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Missile Command
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Name:
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Missile Command |
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| Company: |
Atari |
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Model #:
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CX-2638 |
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Programmer:
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Rob Fulop |
| Year: |
1981 |
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Released?
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Yes
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Notes:
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Rob Fulop's initials are
hidden in the game |
One of Atari's most beloved classics, Missile Command was almost deemed
too scary for the general public. The original plot was supposed
to feature a missile attack on California, but this idea was scrapped
due to fears of the game causing a mass panic (this was during the Cold
War after all). Programmer Dave Theurer actually woke up in cold
sweats due to the nightmares he had about nuclear war after working on
this project. In the end the location was made generic, and the
name was changed from Armageddon (meaning the end of the world) to a more
subdued Missile Command.
The 2600 version of Missile Command is very close to its arcade counterpart
with one exception, the player only has one base! Due to the 2600
only having one fire button Alpha and Gamma bases were removed, leaving
the player with only the center base (Beta). While most hardcore
arcade junkies were dismayed with this change, many players found it easier
to only have to worry about one base instead of three. Strangely
the 5200 version of Missile Command also features only one base even though
the 5200 controller could have easily handled all three. Also removed
from this version were the satellites and planes that launched multiple
missiles at you. These were probably removed due to memory constraints.
As you may or may not know, Rob Fulop was able to hide
his initials in the game. Simply start the game on level 13 and
shoot off all your missiles but don't hit anything. If you've
done it correctly the rubble of the far right city will turn into RF
at the end of the game. Apparently Atari caught wind of this and
told Rob to remove them (spoiled sports!). Rob did remove his
initials, but he's not sure if any copies of the cleaned up version
were ever shipped. To this day no one has ever found a copy of
the game without his initials in it. Rob wasn't exactly tight
lipped about the existence of his initials in the game, he even gave
players a hint in the manual! If you look at scoring table in
the manual you'll notice that it says: "Wave 13 is the most difficult
wave in this Game Program Cartridge" even though there are many more
difficult waves after 13. Hmm. maybe Rob should have put "HINT!
HINT!" after it?
Even with only one base, the 2600 version of Missile
Command is one of the most enjoyable out there. The graphics may
be a bit simplistic, but the action is fast and furious. The sounds
in this version of Missile Command are well done and quite memorable.
The first time you hear the explosion of a missile on the 2600 you'll
know why it was the king of consoles. Now if only we could get
rid of those nasty lime green boards.
| Version |
Cart Text |
Description |
| ?????? |
N/A |
Missing two variations and Rob's initials |
| ??????
|
Pal Missile Command: Please return
this loan cartridge as soon as possible for further use. Thanks. |
Final Version (PAL) |
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to 2600 Software
|
