Missile Command posted on Xbox LIVE Arcade
Now this one we recall with the fondest of memories, not to mention aching of wrists. Missile Command challenged many players when it was first introduced in 1980 because you needed objectivity, strategy and a billion other things that most twitch-oriented games left at the door. The storyline was familiar though; aliens bombard planet earth with lasers, your task is to defend using surface to air missiles
The original coin-op graphics were basic but did a stylish job of representing the missile trails and an especially brilliant job of the explosions – giant blobs of colour to accompany a rumble so loud it shook the cabinet. There was no such thing as analogue joysticks in those days, so the Missile Command coin-op used a giant roller-ball which nearly pulled your arm off if you got it spinning too fast. This whole thing (minus the ball) has been recreated for Xbox LIVE Arcade on Xbox 360. And just to prove what a timeless classic Missile Command truly is from a gameplay perspective, Atari has added a new evolved version of the game which features enhanced graphics, sounds and special effects. By this we mean 3D landscapes that you’ll feel even more precious about while defending, and all the graphics support resolutions up to 1080p. Also, digital surround sound explosions and other effects that would’ve scared your average 1980s youth into believing the world had ended. Can you hear the Xbox LIVE leaderboards calling? Can you here those 12 achievements call your name? Probably not if you’ve got Missile Command cranked up to full volume. |
