Demon Attack
Encyclopedia
Demon Attack is a video game published by Imagic
for several home console
systems, including the Atari 2600
, Intellivision
, Odyssey²
, Atari 8-bit
, Commodore VIC-20
, Commodore 64
, PC Booter
, TRS-80
and TRS-80 Color Computer
. There was also a port to the TI-99/4A titled Super Demon Attack. Demon Attack was programmed by Rob Fulop
.
Each wave introduces new weapons with which the demons attack, such as long streaming lasers and laser clusters. Starting in Wave 5, demons also divide into two smaller, bird-like creatures that eventually attempt descent onto the player's cannon. Starting in Wave 9, the demons' shots follow directly beneath the monsters, making it difficult for the player to slip underneath to get in a direct shot.
.
The game was originally programmed to end after the 84th wave, as Fulop did not expect anyone to "wrap" the game. Two days after its initial release, a kid was able to beat the game. After this initial run of cartridges, Fulop went back and changed one line of code so that the game never ends, but never gets harder after the 84th wave.
Phoenix
, prompting a lawsuit from Atari
, who had purchased the latter's home video game rights. Imagic settled out of court, and Demon Attack went on to become one of the company’s hit titles.
Imagic
Imagic was a short-lived American video game developer and publisher that developed games for the Atari 2600, Intellivision and other video game consoles in the early 1980s...
for several home console
Video game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
systems, including the Atari 2600
Atari 2600
The Atari 2600 is a video game console released in October 1977 by Atari, Inc. It is credited with popularizing the use of microprocessor-based hardware and cartridges containing game code, instead of having non-microprocessor dedicated hardware with all games built in...
, Intellivision
Intellivision
The Intellivision is a video game console released by Mattel in 1979. Development of the console began in 1978, less than a year after the introduction of its main competitor, the Atari 2600. The word intellivision is a portmanteau of "intelligent television"...
, Odyssey²
Magnavox Odyssey²
The Magnavox Odyssey², known in Europe as the Philips Videopac G7000, in Brazil as the Philips Odyssey, in the United States as the Magnavox Odyssey² and the Philips Odyssey², and also by many other names, is a video game console released in 1978.In the early 1970s, Magnavox was an innovator in the...
, Atari 8-bit
Atari 8-bit family
The Atari 8-bit family is a series of 8-bit home computers manufactured from 1979 to 1992. All are based on the MOS Technology 6502 CPU and were the first home computers designed with custom coprocessor chips...
, Commodore VIC-20
Commodore VIC-20
The VIC-20 is an 8-bit home computer which was sold by Commodore Business Machines. The VIC-20 was announced in 1980, roughly three years after Commodore's first personal computer, the PET...
, Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
, PC Booter
PC booter
A PC booter, or booter, is a type of software for home computer era personal computers that was loaded and executed in the bootup of the computer, from a bootable floppy disk, rather than as a regular program; a booter thus bypassed any operating system that might be installed on the hard disk of...
, TRS-80
TRS-80
TRS-80 was Tandy Corporation's desktop microcomputer model line, sold through Tandy's Radio Shack stores in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The first units, ordered unseen, were delivered in November 1977, and rolled out to the stores the third week of December. The line won popularity with...
and TRS-80 Color Computer
TRS-80 Color Computer
The Radio Shack TRS-80 Color Computer was a home computer launched in 1980. It was one of the earliest of the first generation of computers marketed for home use in English-speaking markets...
. There was also a port to the TI-99/4A titled Super Demon Attack. Demon Attack was programmed by Rob Fulop
Rob Fulop
Rob Fulop is a writer and game programmer who was chiefly responsible for some of the Atari 2600's biggest hits, such as 1982's enormously successful Demon Attack. He also worked on the Atari 2600 ports of Night Driver , Space Invaders , and Missile Command .Rob Fulop is the co-founder of Imagic...
.
Gameplay
Marooned on the ice planet Krybor, the player uses a laser cannon to destroy legions of demons that attack from above. Visually, the demons appear in waves similar to other space-themed shooters, but individually combine from the sides of the screen to the area above the player's cannon.Each wave introduces new weapons with which the demons attack, such as long streaming lasers and laser clusters. Starting in Wave 5, demons also divide into two smaller, bird-like creatures that eventually attempt descent onto the player's cannon. Starting in Wave 9, the demons' shots follow directly beneath the monsters, making it difficult for the player to slip underneath to get in a direct shot.
Development
Demon Attack is based on the 1979 arcade shooter GalaxianGalaxian
is an arcade game developed by Namco in 1979. It was published by Namco in Japan and was imported to North America by Midway in 1980. A fixed shooter-style game in which the player controls a spaceship at the bottom of the screen and shoots enemies descending in various directions, it was designed...
.
The game was originally programmed to end after the 84th wave, as Fulop did not expect anyone to "wrap" the game. Two days after its initial release, a kid was able to beat the game. After this initial run of cartridges, Fulop went back and changed one line of code so that the game never ends, but never gets harder after the 84th wave.
Lawsuit
Demon Attack closely resembles the earlier arcade gameArcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
Phoenix
Phoenix (arcade game)
Phoenix is a shoot 'em up arcade game developed by Amstar Electronics in 1980, released by Centuri in the United States and by Taito in Japan. Bootleg versions of Phoenix were released by TPN and others...
, prompting a lawsuit from Atari
Atari
Atari is a corporate and brand name owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by Atari Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of the French publisher Atari, SA . The original Atari, Inc. was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It was a pioneer in...
, who had purchased the latter's home video game rights. Imagic settled out of court, and Demon Attack went on to become one of the company’s hit titles.
External links
- Demon Attack (Atari 2600) at AtariAgeAtariAgeAtari Age was a magazine distributed to Atari Club members from 1982 until 1984. It was published by The Atari Club Inc., a subsidiary of Atari, Inc.-History:...
- Demon Attack (Intellivision) at Phosphor Dot Fossils