Summary
- Release Year: 1982
- Genres: Arcade, Shooter
- Platforms: Atari 2600
- Developers: U.S. Games
- Publishers: U.S. Games
Space Jockey: A Retrospective
Released in 1982, Space Jockey is a classic arcade shoot-em-up that still holds up today. With its simple but addictive gameplay, it’s a must-play for fans of the genre.
The player controls a saucer at the bottom of the screen, and must shoot down waves of enemies that scroll down from the top. The enemies include tanks, jet planes, prop planes, and helicopters. In addition to these enemies, there are also houses, balloons, and trees that can be destroyed for points.
Space Jockey is notable for its fast-paced gameplay and challenging difficulty. The player’s saucer is constantly under fire from enemy attacks, and even a single hit can destroy it. This makes it essential to stay alert and constantly moving.
The game also features a variety of power-ups that can help the player survive. These power-ups include:
- Speed Boost: Increases the player’s saucer’s speed.
- Shield: Protects the player’s saucer from enemy fire.
- Spread Shot: Allows the player’s saucer to fire in multiple directions.
- Bomb: Destroys all enemies on the screen.
Space Jockey was a critical and commercial success upon its release. It was praised for its addictive gameplay, challenging difficulty, and variety of power-ups. The game has since been ported to a number of different platforms, including the NES, Commodore 64, and Atari 2600.
Gameplay
Space Jockey is a simple game to learn, but difficult to master. The player controls a saucer at the bottom of the screen, and must shoot down waves of enemies that scroll down from the top. The enemies include tanks, jet planes, prop planes, and helicopters. In addition to these enemies, there are also houses, balloons, and trees that can be destroyed for points.
The player’s saucer can move up and down, and can fire in eight directions. The player must use their saucer to dodge enemy fire and shoot down as many enemies as possible.
The game is divided into levels, each of which has a different background and set of enemies. The levels get progressively more difficult as the game progresses.
Power-Ups
There are a variety of power-ups that can help the player survive in Space Jockey. These power-ups include:
- Speed Boost: Increases the player’s saucer’s speed.
- Shield: Protects the player’s saucer from enemy fire.
- Spread Shot: Allows the player’s saucer to fire in multiple directions.
- Bomb: Destroys all enemies on the screen.
Power-ups appear randomly throughout the game. The player can collect power-ups by flying over them.
Scoring
Points are awarded for destroying enemies and collecting power-ups. The player’s score is displayed at the top of the screen.
The player’s score is also used to determine their rank. There are five ranks in Space Jockey:
- Private
- Corporal
- Sergeant
- Lieutenant
- Captain
The player’s rank is displayed on the title screen.
Legacy
Space Jockey is a classic arcade shoot-em-up that still holds up today. With its simple but addictive gameplay, it’s a must-play for fans of the genre. The game has been ported to a number of different platforms, and it continues to be enjoyed by gamers of all ages.
Tips for Playing Space Jockey
Here are a few tips for playing Space Jockey:
- Stay alert and constantly moving. The player’s saucer is constantly under fire from enemy attacks, and even a single hit can destroy it.
- Use the power-ups wisely. Power-ups can help the player survive and score more points.
- Don’t be afraid to experiment. There are many different ways to play Space Jockey. Experiment with different strategies to find what works best for you.
- Practice makes perfect. The more you play Space Jockey, the better you will become at it.
Review Score
8/10
Art
Cover Art
Screenshots
