Oystron
Encyclopedia
Background
Created by Piero Cavina and released in 1997, Oystron was one of the earliest homebrew gamesAtari 2600 homebrew
An Atari 2600 homebrew is a homebrew video game designed for the Atari 2600 by independent developers following the discontinuation of the console in 1992. The first 2600 homebrew was written in 1995, and since then over 100 homebrew titles have been released...
developed for the console. The game, Cavina's first, was released by XYPE, an independent group of Atari 2600 homebrew developers.
Oystron was initially released on the Internet as a freeware
Freeware
Freeware is computer software that is available for use at no cost or for an optional fee, but usually with one or more restricted usage rights. Freeware is in contrast to commercial software, which is typically sold for profit, but might be distributed for a business or commercial purpose in the...
4 KB binary file designed for use on the Starpath Supercharger
Starpath Supercharger
The Starpath Supercharger was an add-on module created by Starpath to expand the game capabilities of the Atari 2600 video game console. The device resembled a long game cartridge with a handle on one end. The Supercharger interface multiplied the Atari 2600's RAM 49-fold, from its meager built-in...
and with Atari 2600 emulators such as Stella
Stella (emulator)
Stella is an emulator for the Atari 2600 game console, and takes its name from the console's codename. It is open source, and runs on most major modern platforms including Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Windows CE/Mobile, Dreamcast, GP2X, Nintendo DS, and Wii. Stella was originally written in 1996 by...
and PCAE
PC Atari Emulator
PC Atari Emulator is a software emulator for running Atari 2600 videogame console programs in Microsoft Windows or in MS-DOS. The latest versions of PC Atari Emulator released were 2.5 and 2.6 . PC Atari Emulator was originally written by John Dullea in 1996...
.
It was later released in cartridge
ROM cartridge
A ROM cartridge, sometimes referred to as a cart, is a removable enclosure containing read-only memory devices designed to be connected to a computer or games console....
form.
Gameplay
Oystron is an action game in which the player controls a ship using the joystick controller, firing at enemies and collecting pearlPearl
A pearl is a hard object produced within the soft tissue of a living shelled mollusk. Just like the shell of a mollusk, a pearl is made up of calcium carbonate in minute crystalline form, which has been deposited in concentric layers. The ideal pearl is perfectly round and smooth, but many other...
s dropped by "space oyster
Oyster
The word oyster is used as a common name for a number of distinct groups of bivalve molluscs which live in marine or brackish habitats. The valves are highly calcified....
s". The player's ship initially appears on the left side of the screen, and enemies attack from the right. Shooting the space oysters reveals a pearl; the player then collides with the pearl and brings it to the "pearl zone" on the left side of the screen. Other enemies appear that attempt to steal the pearls. Collecting eight pearls earns the player a bomb.
At the end of each level, a boss named "Oystron" appears; the player can defeat the Oystron by placing a bomb in its path, or waiting until it changes into a space oyster. Following the appearance of the Oystron is a warp phase, in which the player travels at high speed and must avoid colliding with enemies. The player is given four ships at the beginning of a game, and earns an additional ship every 4000 points.
Reception
In 2003, Oystron was one of several Atari 2600 homebrew titles selected by 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...
for inclusion in the Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
version of their Activision Anthology
Activision Anthology
Activision Anthology is a compilation of most of the Atari 2600 games by Activision for various systems. It also includes some games originally released by Absolute Entertainment and Imagic, as well as some homebrewed games. The Windows and Mac OS X versions are titled Activision Anthology Remix...
.
In 2005, it was named one of the five "Best 2600 Homebrew Games" in the book Gaming Hacks: 100 Industrial-Strength Tips & Tools by Simon Carless
Simon Carless
Simon Carless is a video game industry journalist, editor and game designer. He was born in London, England and presently resides in San Jose, California...
, who praised the game's fast pace, sprites and color scheme.
It received a B+ rating from The Video Game Critic
The Video Game Critic
The Video Game Critic is a website focused on video-game reviews and run by David Mrozek. It was established in 1999, and is known for featuring comprehensive reviews on many early gaming platforms.-History:...
, who described the game as a "very challenging" action game requiring "subtle strategy".