Genre: Fixed-screen shooter
Developer: Neil Larimer
Publisher: Adventure International
Year: 1982
System: Atari 8-bit
Stratos is a fixed-screen shooter developed by Neil Larimer and published by Adventure International for the Atari 8-bit family in 1982. The game is set in a futuristic scenario where the Martian colonies have fallen, and the M’korg invasion fleet is moving towards Earth’s capital, Stratos. The player is tasked with defending the city using the Armageddon Wave Device to destroy enemy ships and prevent the city’s destruction.
The gameplay involves controlling a crosshair on a fixed screen, with enemy ships appearing above the city and firing upon it. The player must destroy these ships as quickly as possible to prevent damage to the city’s protective shield. After each wave, the player enters repair mode to fix any holes in the shield. Additionally, meteor storms occur intermittently, providing opportunities to earn bonus points by shooting meteoroids.
The game features seven different types of enemy ships, each with unique movement patterns, and offers both novice and expert difficulty levels. Players are rewarded points based on the number of ships destroyed, and the game ends when the city’s shield is eliminated and the city is destroyed.
