Cosmic Guerilla
Encyclopedia
Cosmic Guerilla is a ZX Spectrum
video game developed and published by Crystal Computing
in 1983. It is a non-scrolling vertical shoot 'em up
similar to Space Invaders
, converted from a 1979 Japanese arcade game by Universal. The game was developed in 100% machine code.
", is exposed and able to be captured. Occasionally a very fast "mothership" will appear and traverse the screen just above the player dropping bombs.
There are six levels of difficulty along with four game modes allowing combinations of the regular game, bonus enemies, and faster aliens. There is also a two player mode where players take alternative turns.
described it as the "next step up", with its different scenarios and object arrangement. Home Computing Weekly, Sinclair User and ZX Computing all praised the game's smooth graphics, though HCU felt that better use could have been made of the sound. The game was generally well received, and described variously as "incredibly addictive" and "very playable", and "highly recommended".
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
video game developed and published by Crystal Computing
Crystal Computing
Crystal Computing, later renamed Design Design, was a British video game developer founded in 1982 by Chris Clarke and Graham Stafford while students at the University of Manchester. Neil Mottershead, Simon Brattel and Martin Horsley, joined the company as it expanded...
in 1983. It is a non-scrolling vertical shoot 'em up
Shoot 'em up
Shoot 'em up is a subgenre of shooter video games. In a shoot 'em up, the player controls a lone character, often in a spacecraft or aircraft, shooting large numbers of enemies while dodging their attacks. The genre in turn encompasses various types or subgenres and critics differ on exactly what...
similar to Space Invaders
Space Invaders
is an arcade video game designed by Tomohiro Nishikado, and released in 1978. It was originally manufactured and sold by Taito in Japan, and was later licensed for production in the United States by the Midway division of Bally. Space Invaders is one of the earliest shooting games and the aim is to...
, converted from a 1979 Japanese arcade game by Universal. The game was developed in 100% machine code.
Gameplay
Cosmic Guerilla is a two-dimensional fixed shooter game. The player takes control of a laser cannon at the bottom of the screen whose movement is limited to left and right, and must fire at the aliens above. In contrast to Space Invaders the aliens are arranged in a single vertical line on each side of the screen, with their movement being towards the centre, one or more at a time, in an attempt to capture and remove the player's shields. The aliens cannot be hit by the player's shots until they begin to move, and the player may only fire one projectile at a time, preventing weapon spamming. Once a row of shields has been removed, one of the player's "livesHealth (gaming)
Health is a game mechanic used in role-playing, computer and video games to give value to characters, enemies, NPCs, and related objects. This value can either be numerical, semi-numerical as in hit/health points, or arbitrary as in a life bar....
", is exposed and able to be captured. Occasionally a very fast "mothership" will appear and traverse the screen just above the player dropping bombs.
There are six levels of difficulty along with four game modes allowing combinations of the regular game, bonus enemies, and faster aliens. There is also a two player mode where players take alternative turns.
Reception
Cosmic Guerilla was invariably compared to Space Invaders, though Sinclair UserSinclair User
Sinclair User, often abbreviated SU, was a magazine dedicated to the Sinclair Research range of home computers, most specifically the ZX Spectrum...
described it as the "next step up", with its different scenarios and object arrangement. Home Computing Weekly, Sinclair User and ZX Computing all praised the game's smooth graphics, though HCU felt that better use could have been made of the sound. The game was generally well received, and described variously as "incredibly addictive" and "very playable", and "highly recommended".