Tac/Scan

Tac/Scan
Developer(s)	Sega Electronics
Publisher(s)	Sega
Designer(s)	Michael Hendricks Brian Millar
Platform(s)	Arcade (original) Atari 2600, PlayStation 2
Release	Arcade NA: April 7, 1982 Atari 2600 NA: July 10, 1983 PS2 NA: November 16, 2006
Genre(s)	Shooter Space combat
Mode(s)	Single player

Tac/Scan (夕ック/スキャン) is a 1982 space combat shooter video game originally released as an arcade game,^[1] and later ported to the Atari 2600. It was also included as an unlockable game in the PlayStation 2 version of Sega Genesis Collection.^[2] It was developed by Sega Electronics^[2] (formerly Gremlin Industries) and published by Sega.^[3]

The game is notable for its 3D vector graphics^[1] that switched between an overhead and third-person perspective,^[4] and for its tactical elements, putting the player in command of seven units in squadron formation through waves of attacking enemies; the player can gain reserve units, while being able to command the units to perform various actions, including firing at enemies, getting into formation, or a "tac" maneuver.^[3][4]

Gameplay[]

The game's title screen

Tac/Scan is a unique game in that the player controls just how many resources (in this case, ships) are put into play. The game starts with seven individual ships in play. Those ships can be lost in any of the three stages by hitting a tunnel, getting shot, or colliding with an enemy, the laser-firing Ahmins composing the superfleet from the planet of Ahm. The player is able to "collect" and earn these ships back as the game progresses. The squadron can drop down to one ship in the game, but still have four "back-up" ships. If the final ship in play is lost, however, the game is over (even if the player has unused "back-up" ships). This is different from other games that give the player ships sequentially.

In the first stage, the player pilots their ships through waves of attacking enemies. The player can either fire upon them, or "tac" their ships around them. The second stage is much like the first, except that it is from a 3-D third-person perspective from behind the player's ships. In the third stage, the player pilots their ships down a space warp tunnel, and will lose any ships that touch the side of the tunnel.

Reception[]

In Japan, Game Machine listed Tac/Scan on their July 1, 1983 issue as being the twenty-second most-successful table arcade unit of the month.^[5]

References[]

External links[]

• Tac/Scan World Record History
• Tac/Scan at the Killer List of Videogames
• "Tac/Scan". AllGame. Archived from the original on 2014-01-01.

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