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Sneakers (Apple video game)
Encyclopedia
Sneakers is a 1981 video game for the Apple II
computer, created by Mark Turmell and published by Sirius Software
.
or Sirius's Space Eggs
— to use either paddles
or the keyboard to move a ship left or right across the bottom of the screen while shooting or evading enemies. If an enemy destroys the ship, a much larger mothership will descend and put a new one into play. The player begins with four ships in reserve and receives an additional one for each level completed. There are eight kinds of enemy the player must face, each of which attacks in a wave of its own with a unique strategy. After completing all eight waves, play proceeds to the next level in which the same enemies attack again, but in greater numbers or more challenging ways. At the end of level 5 the player returns to level 5. A starting level from 1 through 5 may be chosen with Control-R.
Wave 1: Sneakers
The first wave pits the player against the innocuous "Sneakers", smiling, white-legged creatures that fly randomly around the screen. If one collides with the ship it will destroy it, but otherwise they do not pursue or fire upon it. Sneakers are blue when flying freely, but turn red when sitting on the ground or traveling vertically. Each is worth 10 points.
Wave 2: Cyclops
The Cyclops are small red, blue and white craft with a single black "eye" that sweeps back and forth. They travel straight across the screen from left to right, and whenever fired upon accelerate and descend slightly. Missing too many shots will bring them low enough that they collide with the ship. Cyclops are worth 25 points.
Wave 3: Saucers
Resembling flying saucers, these ships drop a steady rain of bombs as they fly back and forth. When destroyed, they sometimes release a larger, more powerful bomb that can unexpectedly veer diagonally. Saucers are 30 points each.
Wave 4: Fangs
The insect-like "Fangs" dance back and forth in formation near the top of the screen, and will sometimes morph into an indestructible, falling spiked form. Fangs are 35 points.
Wave 5: H-Wings
The TIE Fighter
-ish ships in this wave don't fire, but move quickly and are difficult to avoid. Destroying one earns the player 50 points. These enemies were named for the H Wing of Delta College
where creator Mark Turmell attended computer classes.
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Wave 6: Meteors
In this wave you don't face an enemy per se, but instead must make your way through a dense field of meteoroids and occasional asteroids. These can be shot at and destroyed, but most must simply be avoided. If the player destroys enough of the objects in this wave, the game may award bonus points.
Wave 7: Scrambles
Scrambles are colorful triangular objects that fall toward the ship. Each one must be shot and deflected several times to complete the wave.
Wave 8: Scrubs
The final wave consists of diagonally-moving formations of small blue objects called "Scrubs". Shooting a Scrub will cause it to break formation and slowly fall. Shooting it again in this form earns extra points, but causes it to fall much more quickly.
game Turmoil, published by 20th Century Fox
, was written by Mark Turmell. During the attract mode, a sneaker will appear in place of the wave number.
Apple II
The Apple II is an 8-bit home computer, one of the first highly successful mass-produced microcomputer products, designed primarily by Steve Wozniak, manufactured by Apple Computer and introduced in 1977...
computer, created by Mark Turmell and published by Sirius Software
Sirius Software
Sirius Software was a video game publisher of Apple II, Commodore 64 and Atari computer games in the early 1980s.- Founding and early history :The company was founded in the early 1980s by Jerry Jewell and Nasir Gebelli...
.
Description
The premise of Sneakers is similar to Space InvadersSpace 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...
or Sirius's Space Eggs
Space Eggs
Space Eggs is a video game for the Apple II computer, created by Nasir Gebelli and published by Sirius Software in 1981.-Description:Space Eggs is an unofficial port of the arcade game Moon Cresta to the Apple II...
— to use either paddles
Paddle (game controller)
A paddle is a game controller with a round wheel and one or more fire buttons, where the wheel is typically used to control movement of the player object along one axis of the video screen...
or the keyboard to move a ship left or right across the bottom of the screen while shooting or evading enemies. If an enemy destroys the ship, a much larger mothership will descend and put a new one into play. The player begins with four ships in reserve and receives an additional one for each level completed. There are eight kinds of enemy the player must face, each of which attacks in a wave of its own with a unique strategy. After completing all eight waves, play proceeds to the next level in which the same enemies attack again, but in greater numbers or more challenging ways. At the end of level 5 the player returns to level 5. A starting level from 1 through 5 may be chosen with Control-R.
Wave 1: Sneakers
The first wave pits the player against the innocuous "Sneakers", smiling, white-legged creatures that fly randomly around the screen. If one collides with the ship it will destroy it, but otherwise they do not pursue or fire upon it. Sneakers are blue when flying freely, but turn red when sitting on the ground or traveling vertically. Each is worth 10 points.
Wave 2: Cyclops
The Cyclops are small red, blue and white craft with a single black "eye" that sweeps back and forth. They travel straight across the screen from left to right, and whenever fired upon accelerate and descend slightly. Missing too many shots will bring them low enough that they collide with the ship. Cyclops are worth 25 points.
Wave 3: Saucers
Resembling flying saucers, these ships drop a steady rain of bombs as they fly back and forth. When destroyed, they sometimes release a larger, more powerful bomb that can unexpectedly veer diagonally. Saucers are 30 points each.
Wave 4: Fangs
The insect-like "Fangs" dance back and forth in formation near the top of the screen, and will sometimes morph into an indestructible, falling spiked form. Fangs are 35 points.
Wave 5: H-Wings
The TIE Fighter
TIE fighter
TIE fighters are fictional starfighters in the Star Wars universe. Propelled by Twin Ion Engines , TIE fighters are depicted as fast, fragile starfighters produced by Sienar Fleet Systems for the Galactic Empire...
-ish ships in this wave don't fire, but move quickly and are difficult to avoid. Destroying one earns the player 50 points. These enemies were named for the H Wing of Delta College
Delta College (Michigan)
Delta College is a two-year community college located southwest of Bay City, Michigan. Delta College's district had its beginning in 1955 with Saginaw, Midland, and Bay counties making up the district. In 1957, the voters of the tri-counties approved the construction of the college, and it opened...
where creator Mark Turmell attended computer classes.
In this wave you don't face an enemy per se, but instead must make your way through a dense field of meteoroids and occasional asteroids. These can be shot at and destroyed, but most must simply be avoided. If the player destroys enough of the objects in this wave, the game may award bonus points.
Wave 7: Scrambles
Scrambles are colorful triangular objects that fall toward the ship. Each one must be shot and deflected several times to complete the wave.
Wave 8: Scrubs
The final wave consists of diagonally-moving formations of small blue objects called "Scrubs". Shooting a Scrub will cause it to break formation and slowly fall. Shooting it again in this form earns extra points, but causes it to fall much more quickly.
Trivia
The Atari 2600Atari 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...
game Turmoil, published by 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
, was written by Mark Turmell. During the attract mode, a sneaker will appear in place of the wave number.