Trying to remember the name of a game

[Loccy]

It was basically the reverse of Atlantis. You had a ship above a city, and you were bombing buildings within the playfield below. As the levels progressed "enemy" ships came and made life tough for you up in the sky. It was quite challenging in that the buildings/objects you were firing at were located behind quite thin gaps in an almost maze-like playfield, and you had to fire quickly because the buildings would fire back at you.

 

I don't think it was by any of the big companies (eg. Atari, Activision, Imagic).

 

One aspect I remember is that your ship would actually change shape as you moved (not by design I suspect, I think your "ship" was actually displayed by the programmer manipulating the playing field; given the limitations of the VCS it was probably a challenge for the programmer to keep the thing a constant size! maybe I'm getting too technical).

 

I am almost certain I saw a hack of this game out there, but have just literally gone through the entire catalogue of hacked titles and can't find it.

 

Has anyone got any ideas what it was?

Edited December 20, 2006 by Loccy

[Lucky Man]

Maybe Z-tack?

 

http://www.atariage.com/screenshot_page.ht...wareLabelID=605

[Loccy]

That's the game! Funny thing is though, I would swear on everything I own, that when I had the game as a kid it wasn't called Z-Tack, and I'm sure I would remember a company called "Bomb". The piece on Bomb the Company on the site does say there were more common in PAL regions (which is me) so maybe I just don't remember right. Were there any variants or clones?

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Were there any variants or clones?

Base Attack, Cosmic Town, Laser-Loop, Sky Scrapper...

 

Check here!

[Loccy]

Base Attack, Cosmic Town, Laser-Loop, Sky Scrapper...

 

Check here!

Base Attack, that was it!

 

(and Atarimania appears to be a most useful alternative resource, I thank you.)

[Lucky Man]

Atarimania appears to be a most useful alternative resource

I agree. I've found myself using Atarimania for reference more and more lately.

 

Rom Hunter, YOU ROCK!

[Rom Hunter]

Atarimania appears to be a most useful alternative resource

I agree. I've found myself using Atarimania for reference more and more lately.

 

Rom Hunter, YOU ROCK!

Thanks.

 

Loccy, did you own this white one?

http://www.atarimania.com/detail_soft.php?...7272&MENU=2

 

[Loccy]

Loccy, did you own this white one?

http://www.atarimania.com/detail_soft.php?...7272&MENU=2

 

That was it! It was a present from an aunt one Christmas. I remember being a bit wary about actually putting it into my VCS, because the cartridge was the "wrong" colour and the packaging and overall production values looked so cheap compared to the predominantly Atari and Activision games I had. I was convinced it was a "fake" cartridge and it'd blow up my VCS. I left it until Boxing Day before I tried it (and that was under duress from my parents). Was actually surprised to find a bloody playable game underneath all that and it ended up one of my favourites.

 

(god knows where my aunt found it though, looking on Atarimania that particular version was Belgian?! )

[Rom Hunter]

Yes, but it was sold in France too.

 

It's very rare now.

 

And a hell of a lot more expensive than most Atari and Activision games, I can tell you that.

 

You don't own any other white Home Vision carts, do you?

 

Edited December 21, 2006 by Rom Hunter

[Loccy]

Afraid not. Been hammering away at emulators for some years and more recently, hankering after the real thing. Unfortunately I'm starting from scratch today as a result of my mum giving away ALL of my Atari gear in the late 80s to the local pikie family (who I despised). Mum always said "well you don't play it any more" (I'd got into Sinclair Spectrums at that point!) "so you should be happy to give it to someone who'll use it". Use it my arse, I'm sure they immediately sold it and made a few quid.

 

Still weird my aunt getting hold of Base Attack though - I'm based in the UK so what she was doing with a European cartridge is anyone's guess. Maybe someone imported them into the UK and sold them as cheapies?

Edited December 21, 2006 by Loccy

[Rom Hunter]

Perhaps.

 

Or maybe your aunt made a trip to Paris and bought it there?

 

Would be interesting to know.

 

Thanks for the info, Loccy.

 

[autumn_drag0n]

This game is kinda cool, I had never played it until I saw your post. Kinda reminds me of Space Jockey (which I like). Thanks.

[Loccy]

Perhaps.

 

Or maybe your aunt made a trip to Paris and bought it there?

 

Would be interesting to know.

 

Thanks for the info, Loccy.

 

I actually telephoned her to ask about it earlier on. Unfortunately, she doesn't remember it. Certainly she insists she never ever bought a game outside of the UK for me (I must confess, I didn't think she would have done either). In fact she doesn't even remember EVER buying me a VCS/2600 game for Christmas either, so I might actually be on a loser anyway; maybe my memory is faulty as regards where the game came from. Mind you, I'm convinced that's where Base Attack came from, mainly because of the "it looks a bit shit so I don't want to put it in my beloved Atari" moment, which I remember quite vividly. So, somewhere, somehow, I still think my aunt bought Base Atack from a UK retailer.

 

Unfortunately, it's all academic, as I don't have the cartridge any more