ADAM Computer Game of the Moment #03

[NIAD]

Here is the third installment of ADAM game software produced by 3rd party developers. After starting off this series with two pretty involved and challenging games, I figured I'd throw a no brainer, arcade action game out there for everyone to enjoy. So without further ado, I present:

 

StratoZAP

by Allied Creative Engineers

(no additional hardware requirements)

 

I don't have a copy of the including instruction manual so I included a review I did back in 1989 for the N.I.A.D. Newsletter in PDF format that should provide enough details on how to play the game. StratoZAP borrows elements from a number of different games and since there was some discussion recently about making a version of Missile Command for the ColecoVision, I thought it'd be a great time to put this one up.

 

A little known fact about this one and only release by Allied Creative Engineers (A.C.E.) is the strong possibility that this game was actually developed by none other than the infamous Dr. Soloman Swift of Digital Express fame. At the time that I received the demo, Soloman Swift had disappeared from the ADAM scene and no one had heard from him for months. As soon as I took the manual and disk out of the mailer, I knew it had to be his handy work as his style was stamped all over it. Also, the game expands upon a public domain program called PUFF that he included on his SpritePOWER program as well as listing it in his Nibbles & Bits Newsletter. A short time later, he resurfaced and A.C.E. was never heard from again.

 

StartoZAP will work in all ADAM Emulators, but you cannot save your High Score when using M.E.S.S. due to incomplete emulation.

StratoZAP (1989) (Alliend Creative Engineers) with PDF Review.zip

Edited January 7, 2011 by NIAD

[newcoleco]

Thanks for taking time to post these topics, it's really appreciate!

 

I'm kinda surprise to not see another Steve Pitman's Coleco ADAM game this time. I was not aware of the existence of A.C.E., how many games they made for the Coleco ADAM?

 

This game looks great! It's certainly easier to show (video) and talk about it than ADAMBOMB which I'm still trying to master in order to be able to talk about it wisely.

[NIAD]

Thanks for taking time to post these topics, it's really appreciate!

 

I'm kinda surprise to not see another Steve Pitman's Coleco ADAM game this time. I was not aware of the existence of A.C.E., how many games they made for the Coleco ADAM?

 

This game looks great! It's certainly easier to show (video) and talk about it than ADAMBOMB which I'm still trying to master in order to be able to talk about it wisely.

Actually having fun going thru these games to see what I will post next and don't worry, I have 5 or 6 more games by Steve Pitman to post in time (one of them, RoboThief, is probably the hardest game to master that I have ever come across although Steve doesn't think so because he play tested it so much when he was developing it). Plus, if I kept posting all of Steve's games, I would have to change the thread name to the "Steve Pitman Game of the Moment".

 

As was mentioned in the post, A.C.E. released only one program for the ADAM, StratoZAP. It is my opinion that the author was none other than Soloman Swift and he developed and released this game to try and make some quick money. A couple months after this release, Soloman got back in contact with a number of users groups and then A.C.E. was never heard from again. If I had the instruction manual, I could tell you the two names that were listed as the creators of StratoZAP... but I'm pretty sure they didn't exist or were just cover names.

 

Not to knock Soloman Swift as he was almost single-handedly responsible for keeping the ADAM Computer a viable system for years, but there was always a lot of baggage to deal with when it came to him. Just of the top of my head, I can recall three periods of time when he disappeared with a lot of people's money and then there were the countless company name changes:

 

- Data Doctor (P.R. Dick was the name he started under)

- Digital Express Inc./Nibbles & Bits

- Allied Creative Engineers

- Phoenix 2000

- Swift Enterprises

- The SoftWorks Factory

- Z-Delta Swiftware

 

and I think one or two others that are escaping me right know. What made it easy for people to forgive and accept him back were the tremendous program he released over the years including a lot released freely, his incredible newsletter publications and his willingness to always help out other programmers develop their titles like he did with "Temple of the Snow Dragon" by Digital Adventures.

[ed1475]

I played this for the fist time today. It's a good variation of Missle Command with nice bonus round. My best so far on skill 1 is 80,340 round 12. My best on skill 5 is 22,315 round 4.

 

I recognize the music during the intro. It's the same music Coleco used in the Electronic Flashcard Maker, Smart Letters and Forms, and Richard Scarry's Best Electronic Wordbook Ever.

[Ransom]

Thank you for doing these reviews, NIAD. I don't have an Adam and probably never will due to lack of space, but I enjoy reading your reviews just the same.

[NIAD]

Thank you for doing these reviews, NIAD. I don't have an Adam and probably never will due to lack of space, but I enjoy reading your reviews just the same.

Having fun doing them and glad to see that people who don't own an ADAM are able to experience some of the games that were developed for it over the years through the use of emulators.