E-Motion

The Assembly Line

Industry	Video game development
Headquarters	United Kingdom , United Kingdom
Products	E-Motion (video game)

E-Motion, also recognized under the titles Sphericule and The Game of Harmony, is a puzzle video game released in 1990. Developed by The Assembly Line and published by Accolade alongside U.S. Gold, it was made available on various platforms such as Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64, and Game Boy. The versions for Spectrum and Game Boy were created by The Code Monkeys.

Gameplay

In this game, players navigate a spherical spacecraft that must eliminate colored spheres within a wraparound arena before time expires. When two spheres of identical colors collide, they vanish, whereas collisions between differently colored spheres generate collectible pods. These pods restore the ship’s energy but will transform back into spheres if not gathered promptly. The game includes 50 levels that increase in complexity, featuring elastic bands that connect spheres or attach to the ship, as well as barriers that limit movement.

On higher difficulty levels, some spheres become unstable and explode if not removed quickly, causing damage to the spacecraft. Bonus stages emphasize pod collection for points, with certain pods either rewarding or penalizing the player depending on their color. Additional hidden bonuses promote strategic gameplay, such as completing levels without rotating the ship to the right.

Controls are based on polar coordinates: players rotate the ship left or right and apply thrust forward. The game employs realistic physics where momentum is affected dynamically by collisions and elastic connections.

The "E" in the title alludes to Albert Einstein, who appears in promotional materials. A follow-up game, Vaxine, expanded upon the original concept by introducing advanced 3D shooting mechanics and ray-traced visuals.

Reception

In 1991, Amiga Power ranked this title as the 30th greatest game ever. It also earned the Mastergame accolade from Amstrad Action.

External links

• E-Motion at Amiga Hall of Light