Katakis
Encyclopedia
Katakis is a side scrolling shooter style arcade game
developed for the Commodore 64
by Rainbow Arts
in 1987, and converted to the Commodore Amiga by Factor 5
in 1988. It was re-released as Denaris in 1989.
capabilities. However, the machines eventually evolved beyond the control of their human creators and overtook the planet. The humans attempted to retaliate through the use of nuclear ballistic missiles
, but the machines survived.
The colonists' remaining plan is to use a series of DS-H75 Eagle Fighter space gliders to attack the machines and retake the planet.
Katakis has a very similar theme as the game R-Type
, with multiple levels, power-ups and various end-bosses. Players must eliminate enemy opponents to reach various end bosses
. One major innovation is the fact that the two-player mode features the second player controlling the Force module. This creates an unusual play strategy of the attacker and the defender, since the main ship is vulnerable to enemy fire and hazards.
objected to the similar style of Katakis to their side-scroller arcade game, R-Type. This was compounded by the contract Factor 5 had with Activision to perform the Amiga port of the game. Factor 5 modified the gameplay and level layout slightly and re-released Katakis as Denaris in 1989.
platform, the game was also ported to the Commodore Amiga. Note that the Commodore 64 version of Denaris should not be confused for the similar space game Denarius, a top-down space scroller game.
Katakis has also found a modern day clone in the game Takatis by Poke53280.
Arcade 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...
developed for the 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...
by Rainbow Arts
Rainbow Arts
Rainbow Arts is a German game developer company founded in 1984 in Gütersloh by Marc Ulrich which was later bought by Funsoft, and eventually absorbed by THQ in 1999...
in 1987, and converted to the Commodore Amiga by Factor 5
Factor 5
Factor 5 GmbH is an independent software and video game developer. The company was originally co-founded by five former Rainbow Arts employees in 1987 in Cologne, Germany, which served as the inspiration behind the studio's name....
in 1988. It was re-released as Denaris in 1989.
Introductory plot
The game takes place on the planet Katakis, a human colony in deep space. There, scientists developed machinery with advanced artificial intelligenceArtificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
capabilities. However, the machines eventually evolved beyond the control of their human creators and overtook the planet. The humans attempted to retaliate through the use of nuclear ballistic missiles
Nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The first fission bomb test released the same amount...
, but the machines survived.
The colonists' remaining plan is to use a series of DS-H75 Eagle Fighter space gliders to attack the machines and retake the planet.
Gameplay
R-Type
is a side scrolling shoot-em-up arcade game produced by Irem in 1987. The player controls a space fighter named R-9a "Arrowhead" to defend humanity against a mysterious but powerful alien life-form known as "Bydo", which was later discovered to be not entirely alien in origin...
, with multiple levels, power-ups and various end-bosses. Players must eliminate enemy opponents to reach various end bosses
Boss (video games)
A boss is an enemy-based challenge which is found in video games. A fight with a boss character is commonly referred to as a boss battle or boss fight...
. One major innovation is the fact that the two-player mode features the second player controlling the Force module. This creates an unusual play strategy of the attacker and the defender, since the main ship is vulnerable to enemy fire and hazards.
Controversy
ActivisionActivision
Activision is an American publisher, majority owned by French conglomerate Vivendi SA. Its current CEO is Robert Kotick. It was founded on October 1, 1979 and was the world's first independent developer and distributor of video games for gaming consoles...
objected to the similar style of Katakis to their side-scroller arcade game, R-Type. This was compounded by the contract Factor 5 had with Activision to perform the Amiga port of the game. Factor 5 modified the gameplay and level layout slightly and re-released Katakis as Denaris in 1989.
Hardware platforms
Originally developed for the Commodore 64Commodore 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...
platform, the game was also ported to the Commodore Amiga. Note that the Commodore 64 version of Denaris should not be confused for the similar space game Denarius, a top-down space scroller game.
Current status
Factor 5 has released the Amiga version of Katakis as freeware as follows:- "Katakis, R-Type and BC KID are not provided for the public domain. You are entitled to download and use these games only for non-commercial purposes. All copyrights are retained by their owners. Any distribution of this data through any medium unless specifically permitted by the copyright owners is not allowed."
Katakis has also found a modern day clone in the game Takatis by Poke53280.