Warhawk (1986 video game)

Last updated
Warhawk
Warhawk Coverart.png
Developer(s) Proteus Developments
Publisher(s) Firebird
Composer(s) Rob Hubbard
Platform(s) Commodore 64, [1] Atari 8-bit family, [2] Amstrad CPC, [3] [4] Atari ST
Release1986
Genre(s) Scrolling shooter
Mode(s) Single-player

Warhawk is a vertically scrolling shooter published in 1986 by Firebird software. It was released for the Commodore 64, [1] Atari 8-bit family, [2] Amstrad CPC, [3] and Atari ST.

Contents

The 8-bit versions of the game were budget-priced releases on Firebird's "Silver 199" sub-label.

Gameplay

The player must dodge and destroy obstacles along a vertically scrolling screen. The end of each level has a large number of ships flying at the player from many angles. [5]

Reception

Computer and Video Games reviewed the Atari version which they compared to Uridium . They admired the asteroid graphics but thought those of the aliens were a little weak though "they swoop around fast enough to keep you on your toes". The game was awarded a 7/10 score. [6]

Commodore User praised the game's presentation, graphics and enemy AI which was considered to be superior to Uridium's. It was given an 8/10 overall score. [7]

Legacy

The following year, Proteus Developments developed Tanium, published by Players Software in 1988. The version for the Commodore 64 was declared to be Warhawk II on the title screen [8] and the link was mentioned in reviews, [9] but was not indicated in versions for other platforms.

A re-envisioning of the game was written for the Nintendo DS. [10] While not a complete remake of the original game, it retains the same graphical feel and gameplay mechanics as the original. This project also involved Michael Ware from the development team of the 1986 release. Warhawk was remade for the ZX Spectrum Next with a version coded by Michael Ware and Jim Bagley. [11] It received a physical release in spring 2020.

Related Research Articles

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

Paperboy is an arcade action game developed and published by Atari Games and Midway Games, and released in 1985. The player takes the role of a paperboy who delivers a fictional newspaper called The Daily Sun along a suburban street on his bicycle. The arcade version of the game featured bike handlebars as the controller.

<i>Wizball</i> 1987 video game

Wizball is a horizontally scrolling shooter written by Jon Hare and Chris Yates and released in 1987 for the Commodore 64 and later in the year for the ZX Spectrum and Amstrad CPC. Versions for the Amiga and Atari ST were released in the following year. Wizball was also ported to IBM PC compatibles and the Thomson MO5.

<i>Mercenary</i> (video game) 3D action-adventure game

Mercenary is a 3D action-adventure game written for the Atari 8-bit family and published by Novagen Software in 1985. It was converted to the Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Amiga and Commodore 16/116/Plus/4 platforms. The game uses vector graphics renderings of vast, sparse environments and has open-ended gameplay. It was also released as Mercenary: Escape from Targ and Mercenary: A Flight Simulator Adventure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Graftgold</span> Computer game developer

Graftgold was an independent computer game developer that came to prominence in the 1980s, producing numerous computer games on a variety of 8-bit, 16-bit and 32-bit platforms.

<i>Rushn Attack</i> 1985 video game

Rush'n Attack is a hack and slash/run and gun video game developed and released by Konami in North American arcades in 1985, and converted to the Nintendo Entertainment System and MS-DOS PCs. Its name is a play on the phrase "Russian attack" due to its Cold War setting. It was released in some countries as Green Beret and ported to home systems, becoming a critical and commercial success for arcades and home computers.

<i>Uridium</i> 1986 video game

Uridium is a science fiction side-scrolling shoot 'em up originally designed by Andrew Braybrook for the Commodore 64, and later ported to other 8-bit machines. It consists of fifteen levels, each named after a metal element, with the last level being called Uridium. The manual quotes Robert Orchard, who invented the name as saying "I really thought it existed".

<i>I, Ball</i> 1987 video game

I, Ball is a vertically scrolling shooter published for the Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum in 1987 by Firebird. It was programmed by Timothy Closs. The C64 version features music written by Rob Hubbard, based on two tunes by Cabaret Voltaire called "Whip Blow" and "I Want You". Hubbard was commissioned to write music based on the style of the band. The audio also includes synthesised speech.

<i>Bomb Jack</i> 1984 video game

Bomb Jack is a platform game published by Tehkan for arcades in and later ported to home systems. The game was a commercial success for arcades and home computers. It was followed by several sequels: the console and computer game Mighty Bomb Jack, the arcade game Bomb Jack Twin, and Bomb Jack II which was licensed for home computers only.

<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>Starglider</i> 1986 video game

Starglider is a 3D video game published in 1986 by Rainbird. It was developed by Jez San under his company name Argonaut Software. The game is a fast-moving, first-person combat flight simulator, rendered with colourful wireframe vector graphics inspired by San's love of the 1983 Atari coin-op Star Wars.

<i>The Untouchables</i> (video game) 1989 video game

The Untouchables is a video game released by Ocean Software in 1989 on ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, MSX, Atari ST, Amiga, DOS, NES, and SNES. It is based on the film The Untouchables.

<i>Black Lamp</i> (video game) 1988 video game

Black Lamp is a platform game, originally published by Firebird Software for the Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum computers in 1988, and later published by Atari Corporation for the Atari 8-bit family in 1989.

<i>Panther</i> (1986 video game) 1986 video game

Panther is a Commodore 64 game designed and implemented by Peter Adams and published by Mastertronic in 1986. An Atari 8-bit family version followed in 1987, then a ZX Spectrum port in 1989. The player pilots a strange-looking aircraft, fighting off hordes of invading flying saucers and rescuing people by landing the craft and waiting for them to board. The game uses a diagonally scrolling isometric view, much like Zaxxon and Blue Max, using shadows to show the height of flying objects. Adams previously worked ports of both of those games.

<i>Light Force</i> 1986 shooter game

Light Force is a 1986 vertically scrolling shooter designed by Greg Follis and Roy Carter, developed by their company Gargoyle Games, and published under their Faster Than Light imprint. It was released for the Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum platforms.

<i>Superman: The Man of Steel</i> (1989 video game) 1989 video game

Superman: The Man of Steel is a 1989 video game featuring the DC Comics character Superman. It was developed and published by UK software company Tynesoft under license from First Star Software.

<i>Ninja</i> (1986 video game) 1986 video game

Ninja is a beat 'em up game developed by Sculptured Software and released by Mastertronic in 1986 for the Atari 8-bit family, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum, then in 1987 for the Amstrad CPC, Amiga, Atari ST, and MS-DOS. An arcade version of the game was released in 1987 for Mastertronic's Arcadia Systems which is based on Amiga hardware. The Amiga, Atari ST, and Arcade versions were released as Ninja Mission. As a Ninja, the player attacks a fortress made of individual fixed screens which can be explored non-linearly.

<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>Judge Dredd</i> (1990 video game) 1990 video game

Judge Dredd is a 1990 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 1990, for the Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum. Critics found the gameplay repetitive.

<i>Flak</i> (video game) 1984 video game

Flak: The Ultimate Flight Experience is a vertically scrolling shooter for the Atari 8-bit family designed by Alain Marsily, programmed by Yves Lempereur, and published by Funsoft in 1984. It was ported to the Apple II, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum home computers. Flak was heavily inspired by the 1982 Namco arcade game Xevious. Most critical reviews were middling or harshly negative.

References

  1. 1 2 Warhawk, gamespot.com. Article retrieved 2007-03-16
  2. 1 2 Warhawk, atarimania.com. Article retrieved 2007-03-16
  3. 1 2 Warhawk, cpczone.net. Article retrieved 2007-03-16
  4. ↑ Warhawk on www.c64-wiki.com
  5. ↑ Commodore 64 - Warhawk Page
  6. ↑ "CVG Magazine Issue 072". October 1987.
  7. ↑ "Commodore User (November 1986) Reviews - Amiga Magazine Rack".
  8. ↑ "Tanium Screenshots for Commodore 64". MobyGames. Retrieved 2020-07-27.
  9. ↑ "Tanium Review - Zzap 64". www.zzap64.co.uk. May 1988. Retrieved 2020-07-27.
  10. ↑ The Official Warhawk DS Page
  11. ↑ "Warhawk ZX Spectrum Next". www.spectrumnextgames.uk. Retrieved 2020-07-27.
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.