A very simple shooter that is extremely challenging! This game requires strategy as well as good ol' fashioned button mashing. I find myself playing repeated games of this in a single sitting; the game is extremely addictive.

The gameplay starts out very simple, but the difficulty ramps sufficiently to provide a solid challenge. There is probably a frustration level for anyone who likes mindless shoot-em-ups, but for the gamer who is looking for a shooter with brains, this is the perfect fit.

Graphically the game isn't flashy, but it doesn't need to be. There is the issue of the missile being very small and hard to distinguish from the background, but I see that more as a challenge and less of a hindrance.

Backfire is a great homebrew!

In most "shoot the aliens before they reach you and destroy you" games, you're completely outnumbered by the enemy. But in Backfire, you have two cannons at your disposal, and only one enemy attacking which never even fires a shot. Sound easy? Well, you're more likely to end up shooting yourself than the bad guys, since the shots from one of your cannons can destroy the other, or worse yet, bounce back off one of the enemy's shields and come right back in your face. And if one cannon bites the dust, so does the other. Lose them all, and lose the game.

Backfire was a very frustrating game starting out, since I tend to play this type of a game with a "shoot first, and forget about asking questions" approach. But with Backfire, patience and careful shotmaking are the keys. You have to be sure that if you miss your target, you aren't going to blow up your other cannon, or hit one of the many shields populating the screen and have your shot reflected back at you. You must always be aware of where your shot is going to go and where your cannons are at all times. Making the game even more challenging is that the shields are always in motion, so you can't just camp out in a comfortable spot and blast away. Plus, if the enemy ship gets too close to you, your ship shudders violently, making it a matter of luck whether you hit him or not. The enemy ship can attack either of your cannons, so you must switch control between them and shift your focus from one half of the screen to the other. And if that wasn't enough to deal with, there are bonus ships that fly across the center of the screen which make for tempting targets... and distractions.

Once I got over not being able to blast everything in sight, I enjoyed Backfire. I think it's still a very hard game, and there are times when it seems a bit unfair - such as if you get shot, you're momentarily incapacitated, but the enemy just keeps coming and you can easily lose two lives in rapid succession. Of course, the only way to get shot is by shooting yourself, so I suppose it's good incentive not to do that. There's not much sound in the game, and some audio cues for the enemy getting closer or the bonus ships approaching would have been a nice addition. The graphics are pretty good, although some of the colors don't have very good contrast. One complaint is that you can't start a new game with the fire button, so you're going to need to reach for the Reset switch quite a lot. Also, the collision detection is a little off, so your shots will pass right through the enemy ship's tail from time to time. Backfire is a good game though if you're looking for something that's a little different, and a definite challenge.

This game is very fun and very addictive. The only problem I have with it is that the color scheme of the missiles too closely resemble the backgrond. making this one hard to play. Otherwise a very challenging addictive game.

Awesome game! I would recommend it to anyone who has a passion for the Atari 2600. Good gameplay and very advanced (2600 terminology) shield movements and patterns. Also, very well made. Only problem is it lacks a purpose (ex. Space Invaders was destroy the spaceships and move to the next level.)