Eliminator (1981 video game)
| Industry | Video games |
|---|---|
| Founded | June 3, 1960 |
| Founder | Martin Bromley, Irving Bromberg, David Rosen |
| Headquarters | Tokyo , Japan |
| Products | Video games, arcade games, consoles |
Eliminator is a multi-directional shooter set in space, created and launched by Sega and Gremlin in 1981. As a successor to the monochrome title Star Castle, it introduces colored vector graphics and offers both cooperative and competitive multiplayer modes. It stands out as the sole four-player vector-based game ever produced.
Gameplay
In this game, participants control spacecraft tasked with eliminating alien drones and ultimately targeting the Eliminator, a large asteroid fortress. When shots hit opponents (excluding the Eliminator), they bounce back, enabling skilled players to strategically ricochet enemies into the Eliminator for destruction. The Eliminator itself can only be defeated by firing a cannon blast down its trench, either directly or through a rebound shot. If players fail to destroy it within a specific timeframe, drones launch an assault from its core. The play area is enclosed by an invisible barrier that causes both shots and ships to rebound, adding to the challenge. Upon destroying the Eliminator, the game resets with increased difficulty and more formidable adversaries. The four-player mode allows all participants to attack simultaneously while also requiring them to dodge or confront each other's spacecraft.
Reception
In his 1982 publication How to Beat the Video Games, Michael Blanchet commended Eliminator for delivering "the best two-player action I've seen in a long time".
Legacy
This title appears as an unlockable game within the PSP edition of Sega Genesis Collection.
External links
- GameArchive's entry for Eliminator (archived at the Internet Archive)