Beamrider

Beamrider

Game No.	117
Voting	6.35 points, 23 votes
Developer	Dave Rolfe
Company	Activision, Action Graphics
Publisher	Activision
Release	1984
Platform	C64, Atari, ColecoVision
Genre	Shoot'em Up, Miscellaneous
Gamemode	Single player up to 4 players (in turns)
Operation
Media
Language

Description[edit | edit source]

You control a spaceship that flies towards the horizon on one of five beams. The aim of every level /sector is to shoot 15 white UFOs; if this is done you need to destroy the mother ship, which passes at the horizon and only can be reached by torpedos.

In later levels new enemies are added and the game gets faster. Later enemies can only be destroyed by torpedos; as there are only three torpedos per level, you will probably avoid most of those enemies.

Every enemies has its own characteristics. The white UFOs get more aggressive with the time, change the tracks more often, throw mines or ram the player. The mother ship is protected by green blockers, that get more level by level, so it gets harder to reach the mother ship with the torpedos.

There are two extra lives per level (yellow triangles), that do not need to be shot but collected.

The game can be played with up to four players, in turns after losing a life. At the start of the game the difficulty level can be chosen, by what you can start directly in a higher level.

Design[edit | edit source]

... the start screen ...

... the attackers and the mother ship ...

At the upper left the number of white UFOs that need to be shot are displayed. At the upper right the current number of points is shown in yellow and in red the number of just gained points.

The graphics of the game is designed very simply; however, the 3D plain was at that time a nice effect. Unfortunately there is no highscore list.

Hints[edit | edit source]

Controls

= in the starting screen to start the game

/ = steer own spaceship left / right
= fire laser
= fire torpedo

Run/Stop = Pause on/off

F1 = after the end of the game start a new game with the same difficulty level
Run/Stop + Restore = start a new game with another difficulty grade

Enemies

Sector	Enemy	Vulnerable
1	White UFOs	Yes
2	Rocks	No
4	Yellow Chirper	Yes
6	Green Blocker	No
8	Green Jumper	No
10	Blue Attackers	Yes
12	Orange Followers	No
14	Zig Bombs	Yes

Solution[edit | edit source]

As there are extra lives in every leve and usually do not lose a life in the first levels, you should choose the easiest difficulty grade at the beginning - i.e. start in sector 1 - to have enough levels later to be able to proceed far.

Cheats[edit | edit source]

Voting[edit | edit source]

Voting of the C64-Wiki users (10=the best vote):
6.35 points at 23 votes (rank 700). You need to be logged in to cast a vote.
C64Games	6	16th October 2009 - "gut" - 2510 downs
Lemon64	7,5	16th October 2009 - 38 votes
Kultboy.com	8	26th June 2011 - 3 votes
Rombachs C64-Spieleführer	7	September 1984 - "Vote 3"
ZZap64	51%	Issue 7/87

Reviews[edit | edit source]

1570: "Assumed crude, but by the fact that always new enemies are added and the game gets much faster, it is exciting. Especially with the emulator the game is fun, as you can play "who gets furthest after level 20" with the help of the snapshot tool, without having to play the slightly lengthy first levels for the extra lives."

Rombachs C64-Spieleführer: "Although this is only a relatively simple shooter, the design is so good, that playing is fun. Vote 3."

Blubarju: "I already liked playing it in the old days and I still like it today. A really recommendable small game and for this I give 8 points. P.S. I just read today that there are extra lives in every level. I have always shot them and wondered that there are no points for them. *lol* "

Virtualsky: "One of my favorite games on my C64. The game-play is simple, but there's a lot of diversity in the game in the form of the different enemies you have to battle. I really liked the visuals and got a sense of speed with the endless game grid scrolling by below and the pulsing sound of the laser canon at the ready. Yes, don't shoot the yellow ships that look like yours; catch them instead. Those are your bonus ships! ;o)"