Invasion of the Asteroids (from Esquire, February 1981)

[VectorGamer]

Great article

 

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/11/29/asteroids-and-the-dawn-of-the-gamer-age.html

[Cynicaster]

Yeah, very cool.

 

You get so used to talking about games 30+ years after they are released, that it is kind of neat to get a different perspective through words that are almost as old as the game.

 

I found it interesting how when the author described the game, he still seemed to be emphasizing its simplicity in gameplay and graphics. I mean, obviously those aspects of Asteroids *are* simplistic--especially by 2014 standards--but I would have thought the simplicity would have been less conspicuous and less noteworthy for 1981 journalism.

 

Another thing I found interesting was that the author referenced the infamous Space-Invaders-induced "coin shortage" in Japan, which admittedly I have always assumed was a myth of the internet age.

 

I'm about 8-10 years too young to have experienced the Asteroids craze when it was going on, but even without that nostalgic link, I agree with the author that there is something magical about that game that, IMO, has rarely ever been matched. Elegant simplicity defined.

[Keatah]

Interesting..

 

As much as I live and breathe emulation and classic gaming and retro computing I never really got into the "arcade craze" of the day. With the exception of a few games, I found most to be too difficult to be rewarding.

 

But in Asteroids and Missile Command I was unbeatable. I often thought of going for the world record in MC, I just don't have the patience. Still have my buttons and trophies from back in the day.'

[+wongojack]

Great article