What Makes Missile Command So Hard?

[Mr. Brow]

It does seem like a game that depends a lot on the interface for its appeal.  Even the basic concept of commanding missiles seems tailored to an arcade cabinet.  A handheld game controller hardly feels like a military control panel.

[mr_me]

In that case you should play at a desk with a keyboard and mouse.

[NE146]

7 hours ago, racerx said:

dealing with the inertia of the 4" trak ball.

aka the pincher of many pre-teen fingers

[Mr. Brow]

1 hour ago, NE146 said:

aka the pincher of many pre-teen fingers

Oh yeah, I remember that.  Those things could hurt!

[Keatah]

Any type of physical injury or bruise from a game is an automatic fail.

[negative1]

9 hours ago, Mr. Brow said:

Oh yeah, I remember that.  Those things could hurt!

i never had a problem with missile command.

 

However, atari football, had a lot more issues, because you're constantly rolling it, and much harder.

=============

as far as pro strategies for missile command, i can't do it,

but you just leave 1 city up, and just protect that.

 

then you don't have to worry about the rest of the cities, or missiles in those areas.

of course it's risky, and you have to keep getting bonus cities.

 

but if you get to the upper levels, you get a bonus city quite often.

 

later

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[Mr. Brow]

8 hours ago, negative1 said:

 

but if you get to the upper levels, you get a bonus city quite often.

 

Good point.  I neglected to mention it in either of the blog entries, but that is one respect in which it's more forgiving than many other arcade classics.

[VectorGamer]

I owned a Missile Command a few years ago. I could never break 40K though even with the spray n pray strategy.

[Rendclaw]

Super Missile Attack is ridiculously hard. I played once in an arcade in downtown Washington DC, and I did not get very far. I was good for 50,000 at least on the original game. And yes, Liberator is hard, too.

 

Missile Command is one of those games that keeps getting faster as it goes, and it can overwhelm you if you don;t have a strategy in place. One missed smart missile can wreck your game in the x6 stages. The color schemes of those levels does not help much either. Good barrier placement is key to really rocking the game out.

[negative1]

9 hours ago, Rendclaw said:

Super Missile Attack is ridiculously hard. I played once in an arcade in downtown Washington DC, and I did not get very far. I was good for 50,000 at least on the original game. And yes, Liberator is hard, too.

 

Missile Command is one of those games that keeps getting faster as it goes, and it can overwhelm you if you don;t have a strategy in place. One missed smart missile can wreck your game in the x6 stages. The color schemes of those levels does not help much either. Good barrier placement is key to really rocking the game out.

I find liberator to be easier. You get shields, and the bonus levels, and it doesn't start off too fast either.

 

Missile command maxes out as far as speed goes, it doesn't keep getting faster.

Once you get used to the speed (which i never got too), you just have to maintain your pace.

 

later

-1

[negative1]

atari is re-releasing a free to play updated version again for mobile

phones to celebrate the 40th anniversary:

 

https://www.engadget.com/2020/03/03/atari-missile-command-recharged/

 

Atari has been milking Missile Command nostalgia for a while with re-released games and even plans for a movie (not that it has materialized), but its latest may be appealing for its relatively straightforward appeal. It's developing Missile Command: Recharged, a slightly modernized version of the classic base defense game for Android and iOS. The touch input is the most obvious update, but you'll also see an upgrade system, power-ups, achievements and online leaderboards to keep things fresh. There's even an augmented reality mode -- you can play on a virtual cabinet in your room if you have memories of spending all your quarters at the arcade.

 

later

-1

 

 

 

 

[Mr. Brow]

Wow, I didn't think the game's appeal was broad enough to make a movie viable, but I guess it's still a widely recognizable name.  It will be interesting to see what the remake is like.

[Zoyous]

Here's my treatment for the Missile Command move: When a battery leak fries the circuit board of an early-80s era automated M.A.D. recursive thermonuclear retaliation system in some forgotten missile silo in Putin's Russia, the sky lights up. Thousands of missiles are en route to and from both Russia and the USA, and the new generation of feckless millenial military staff is completely in over their heads. They've never used the emergency trackball controllers in their consoles and don't know how they work. As the final hour before impact tick down, it's up to a ragtag international coalition of American and Russian retro gaming enthusiasts has to step in and work together to defend their respective cities. But can they overcome the language barrier... and the ping?

[negative1]

On 3/3/2020 at 10:49 PM, negative1 said:

atari is re-releasing a free to play updated version again for mobile

phones to celebrate the 40th anniversary:

 

https://www.engadget.com/2020/03/03/atari-missile-command-recharged/

 

Atari has been milking Missile Command nostalgia for a while with re-released games and even plans for a movie (not that it has materialized), but its latest may be appealing for its relatively straightforward appeal. It's developing Missile Command: Recharged, a slightly modernized version of the classic base defense game for Android and iOS. The touch input is the most obvious update, but you'll also see an upgrade system, power-ups, achievements and online leaderboards to keep things fresh. There's even an augmented reality mode -- you can play on a virtual cabinet in your room if you have memories of spending all your quarters at the arcade.

 

later

-1

 

 

 

 

missile command recharged is out, i like the vector looking graphics

 

 

later

-1

[negative1]

Missile Command recharged is coming out for mobile and PC platforms for a price.

Should be on steam soon.

 

In celebration of the 40th anniversary of its initial launch, the fast-paced reimagining of the classic arcade game is now available for $2.99 on Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo eShop and PC, Mac, or Linux device through Steam and coming soon to the Epic Games Store. Explosive new power-ups and dynamic upgrades to your silos add new twists while retaining the vintage gameplay that made Missile Command such a treasured part of video gaming history.

 

later

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