Spider Fighter

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Spider Fighter
Spider Fighter cover.jpg
Developer(s)Activision
Publisher(s)Activision
Programmer(s)Larry Miller[1]
Platform(s)Atari 2600
Release1982
Genre(s)Fixed shooter
Mode(s)Single-player

Spider Fighter is a fixed shooter designed by Larry Miller for the Atari 2600 and published by Activision in 1982.[1] According to the manual, Miller was "the newest addition to the Activision design team."[2] He went on to create the Atari 2600 racing game Enduro for Activision, released in 1983.[1]

The object of Spider Fighter is to protect an orchard containing fruit—grapes, strawberries, oranges, and bananas—from four kinds of bugs.[2] Digital Press described it as "much like the coin-op game Stratovox but w/o the voice."[3]

Gameplay[]

Gameplay screenshot

At the time of release, a photo of the TV screen showing a score of 40,000 points or higher would earn the player a patch for the Activision "Spider Fighters."[2]

Reception[]

Spider Fighter was not as successful as Activision's other fixed shooter released earlier the same year, Megamania.

Electronic Fun with Computers & Games gave the game 3 out 4 joysticks in the May 1983 issue.[4] A June 1983 Electronic Games review was more critical, claiming it a "keen disappointment" and a "mediocre title from a superior game company."[5] Joystik took the middle road, calling it "a better than average bottom-shoot game that somehow looks like it should be more difficult than it is."[6]

In an AtariHQ review long after the game's release, Keita Iida said "2600 players who are familiar with Activision's usual efforts (which are exceptional overall) might feel a bit let down by Spider Fighter."[7]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c Hague, James. "The Giant List of Classic Game Programmers".
  2. ^ a b c "Spider Fighter Manual". archive.org.
  3. ^ "The Digital Press Virtual Collectors Guide". Digital Press.
  4. ^ Wiswell, Phil (May 1983). "Spider Fighter". Electronic Fun with Computers & Games: 64.
  5. ^ "Spider Fighter". Electronic Games: 40. June 1983.
  6. ^ Gorzelany, Jim (July 1983). "The Home Front: Spider Fighter". Joystik. 1 (6): 61.
  7. ^ Iida, Keita. "Spider Fighter". AtariHQ.

External links[]

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