Minotron: 2112
Encyclopedia
Minotron: 2112 is a video game for the iOS platform written by Jeff Minter
and Ivan Zorzin of Llamasoft. It is a remade mobile version of the classic Llamatron
for the Atari ST
and Commodore Amiga, which itself was an updated version of the arcade machine Robotron: 2084
. It is the Minotaur Project game representing the Mattel Intellivision.
moving in a static 2-dimensional space. The objective is for the player to eliminate all enemies on the stage ("wave") in order to progress to the next. Enemies appear in a variety of surreal forms, including teapots, televisions, lightbulbs, and some shapes inspired by other classic arcade games such as Berzerk
. Power-ups are also released as enemies and obstacles on the stage are destroyed. As the stages proceed, new enemies appear, including a Mandelbrot Set
, shaded arrows which play a Wilhelm scream
when shot, lasers which fire across the entire screen, and the player ship from Minotaur Rescue
. Existing enemies are also increased in power, gaining ability such as exploding into dangerous shrapnel or orbiting stars when destroyed.
"Beasties" (Ruminant
animals), such as sheep and camels, wander around on the stages; these can be "rescued" by touching them, awarding a score bonus at the end of the level. (They are equivalent to the "last human family" in Robotron: 2084
.)
The game has 100 levels and two boss enemies: a giant toilet
partway through the game, and Kevin Keegan
on level 99. After defeating this final boss, the wave number switches to two hearts and a final level plays which contains only beasties. Once all of these are rescued, the screen fades out to white with a feedback effect, and the game ends.
The game offers several different control modes:
Unlike Minotaur Rescue
, the game's features are the same whether it is played on iPhone/iPod Touch or iPad.
in April 2011, and received positive reviews from several other iOS gaming sites.
Jeff Minter
Jeff 'Yak' Minter is a British computer/video game designer and programmer. He is the founder of software house Llamasoft and his recent works include Neon , a non-game music visualization program that has been built into the Xbox 360 console, and the video games Space Giraffe , and Space Invaders...
and Ivan Zorzin of Llamasoft. It is a remade mobile version of the classic Llamatron
Llamatron
Llamatron is a computer game written by Jeff Minter of Llamasoft, and released as shareware in 1991 for the Atari ST. The game was converted to the Commodore Amiga and PC the following year. It is very similar in gameplay to the 1982 arcade game Robotron: 2084, although filtered through Jeff...
for the Atari ST
Atari ST
The Atari ST is a home/personal computer that was released by Atari Corporation in 1985 and commercially available from that summer into the early 1990s. The "ST" officially stands for "Sixteen/Thirty-two", which referred to the Motorola 68000's 16-bit external bus and 32-bit internals...
and Commodore Amiga, which itself was an updated version of the arcade machine Robotron: 2084
Robotron: 2084
Robotron: 2084 is an arcade video game developed by Vid Kidz and released by Williams Electronics in 1982. It is a shooting game that features two-dimensional graphics. The game is set in the year 2084, in a fictional world where robots have turned against humans...
. It is the Minotaur Project game representing the Mattel Intellivision.
Gameplay
The player controls a minotaurMinotaur
In Greek mythology, the Minotaur , as the Greeks imagined him, was a creature with the head of a bull on the body of a man or, as described by Roman poet Ovid, "part man and part bull"...
moving in a static 2-dimensional space. The objective is for the player to eliminate all enemies on the stage ("wave") in order to progress to the next. Enemies appear in a variety of surreal forms, including teapots, televisions, lightbulbs, and some shapes inspired by other classic arcade games such as Berzerk
Berzerk
Berzerk is a multi-directional shooter video arcade game, released in 1980 by Stern Electronics of Chicago.-Gameplay:The player controls a green stick-figure, representing a "humanoid." Using a joystick , the player navigates a simple maze filled with many robots, who fire lasers back at the...
. Power-ups are also released as enemies and obstacles on the stage are destroyed. As the stages proceed, new enemies appear, including a Mandelbrot Set
Mandelbrot set
The Mandelbrot set is a particular mathematical set of points, whose boundary generates a distinctive and easily recognisable two-dimensional fractal shape...
, shaded arrows which play a Wilhelm scream
Wilhelm scream
The Wilhelm scream is a film and television stock sound effect first used in 1951 for the film Distant Drums. The effect gained new popularity after it was used in Star Wars and many other blockbuster films as well as television programs and video games...
when shot, lasers which fire across the entire screen, and the player ship from Minotaur Rescue
Minotaur Rescue
Minotaur Rescue is an arcade game for the iOS platform developed by Jeff Minter and Ivan Zorzin of Llamasoft. It was Llamasoft's first iOS game. Minotaur Rescue is an abbreviated title used within the App Store; the full title of the game, as shown on the title screen, is Solar Minotaur Rescue...
. Existing enemies are also increased in power, gaining ability such as exploding into dangerous shrapnel or orbiting stars when destroyed.
"Beasties" (Ruminant
Ruminant
A ruminant is a mammal of the order Artiodactyla that digests plant-based food by initially softening it within the animal's first compartment of the stomach, principally through bacterial actions, then regurgitating the semi-digested mass, now known as cud, and chewing it again...
animals), such as sheep and camels, wander around on the stages; these can be "rescued" by touching them, awarding a score bonus at the end of the level. (They are equivalent to the "last human family" in Robotron: 2084
Robotron: 2084
Robotron: 2084 is an arcade video game developed by Vid Kidz and released by Williams Electronics in 1982. It is a shooting game that features two-dimensional graphics. The game is set in the year 2084, in a fictional world where robots have turned against humans...
.)
The game has 100 levels and two boss enemies: a giant toilet
Toilet
A toilet is a sanitation fixture used primarily for the disposal of human excrement, often found in a small room referred to as a toilet/bathroom/lavatory...
partway through the game, and Kevin Keegan
Kevin Keegan
Joseph Kevin Keegan, OBE is a former international footballer and former manager of the England national football team and several English clubs, most notably Newcastle United....
on level 99. After defeating this final boss, the wave number switches to two hearts and a final level plays which contains only beasties. Once all of these are rescued, the screen fades out to white with a feedback effect, and the game ends.
The game offers several different control modes:
- In Simplified mode, the player moves the minotaur by sliding a single finger on the touchscreen; the minotaur automatically chooses its direction of fire, always aiming for the closest enemy.
- In Normal mode, the player must choose the direction of fire by swiping or sliding a second finger on the touch screen, while a "moving" finger is already in contact.
- In Assisted mode, the controls behave as in Normal mode but the player is assisted by a "droid" which moves and fires independently.
- In Hard mode, the controls behave as in Normal mode and there is no droid, plus the range of power-ups available is restricted.
Unlike Minotaur Rescue
Minotaur Rescue
Minotaur Rescue is an arcade game for the iOS platform developed by Jeff Minter and Ivan Zorzin of Llamasoft. It was Llamasoft's first iOS game. Minotaur Rescue is an abbreviated title used within the App Store; the full title of the game, as shown on the title screen, is Solar Minotaur Rescue...
, the game's features are the same whether it is played on iPhone/iPod Touch or iPad.
Reception
The game has been generally successful, maintaining a five-star rating on the iOS App Store, although it has not been named a Featured App on that service. Minotron was named App Of The Week by The RegisterThe Register
The Register is a British technology news and opinion website. It was founded by John Lettice, Mike Magee and Ross Alderson in 1994 as a newsletter called "Chip Connection", initially as an email service...
in April 2011, and received positive reviews from several other iOS gaming sites.