Help me remember this obscure 2600 game.

Specineff · Post by **Specineff** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 8:25 pm

This game was sort of a shmup, within an arena. You played as a ship that can move both up and down, left and right. The ship always points sideways. At the bottom, there was this weird alien/demon hybrid that spit either fireballs or bats. When you managed to blow it up, a portal opened at the bottom of the screen, and you had to pass through it several times for it to open a tunnel.

The tunnel had electricity or lazors that zapped at specific intervals, and either you had to make it through before they zapped again, or stay at a safe spot in between them. The length of the tunnel and the amount of lasers increase with every passing round. When you lose your last life, the alien/demon appears at the bottom of the screen and laughs at you.

Thanks.

The Coop · Post by **The Coop** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 10:36 pm

Yar's Revenge?
Cosmic Ark?
Planet Patrol?

Ed Oscuro · Post by **Ed Oscuro** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 10:40 pm

Beamrider? Vanguard? Actionauts?

Specineff · Post by **Specineff** » Fri Apr 18, 2008 1:35 am

Nope. None of those you mentioned, after checking screenshots.

The game doesn't scroll. You're in an enclosed area, the demon/gremlin is at the bottom, swinging left and right, spitting bats or fireballs. Upwards towards you. Once you kill it and open the tunnel/trench, you have to descend through it while dodging a laser net, or making it through in between zaps. That's all I remember.

dave4shmups · Post by **dave4shmups** » Fri Apr 18, 2008 1:38 am

Specineff wrote:Not Yar's, nor Cosmic Ark. Not Vanguard, either.

The tunnel was vertical, and you had to descend it to fight another demon/troll/alien.

Maybe it's Subterranea: http://www.atariage.com/screenshot_page ... abelID=523

Specineff · Post by **Specineff** » Fri Apr 18, 2008 1:40 am

You're the man, Dave. Thanks!

Post by **Shatterhand** » Fri Apr 18, 2008 1:49 am

Oh, Subterranea! This was one the 2600 games I was afraid of when I was a little children (The other one was Frankstein ... I know why I was afraid of Frankstein, but I have no idea was I afraid of Subterrania)... when I got older and acutally came to play it, I found it to be lots of fun.

But the demon doesn't laugh at you when the game ends. It just goes left and right very quickly... it's just that you imagination made you believe he was laughing..... alas, that thing wasn't a demon, it was a mess of green pixels that looked... like vomit I guess.

AMazing how games used to make our imagination fly. Now we all complain about how the textures on the face of Solid Snake aren't realistic enough

PC Engine Fan X! · Post by **PC Engine Fan X!** » Fri Apr 18, 2008 3:39 pm

I recall when Imagic released Moonsweeper for the 2600 back in 1983...that game really reminded me of Sega's Buck Rogers in the Planet Zoom arcade game but with some twists and spins to make it different. By landing on the red colored moons, could you really rack up some serious points by shooting everything down.

I liked how Imagic was able to have the two-colored toned moon landscape scrolling towards you at varible speeds from virtually a crawl to super fast...that really was pushing the 2600's hardware to the max at the time. ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

Post by **Shatterhand** » Fri Apr 18, 2008 4:28 pm

Moonsweeper indeed was a technical feat on the 2600.

IMO it was better even than the MSX version.

dave4shmups · Post by **dave4shmups** » Fri Apr 18, 2008 8:46 pm

Specineff wrote:You're the man, Dave. Thanks!

Glad to help out, bro! It's not cheap, by 2600 standards, on Ebay, but it's an incredible shooter! And Moonsweeper is great; you can get that one on Activision Anthology. Hard game, but fun.