Summary
Warlords: The Atari Classic That Defined Multiplayer Mayhem
Released in 1980 by Atari, Inc., Warlords is an arcade game that quickly became a classic. With its simple yet addictive gameplay, Warlords could be enjoyed by people of all ages and skill levels. The game was also notable for its innovative use of spinner controllers, which gave players a more intuitive way to control their characters.
Gameplay
Warlords is a competitive game for two to four players. The goal of the game is to be the last player standing by destroying your opponents’ castles. Each player controls a tank that can move around the screen and shoot flaming balls. The flaming balls can be used to destroy the bricks that make up the castles, as well as the other players’ tanks.
The game is played on a single screen, with each player’s castle located in one of the four corners. The castles are made up of three layers of bricks, and each layer must be destroyed in order to reach the next. The flaming balls can also be used to destroy the other players’ tanks, which will respawn after a few seconds.
The game ends when one player has destroyed all of the other players’ castles. The winner is then declared the “Warlord.”
Controls
Warlords uses spinner controllers to control the tanks. The spinner controllers allow players to move their tanks in any direction, as well as to shoot flaming balls. The controllers are very responsive, and they give players a great deal of control over their tanks.
Graphics and Sound
Warlords has simple but effective graphics. The game’s characters and backgrounds are all rendered in a blocky, pixelated style. However, the graphics are still clear and easy to read, and they do a good job of conveying the game’s action-packed gameplay.
The game’s sound effects are also simple but effective. The sound of the flaming balls being shot is particularly iconic, and it helps to create a sense of excitement and urgency.
Legacy
Warlords was a critical and commercial success. The game was praised for its addictive gameplay, innovative use of spinner controllers, and simple but effective graphics. Warlords was also one of the first arcade games to feature multiplayer gameplay, and it helped to popularize the genre.
Warlords has been ported to a variety of home platforms over the years, and it remains a popular game today. The game has also been cited as an influence on a number of other classic arcade games, such as Robotron: 2084 and Joust.
Conclusion
Warlords is a classic arcade game that is still enjoyed by people of all ages today. The game’s simple yet addictive gameplay, innovative use of spinner controllers, and simple but effective graphics make it a must-play for any fan of classic arcade games.
Additional Information
- Warlords was developed by Dave Theurer and Dennis Koble.
- The game was originally released in an upright 2 player version and a 4 player cocktail version.
- The upright version uses a black and white monitor, and reflects the game image onto a mirror, with a backdrop of castles, giving the game a 3D feel.
- The cocktail version is in color, and supports 1-4 players.
- 3-4 player games are free-for-all’s where the game ends as soon as one player wins.
- 1-2 player games play identical to the upright version.
- Warlords was one of the first arcade games to feature a trackball controller.
- The game was ported to the Atari 2600, Atari 5200, and Atari 7800 home video game consoles.
- Warlords was also ported to the Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, and Amstrad CPC home computers.
- A sequel, Warlords: Call to Arms, was released in 1989.
Review Score
8/10
Art
Cover Art
Screenshots
