Astro Blaster
| Industry | Video games |
|---|---|
| Founded | June 3, 1960 in Japan |
| Products | Arcade games, video games |
| Website | www |
Astro Blaster is an arcade game with a space combat theme, classified as a fixed shooter. It was launched by Sega in 1981 and developed by Gary Shannon and Barbara Michalec. The game is notable for incorporating speech synthesis, featuring an attract mode voice that states, "Fighter pilots needed in sector wars...play Astro Blaster!" Additionally, it holds the distinction of being the first video game to have its copyright officially registered in Japan.
Gameplay
In Astro Blaster, players pilot a spacecraft that can move horizontally and fire laser beams. The gameplay requires monitoring both temperature and fuel meters displayed on the screen. If the ship’s laser overheats, it becomes temporarily inoperative until it cools down. Running out of fuel results in an immediate game over, regardless of how many lives remain. Players face successive waves of enemies arranged in diverse patterns; eliminating one wave prompts the arrival of the next. A special Warp ability can be activated once per sector or life to slow down adversaries, making them easier to target.
At the conclusion of each sector, players must maneuver through an asteroid field, shooting fireballs to gain additional fuel before docking with their mothership to replenish supplies for upcoming sectors.
The game also includes 25 hidden challenges—such as defeating enemies in a particular sequence or without missing shots—that reward players upon completion.
Reception
Tom Hirschfeld, in his 1981 publication How to Master the Video Games, highlighted that Astro Blaster offers players a challenging experience with 29 distinct attack patterns spread across six sectors that progressively increase in difficulty.
Legacy
The 1981 Apple II title Threshold drew inspiration from the Astro Blaster arcade cabinet.
An Astro Blaster arcade unit is featured within the game Shenmue and is included as one of five unlockable titles in the PlayStation Portable edition of Sega Genesis Collection.
As of 2021, the highest recorded score worldwide stands at 299,100 points, achieved by Gus Pappas in 1982.
External links
- Astro Blaster on Arcade History
- Score rankings at Twin Galaxies