Friends, Atari’s Missile Command is one of my favorite arcade titles of all time – released back in 1980 at the beginning of the Golden Age of the Arcades. Having said that I must admit that it wasn’t at the Showbiz Pizza or Games People Play of my youth – not even at the local bowling alley or skating rink where I first played Missile Command. That honor went to the local gas station down the street from my house – it was also where I first learned that just because you had 25 cents… the game would only accept it in the form of a quarter. I hope you will take a moment and try to picture myself at the age of eight trying to feed 25 pennies into the machine.
We are lucky enough to have Missile Command at the arcade and when it is slow enough I will not deny that I play a few rounds. Yesterday though came the news that Atari was releasing a new version of the game this Spring on Google Play as well as the App store for mobile devices. In addition, judging from the press release it appears there are going to be a few new bells and whistles to the gameplay:
“One of the world’s most iconic consumer brands and interactive entertainment producers — and developer Nickervision Studios, announced today that Missile Command: Recharged™, a modern take on one of Atari’s most beloved titles, is coming to iPhone, iPad and iPod touch and Android devices this spring. Reinvented and built from the ground up for mobile devices, Missile Command: Recharged arrives just in time for the 40th anniversary of the original arcade hit.
Devastating warheads are raining down on your bases, and it’s up to you to shoot them down before impact! How long can you hold off the aerial assault until your domain is decimated? It’s time to take command; launch the counter-missiles!
“Missile Command: Recharged aims to reinvigorate the storied Missile Command IP by appealing to fans of the original arcade and classic console releases,” said Tony Chien, VP of Marketing for Atari. “Fans can expect the familiar and addictive missile-destroying gameplay but with modern mechanics optimized for touch-screen devices. Missile Command: Recharged is a perfect pick-up-and-play title for short high-intensity gameplay sessions.”
Missile Command: Recharged is a reimagining of the beloved classic with fast-paced, arcade action where players must defend their bases by blasting an endless barrage of missiles hailing from the sky. Launch counter-missiles to protect your base and target powerups to gain an edge at critical moments. Missile Command: Recharged will appeal to those that fondly remember playing the original or its many iterations, and a whole new generation of mobile gamers that are looking for fast-paced, pick-up-and-play, arcade goodness.
Additional Key Features Include:
Powered Up: Don’t just target missiles – take aim at all-new powerups to survive longer with defensive measures, silo repair, or a screen-clearing special blast.
Upgraded: New powerup system takes points earned and allows them to be used to upgrade all aspects of gameplay to get an edge and achieve the highest scores.
Shoot for the Clouds: Compete in global online leaderboards and aim to claim bragging rights as the top missile commander.
Achievements: Better yourself with each game played and work towards besting the toughest challenges!
Get Augmented: Use the new augmented reality feature to project your gameplay to a virtual arcade cabinet and take your missile destruction to new heights!”
I will have to check out Missile Command: Recharged when it is released – above all I have to say that I am extremely impressed by the artwork for the game. Has a nice retro vibe wouldn’t you say?
Old school gamer way back in time