Cardiaxx
| Industry | Video game development |
|---|---|
| Founder | David Mariner, Jon Mitchell |
Key people | David Mariner, Jon Mitchell, Josef Karthauser |
| Products | Cardiaxx |
Cardiaxx is a science fiction side-scrolling shooter title developed by Eclipse Design and launched by Electronic Zoo in 1991 exclusively for the Amiga. Players pilot a spacecraft through multiple levels, each distinguished by unique visual themes and culminating in a boss fight. Between main stages, the game introduces sub-levels where players must dodge asteroids while new levels are loaded from the floppy disk.
Development
The development of Cardiaxx was undertaken by David Mariner and Jon Mitchell of Eclipse Design, with Josef Karthauser joining the team later. Following its 1991 release, Electronic Zoo did not fulfill payment obligations to Eclipse Design for development expenses, which led to the cancellation of an Atari ST version and initiated legal disputes. During this process, Electronic Zoo ceased operations. Although Team17 subsequently published the game, no additional compensation beyond the initial contract fee was provided. Mariner and Mitchell continue to hold all rights associated with Cardiaxx.
Reception
Critics generally responded favorably to Cardiaxx, awarding it ratings such as 76% from Amiga Action, 85 out of 100 by Computer and Video Games, and 68 out of 100 from Pelit.