Laser Squad

Last updated
Laser Squad
Lasersquadboxart.jpg
Original cover art
Developer(s) Target Games
Publisher(s) Blade Software
MicroLeague (MS-DOS)
Designer(s) Julian Gollop
Ian Terry
Programmer(s) Julian Gollop
Mike Stockwell
Composer(s) Matt Furniss
Platform(s) Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, MSX, ZX Spectrum
Release1988: Spectrum, C64, MSX
1989: CPC, Amiga, ST
1992: MS-DOS
Genre(s) Turn-based tactics
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Laser Squad is a turn-based tactics video game, originally released for the ZX Spectrum and later for the Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC, MSX, Amiga, Sharp MZ-800 and Atari ST and PC computers between 1988 and 1992. It was designed by Julian Gollop and his team at Target Games (later Mythos Games and Codo Technologies) and published by Blade Software, [1] expanding on the ideas applied in their earlier Rebelstar series. Laser Squad originally came with five mission scenarios, with an expansion pack released for the 8-bit versions, containing a further two scenarios.

Contents

Reaction from gaming magazines was positive, gaining it high review rating and several accolades. The legacy of the game can be seen in other titles like the X-COM series, especially the acclaimed X-COM: UFO Defense which was also created by Julian Gollop and was initially conceived as a sequel to Laser Squad.

Gameplay

ZX Spectrum screenshot ZX Laser Squad.png
ZX Spectrum screenshot

Laser Squad is a turn-based tactics war game where the player completes objectives such as rescue or retrieval operations, or simply eliminating all of the enemy by taking advantage of cover, squad level military tactics, and careful use of weaponry. The squad's team members are maneuvered around a map one at a time, taking actions such as move, turn, shoot, pick up and so on that use up the unit's action points. More heavily laden units may tire more easily, and may have to rest to avoid running out of action points more quickly in subsequent turns. Morale also plays a factor; a unit witnessing the deaths of his teammates can panic and run out of the player's control.

The original Target Games 8-bit release came with the first three missions with an expansion pack offered via mail order for the next two. The subsequent Blade Software 8-bit release included these as standard; the mail order expansion pack now offered was for missions six and seven instead. Both offers covered cassette and floppy disk versions. As well as featuring new scenarios, the expansion packs included additional weapons as part of the scenarios.

Including the expansion pack, there are seven scenarios in total, each one with its own difficulty settings and squad allocation:

Reception

Computer and Video Games , reviewing the original ZX Spectrum version, awarded it a near-perfect 97% score and a 'C+VG HIT!', stating that "Laser Squad is one of the hottest games I've ever played." [4] Other Spectrum reviews included an 89% in Sinclair User , [5] while Your Sinclair gave the game a 9/10, calling it "a sophisticated strategy wargame...on a par with Elite for thinking warmongers." [6] The game was voted number 16 in the Your Sinclair's Readers' Top 100 Games of All Time. [7]

The Commodore 64 version also fared well with CU Amiga-64 giving a 'CU Screen Star' award with a 92% rating. [8] Zzap!64 gave the game a score of 83%, stating that the game was "an absorbing and very fresh approach to man-to-man combat." [9] In 1993, Commodore Force ranked the game at number two on its list of the top 100 Commodore 64 games. [10] Amstrad Action awarded the CPC version with 91% and an 'AA Mastergame' accolade. [11] The Expansion Pack 2 received an even higher rating of 93% when it became available for review, as "two excellent additions to a game that was already excellent." [12]

The Amiga version also received positive reviews. Amiga Format awarded a 'Gold Award' for a 93% rating explaining that it "is a terrific game that is superbly playable and can definitely be recommended." [13] Other Amiga reviews given by Zero and CU Amiga-64 gave the game their scores of 88% [14] and 87%, [15] respectively. It was ranked the 25th best Amiga game ever by Amiga Power in 1991. [16]

In 2004, readers of Retro Gamer voted Laser Squad as the 63rd top classic game. [17]

Legacy

Rebelstar and Laser Squad are among the earliest examples of turn-based unit-level wargame video games. In 1990, Mythos Games released a fantasy game Lords of Chaos , which had many similarities to Laser Squad but was a follow-up to Gollop's earlier ZX Spectrum game Chaos: The Battle of Wizards . The Laser Squad franchise has been revived by Gollop's Codo Technologies in 2002 with the play-by-email game Laser Squad Nemesis , although this departs from the turn-based action point system and does not have customizable weaponry.

Many of the Laser Squad mechanics were re-used in the later X-COM series of games, created also by Gollop and Mythos Games but published by MicroProse. Notably, the first X-COM game, X-COM: UFO Defense , began its development as Laser Squad II. Some of the name choices for characters and organizations in the games of Mythos and Codo are a thread connecting all the Laser Squad and Rebelstar games. [18] The cover art for XCOM: Enemy Unknown , Firaxis Games' and 2K Games' remake of X-COM: UFO Defense, pays homage to Laser Squad.

Related Research Articles

<i>Bloodwych</i> 1989 RPG video game

Bloodwych is a dungeon role-playing video game, a dungeon crawler, developed for the Amiga, Atari ST, MS-DOS, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum. Its box featured artwork by Chris Achilleos. The plotline identifies the player as a champion of Trazere who, after recruiting up to three fellow champions, travels through dungeons and mazes fighting creatures along the way to find and destroy the evil Zendick, and banish the Lord of Entropy.

<i>Rick Dangerous</i> 1989 video game

Rick Dangerous is a platform game developed by Core Design for the Acorn Archimedes, Amiga, Atari ST, Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, and MS-DOS. The game was released in 1989 and published by MicroProse on the Firebird Software label in the UK, and on the MicroPlay label in America. It was also published in Spain by Erbe Software. Later, it was released with two other games, Stunt Car Racer and MicroProse Soccer, on the Commodore 64 Powerplay 64 cartridge. The game was followed by a sequel, Rick Dangerous 2, in 1990. Loosely based on the Indiana Jones film franchise, the game received mixed reviews from critics.

<i>X-COM: UFO Defense</i> 1994 video game

UFO: Enemy Unknown, also known as X-COM: UFO Defense in North America, is a 1994 science fiction strategy video game developed by Mythos Games and MicroProse. It was published by MicroProse for DOS and Amiga computers, the Amiga CD32 console, and the PlayStation. Originally planned by Julian Gollop as a sequel to Mythos Games' 1988 Laser Squad, the game mixes real-time management simulation with turn-based tactics. The player takes the role of commander of X-COM – an international paramilitary and scientific organization secretly defending Earth from an alien invasion. Through the game, the player is tasked with issuing orders to individual X-COM troops in a series of turn-based tactical missions. At strategic scale, the player directs the research and development of new technologies, builds and expands X-COM's bases, manages the organization's finances and personnel, and monitors and responds to UFO activity.

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

Mercenary is a 3D action-adventure game written for the Atari 8-bit computers 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. 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.

<i>Lords of Chaos</i> (video game) 1990 video game

Lords of Chaos is a turn-based tactics tactical role-playing game published by Blade Software in 1990. It is the sequel to Chaos and an ancestor of the popular X-COM series of games, also written by Julian Gollop. In Lords of Chaos each player controls a wizard who can cast various magic spells. The spells have various effects, for example summoning other creatures, or damaging opposing creatures and wizards. The game can be played against a computer-controlled opponent or by up to four human players.

Julian Gollop is a British video game designer and producer specialising in strategy games, who has founded and led Mythos Games, Codo Technologies and Snapshot Games. He is known best as the "man who gave birth to the X-COM franchise."

<i>Rebelstar</i> 1984 video game

The Rebelstar games are a series of turn-based tactics video games designed by Julian Gollop. Rebelstar Raiders was published in 1984 by Red Shift for the ZX Spectrum. It was reworked in machine code as Rebelstar, published by Firebird in 1986. A sequel, Rebelstar II, was published in 1988 by Silverbird. Rebelstar, but not its sequel, was also adapted for the Amstrad CPC home computer.

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

Nebulus is a platform game created by John M. Phillips and published by Hewson Consultants in the late 1980s for home computer systems. International releases and ports were known by various other names: Castelian, Kyorochan Land, Subline, and Tower Toppler.

<i>Rick Dangerous 2</i> 1990 video game

Rick Dangerous 2 is a platform game developed by Core Design for the Amiga, Atari ST, Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, and MS-DOS. It was released in 1990 and published by Micro Style as a sequel to Rick Dangerous.

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

Zombi is an icon-driven action-adventure video game. It was Ubisoft's first publication, released in 1986. It was programmed by Yannick Cadin and S. L. Coemelck, with graphics by Patrick Daher and music by Philippe Marchiset.

<i>RoboCop 2</i> (video game) 1990 video game

RoboCop 2 is a platform shooter video game based on the 1990 film of the same name. The game was released for several platforms, including Amiga, Amstrad GX4000, Atari ST, Commodore 64, Game Boy, Nintendo Entertainment System, and ZX Spectrum. Ocean Software developed and published several versions, and Data East manufactured an arcade version.

<i>Total Recall</i> (video game) 1990 video game

Total Recall is a 1990 platform game developed and published by Ocean Software that was released for the Commodore 64, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum, Atari ST, and Nintendo Entertainment System. Total Recall is based on the 1990 film of the same name.

<i>Myth: History in the Making</i> 1989 video game

Myth: History in the Making is a 2D platform game developed and published by British publishing house System 3 for the Commodore 64, Amiga, Amiga CD32, Amstrad CPC and ZX Spectrum. It was also released on the NES as Conan: The Mysteries of Time. It was officially announced for Atari ST and a preview version was available, but the full version was never released.

Red Shift was a video game publisher active between 1983 and 1985. They were well known for their strategy games and had a close working relationship with Julian Gollop and Games Workshop.

<i>Saboteur II: Avenging Angel</i> 1987 video game

Saboteur II: Avenging Angel, also known as Saboteur 2, is an action-adventure game created by Clive Townsend and released by Durell Software in 1987 for the ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, and MS-DOS compatible operating systems. A sequel to 1985's Saboteur, the player controls a sister of Ninja from the first game on a mission to avenge his death. Saboteur II was one of the first action-adventure games with a female protagonist and was well received by critics.

<i>Fun School</i> Video game series

Fun School is a series of educational packages developed and published in the United Kingdom by Europress Software, initially as Database Educational Software. The original Fun School titles were sold mostly by mail order via off-the-page adverts in the magazines owned by Database Publications. A decision was made to create a new set of programs, call the range Fun School 2, and package them more professionally so they could be sold in computer stores around the UK. Every game comes as a set of three versions, each version set to cater for a specific age range.

<i>Space Crusade</i> (video game) 1992 video game

Space Crusade is a 1992 video game based on the Space Crusade board game. It is the first video game set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Gremlin Graphics Software Ltd. released the video game version of Space Crusade in early 1992. It was available on Amiga, Atari ST, MS-DOS, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum. It later received an expansion pack, The Voyage Beyond.

<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>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>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.

References

  1. ↑ Edge Staff (2009-05-15). "The Making of: X-COM: Enemy Unknown". nex-gen.biz. Archived from the original on 2011-10-26. Retrieved 2011-04-08.
  2. ↑ Game review, Amstrad Action magazine, Future Publishing, issue 49, October 1989
  3. ↑ Front cover artwork
  4. ↑ Dillon, Tony. Computer and Video Games, issue 86, December 1988, p 89.
  5. ↑ Sinclair User, issue 80, November 1988, p 61.
  6. ↑ Shaw, Pete. Your Sinclair, issue 35, November 1988, p 76.
  7. ↑ "Readers' Top 100 Games of All Time". Your Sinclair. September 1993.
  8. ↑ Dillon, Tony. CU Amiga-64, March 1989, p 45.
  9. ↑ Zzap!64, issue 53, September 1989, p 40.
  10. ↑ "Top Ton!". Commodore Force. Autumn 1993. p. 33. Retrieved 2017-09-03.
  11. ↑ Webb, Trenton. Amstrad Action, issue 49, October 1989, p 50,51.
  12. ↑ Waring, Adam. Amstrad Action, issue 56, May 1990, p 52.
  13. ↑ Smith, Andy. Amiga Format, issue 5, December 1989, p 52,53.
  14. ↑ McCandless, David. Zero, issue 2, December 1989, p 53,54,55.
  15. ↑ Patterson, Mark. CU Amiga-64, November 1989, p 69.
  16. ↑ Amiga Power issue 0, Future Publishing, May 1991.
  17. ↑ Retro Gamer 8, page 67.
  18. ↑ Examples include the recurring character Corporal Jonlan and the arms manufacturer Marsec (Mars Security), which was also featured in X-COM: Apocalypse .
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.