Summary
- Release Year: 1987
- Genres: Arcade, Shooter
- Platforms: Amiga, Atari 7800, Atari ST/STE, Super Famicom
- Developers: Tynesoft Computer Software
- Publishers: Mindscape, Inc.
Plutos (1987): A Lost Atari 7800 Gem
Plutos is a vertically oriented space shooter that was developed by Tynesoft for the Atari 7800. It is a loose port of the ST/Amiga game of the same name. Plutos was never officially released, but a prototype has been circulating among collectors for years. In 2008, the source code for Plutos was discovered, and several 7800 enthusiasts were able to get it compiled and running properly on stock 7800 hardware.
Plutos is a visually impressive game for the Atari 7800. The graphics are colorful and detailed, and the backgrounds are varied and interesting. The game also features some impressive parallax scrolling effects.
The gameplay in Plutos is similar to Raiden. The player controls a spaceship that flies vertically up the screen, shooting down waves of enemies. The enemies come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and they attack the player in different ways. Plutos also features some large and challenging boss battles.
One of the unique features of Plutos is its weapons power-up system. There are three different types of weapons, each of which can be upgraded up to four times. The three different weapons are:
- Dual machine guns: These are the weakest weapons in the game, but they have a high rate of fire.
- Spread gun: This weapon fires a spread of three shots, which makes it effective against large groups of enemies.
- Energy gun: This is the most powerful weapon in the game, but it has a slow rate of fire.
In addition to the three main weapons, Plutos also features an invincibility power-up. This power-up makes the player invincible for a short period of time.
Plutos is a challenging game, but it is also fair. The player has a variety of weapons and power-ups at their disposal, and the difficulty level is well-balanced. Plutos is a great game for fans of vertically scrolling space shooters.
What Happened to Plutos?
It is unclear why Plutos was never released. Some speculate that Tynesoft ran out of money, while others believe that the game was simply not finished in time for the Atari 7800’s launch. Whatever the reason, Plutos remains one of the most tantalizing unreleased games for the Atari 7800.
The Legacy of Plutos
Even though it was never released, Plutos has had a significant impact on the Atari 7800 community. The game’s discovery and subsequent release have shown that there are still many hidden gems waiting to be found on the Atari 7800. Plutos has also inspired other developers to create new games for the Atari 7800.
Conclusion
Plutos is a great example of the potential of the Atari 7800. It is a visually impressive and challenging game that would have been a great addition to the Atari 7800 library. It is a shame that Plutos was never released, but thanks to the efforts of some dedicated 7800 enthusiasts, the game can now be enjoyed by everyone.
Review Score
7.5/10
