Gauntlet (shoot 'em up)
Encyclopedia
Gauntlet is a shoot 'em up
game written in 1984 by Donald R. Lebeau for the Atari 8-bit family
of computers. It was released as shareware
, with a full-version available for registration of USD$35. Gameplay was divided into separate screens (50 in all) with terrain and enemies (though the game can be played with the last half of the total number of screens and no terrain at all).
ship using a joystick and the keyboard, and can fire weapons in eight directions, both at the terrain (to dig holes or tunnels) and at enemies. The player uses the joystick to apply thrust in different directions, meaning the ship can be moving in one direction and firing in any other (strafing the ground or enemies). The X key on the keyboard causes the ship to full-stop.
Additionally, the player has an arsenal of different weapons to choose from -- "fusion bolts", homing missiles, flares, and so on—that have different effects. For example, "fusion bolts" are similar to the counter-missiles in Missile Command
; the explode when they hit other objects, including explosions. The player can fire repeatedly in the same direction causing explosions to 'walk back' towards their ship, providing a kind of shield against enemies.
created the hack and slash
arcade game Gauntlet
(itself based on another Atari computer game, Dandy Dungeon
). Despite having copyrighted the name, after talking with his lawyers, Donald renamed the registered version of his game Gauntletak to avoid infringement. The registered version was released in 1987. The game was very rare, since few people purchased the registered version, but in 2007 became available for download as a disk image
.
Shoot 'em up
Shoot 'em up is a subgenre of shooter video games. In a shoot 'em up, the player controls a lone character, often in a spacecraft or aircraft, shooting large numbers of enemies while dodging their attacks. The genre in turn encompasses various types or subgenres and critics differ on exactly what...
game written in 1984 by Donald R. Lebeau for the Atari 8-bit family
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...
of computers. It was released as shareware
Shareware
The term shareware is a proprietary software that is provided to users without payment on a trial basis and is often limited by any combination of functionality, availability, or convenience. Shareware is often offered as a download from an Internet website or as a compact disc included with a...
, with a full-version available for registration of USD$35. Gameplay was divided into separate screens (50 in all) with terrain and enemies (though the game can be played with the last half of the total number of screens and no terrain at all).
Description
The player controls a saucer-shapedFlying saucer
A flying saucer is a type of unidentified flying object sometimes believed to be of alien origin with a disc or saucer-shaped body, usually described as silver or metallic, occasionally reported as covered with running lights or surrounded with a glowing light, hovering or moving rapidly either...
ship using a joystick and the keyboard, and can fire weapons in eight directions, both at the terrain (to dig holes or tunnels) and at enemies. The player uses the joystick to apply thrust in different directions, meaning the ship can be moving in one direction and firing in any other (strafing the ground or enemies). The X key on the keyboard causes the ship to full-stop.
Variety in Gauntlet
Various kinds of enemies are found in the game, which react differently to the player. Some attack the player immediately, some wait until the player is within close proximity, some wait until the player is in their line of sight, etc. Some large enemies release smaller enemies that in turn attack the player.Additionally, the player has an arsenal of different weapons to choose from -- "fusion bolts", homing missiles, flares, and so on—that have different effects. For example, "fusion bolts" are similar to the counter-missiles in Missile Command
Missile Command
Missile Command is a 1980 arcade game by Atari, Inc. that was also licensed to Sega for European release. It is considered one of the most notable games from the Golden Age of Video Arcade Games...
; the explode when they hit other objects, including explosions. The player can fire repeatedly in the same direction causing explosions to 'walk back' towards their ship, providing a kind of shield against enemies.
Gauntletak
A year after Donald's game was released, Atari GamesAtari Games
Atari Games Corporation was an American producer of arcade games, and originally part of Atari, Inc..-History:When, in 1984, Warner Communications sold the Atari Consumer division of Atari Inc...
created the hack and slash
Hack and slash
Hack and slash or hack and slay, abbreviated H&S or HnS, refers to a type of gameplay that emphasizes combat. "Hack and slash" was originally used to describe an aspect of pen-and-paper role-playing games , carrying over from there to MUDs, MMORPGs, and video games in general...
arcade game Gauntlet
Gauntlet (arcade game)
Gauntlet is a fantasy-themed hack and slash 1985 arcade game by Atari Games. It is noted as the first class-based multiplayer game. Released during the emergence of popularity of other role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons, the game was a sensation, being one of the first true dungeon crawl...
(itself based on another Atari computer game, Dandy Dungeon
Dandy (computer game)
Dandy is a dungeon crawl computer game for the Atari 8-bit computers. Dandy was one of the first games to offer four-player cooperative play and a built-in editor...
). Despite having copyrighted the name, after talking with his lawyers, Donald renamed the registered version of his game Gauntletak to avoid infringement. The registered version was released in 1987. The game was very rare, since few people purchased the registered version, but in 2007 became available for download as a disk image
Disk image
A disk image is a single file or storage device containing the complete contents and structure representing a data storage medium or device, such as a hard drive, tape drive, floppy disk, CD/DVD/BD, or USB flash drive, although an image of an optical disc may be referred to as an optical disc image...
.