Episode 4: Alien Distractions

It's true that we have a little plan for implementing the game — coming soon — but there's still yet another distraction lurking around the corner…

Now, I really wanted to go back to the Personal Computer Space Transactor — as we've already passed the ides of April (a lesser known, traditional period of procrastination in ancient Rome ;-) ) and there's still a lot to do. But then I stumbled across the title graphics of "Space Destroyers" (1980) for the APF MP-1000 system. In case you wouldn't know, the APF MP-1000 is not only an early, second generation game console (AKA home videogame system), no, it's also the amazing Imagination Machine thanks to an assortment of expansion boxes.

Just have a look at this cute alien and the spacey title typography! — Gorgeous!

Space Destroyers (1980, for APF M-1000) — title graphics.
(Still from a YouTube video by Gamester81.)

Sadly, the game itself is none of this and rather your stock Space Invaders clone, while it probably manages to do a great job in representing the game on the APF M-1000 console and its restricted graphics:

As already mentioned (see Episode 1), playing around with block graphics on the PET's screen is strangely satisfying (we may need some kind of governmental regulation for this). And this is what I came up with on the (emulated) PET:

Our version: "Space Cthulhu".

This is so cute that now I really want to do the game, the title screen deserves. Maybe a side-scroller? Is there already a R-Type-type type of game for the PET? (Three "types" in a row in a regular sentence! Already a win…)

That said, it's high time to return to Personal Computer Space Transactor 2001 and see, what can be done for this one.

— Stay tuned! —

▶ Next:  Episode 5: Sync!

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— This series is part of Retrochallenge 2017/04. —