Spacechase

Games by Apollo

Industry	Video game development and publishing
Founded	1982
Key people	Ed Salvo (designer of Spacechase)
Products	Spacechase

Spacechase is a fixed shooter title created for the Atari Video Computer System (later known as the Atari 2600). The game was designed by Ed Salvo and released by Games by Apollo in 1982.

Gameplay

The action takes place in orbit around an unidentified moon, where players pilot a Starcruiser tasked with eliminating waves of alien invaders descending from above. Although the lunar landscape rotates in the backdrop, it has no impact on gameplay mechanics. The player's ship navigates in eight directions confined to the screen's lower third. As players advance through stages, adversaries deploy "Lazer-Directed Heat-Seeking Proton Missiles."

Spacechase offers both solo play and a two-player mode featuring alternating turns. Difficulty settings are adjustable using the Atari Difficulty Switch, which modifies projectile velocity: setting "A" reduces shot speed, whereas "B" increases it.

Reception

Spacechase emerged as the top-selling product for Games by Apollo. The company also produced personalized or "monogrammed" editions, though fewer than ten copies were sold; several of these were distributed to media representatives, including Arnie Katz, co-founder of Electronic Games magazine.

A feature on PM Magazine highlighted both Apollo and Spacechase, with host Leeza Gibbons interviewing programmer Ed Salvo. During this segment, Salvo developed a customized version for Gibbons that replaced explosion effects with her initials upon the destruction of the ship.

Reviews

The Atari Times assigned Spacechase a score of 75%. Meanwhile, German review site neXGam rated it at 63%.