be rescued to transform the player into a "dual fighter" with additional firepower.
Exile is a single-player action-adventure video game originally published for the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron in 1988 by Superior Software and later ported to the Commodore 64, Amiga, CD32 and Atari ST, all published by Audiogenic. The game was designed and programmed by Peter Irvin and Jeremy Smith. It is often cited as one of the earliest examples of a Metroidvania game and featured "realistic gravity, inertia and object mass years before players understood the concept of a physics engine... an astounding level of AI, stealth-based gameplay, a logical ecosystem governing the world's creatures and a teleportation mechanic that feels startlingly like a predecessor to Portal".
Repton is a video game originally developed by 16-year-old Briton Tim Tyler for the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron and released by Superior Software in 1985. The game spawned a series of follow up games which were released throughout the 1980s. The series sold around 125,000 copies between 1985 and 1990 with Repton 2 selling 35,000 itself. The games have since been remade for several modern systems, including iRepton for the iPhone / iPod Touch in 2010, and Android Repton 1, Android Repton 2 and Android Repton 3 from 2016 to 2018.
Superior Software Ltd is a video game publisher. It was one of the main publishers for the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron computers in the 1980s and early 1990s, and occasionally published software to the Commodore 64, Amiga, ZX Spectrum and Amstrad CPC. It currently releases games for Microsoft Windows, iOS and Android, mostly updates of its original games.
Galaga '88 is a 1987 fixed shooter arcade video game by Namco. It is the third sequel to Galaxian. It features significantly improved graphics over the previous games in the series, including detailed backgrounds, larger enemies and greater ship details. The game runs on Namco System 1 hardware.
Bone Cruncher is a puzzle video game for the Acorn Electron, BBC Micro, and Commodore 64 first published by Superior Software in 1987. It uses the "rocks and diamonds" mechanics of Boulder Dash. An Amiga version was released in 1988.
Blue Ribbon was the budget computer software publishing label of CDS Micro Systems.
Boffin is a platform game published in 1985 by Addictive Games for the Acorn Electron and BBC Micro. It was written by 17-year-old Paul Julian O'Malley, who at the time was a resident of Romsey, Hampshire, UK.
Syncron is a vertically scrolling shooter written by Gary Partis for the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron and published by Superior Software in 1987.
The Last Ninja is an action-adventure game originally developed and published by System 3 in 1987 for the Commodore 64. It was converted to the Apple IIGS, MS-DOS, BBC Micro and Acorn Electron in 1988, the Apple II series in 1989, the Amiga and Atari ST in 1990, and the Acorn Archimedes in 1991.
Firetrack is a vertically-scrolling shooter programmed by Nick Pelling and released for the BBC Micro and Commodore 64 platforms in 1987 by Electric Dreams Software. It was also ported to the Acorn Electron by Superior Software in 1989 as part of the Play It Again Sam 7 compilation. It resembles the 1984 arcade game Star Force in style and gameplay. The game was technically advanced and very well received by critics.
Stryker's Run is a video game designed by Chris Roberts and Philip Meller for the BBC Micro and BBC Master which was published by Superior Software in 1986. It was also later converted to the Acorn Electron. It is a 2D side-scrolling action game. It was well received, particularly for its graphics.
Hyperball is a clone of the 1986 arcade game Arkanoid created for the Acorn Electron and BBC Micro. It was released as part of the compilation Play It Again Sam 13 in 1990.
Pipeline is a video game for the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron, originally published by Superior Software in 1988. It is an overhead view action role-playing game set on a mining platform. It was remade for Microsoft Windows as Pipeline Plus (2004).
Elixir is a video game for the Acorn Electron and BBC Micro released in 1987 by Superior Software. It is a platform game in which the player takes the role of a shrunken scientist.
Camelot is a computer game written by Tony Oakden and published in the UK in 1989/90 for the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron. The game was first published by Superior Software and Acornsoft as part of the Play it Again Sam 9 compilation in 1989 and was subsequently re-published as a standalone title in 1990 by Superior Software and Blue Ribbon.
Deathstar is multidirectional shooter for the Acorn Electron and BBC Micro developed by Peter Johnson and originally published in the UK by Superior Software in 1985. It is a clone of the arcade game Sinistar.
Crazee Rider is a motorbike racing video game created by Kevin Edwards and published by Superior Software in 1987. It was released for the Acorn Electron and BBC Micro with an enhanced version for the BBC Master. The game was particularly well received for the Electron as it was the first 3D racing game with corners for that machine.
Spycat: An Interactive Exposé of M.I.41⁄2 is an action-adventure game for the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron, written by Peter Scott and published by Superior Software in 1988. The game is a parody of the scandal surrounding the Spycatcher book.