Arcticfox
| Company type | Video game |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | 1986 |
| Founder | Dynamix |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Arcticfox (video game) |
| Parent | Electronic Arts |
Arcticfox is a science fiction tank simulation title crafted by Dynamix and released by Electronic Arts in 1986, with distribution across Europe managed by Ariolasoft. Serving as a follow-up to Dynamix's Stellar 7, the game became available on platforms such as Atari ST, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, MS-DOS, and Apple II. The franchise advanced with the 1991 installment Nova 9: The Return of Gir Draxon.
The narrative unfolds in an imagined 2005, where extraterrestrials invade Antarctica to extract Earth's oxygen. Players assume control of the powerful tank named Arcticfox to counter this extraterrestrial menace.
The creative team responsible for Arcticfox subsequently produced notable games including The Incredible Machine and Red Baron.
Gameplay
In this simulation, players operate the Arcticfox tank, tasked with destroying the alien stronghold using weaponry such as a cannon, guided missiles, and strategically placed land mines. The vehicle is equipped with sophisticated technology including radar, GPS navigation, and several viewscreens. Opposing forces comprise aircraft, enemy tanks, fortified bunkers, and communication installations.
The in-cockpit viewpoint presents a primary viewscreen along with control elements like radar and joystick inputs, offering comprehensive situational awareness by displaying detected enemy units.
Reception
Computer Gaming World recognized Arcticfox as Electronic Arts' inaugural original Amiga release that fully exploited the system's hardware, praising its "sensational" audiovisual presentation and recommending the use of joystick controls. In a 1996 ranking, the Amiga edition was placed 138th among the greatest games ever, described as a "seminal 3D polygon-based shooter."
The magazine Compute! highlighted the Amiga version’s appeal to enthusiasts of both strategic planning and arcade-style gameplay. Meanwhile, Antic celebrated the Atari ST variant for its captivating gameplay and lasting replay value. The Commodore 64 edition earned over four stars from Info, commended for its striking 3D visuals and user-friendly controls. However, the ZX Spectrum port faced criticism from Crash, which awarded it a score of 41%.
See also
- Skyfox (1984), Electronic Arts’ first game featuring "fox" in the title; its sequel, Skyfox II, was developed by Dynamix.
External links
- Articles with short description
- 1986 video games
- Amiga games
- Apple II games
- Ariolasoft games
- Atari ST games
- Commodore 64 games
- DOS games
- Electronic Arts games
- Science fiction video games
- Tank simulation video games
- Video games set in 2005
- Video games set in Antarctica
- ZX Spectrum games
- Dynamix games
- Single-player video games