Genre: Vertically scrolling shooter
Developer: Don Rigby
Publisher: Red Rat Software
Year: 1986
System: Atari 8-bit
Screaming Wings is a vertically scrolling shooter developed and published by Red Rat Software for the Atari 8‑bit family in 1986. It features a lone Harrier-like jet fighter engaging waves of enemy aircraft and bombers across varied terrain, including forests, fields, and open sea.
Players navigate the jet using joystick or keyboard controls, shooting enemies in set formations and facing boss-like guardian bombers at the end of each stage. The game includes nine levels that eventually loop once completed, with only four distinct stage types that repeat. Power-ups are available during play: shields for temporary protection, bombs for screen-clearing attacks, rapid-fire capabilities, and a drone that mirrors the player’s firing position. A voice sample announces “Game over man, game over!” when all lives are lost.
Programmed in machine language by Don Rigby (under the alias Paul Craven), and with music and sound effects by David Forward, the game was notably superior on Atari 8‑bit hardware compared to its Amiga and Atari ST counterparts. However, collision detection could feel imprecise, and the landscapes repeat frequently.
