Game:

Asteroids Deluxe (1980)

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MAME ID: astdelux
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Asteroids Deluxe (c) 1981 Atari, Incorporated.

Asteroids Deluxe is a 1 or 2-player game with an X-Y or vector-generator monitor. The game depicts a third-person view of a player's spaceship battling to destroy asteroids, flying saucers and enemy ships or 'death stars' (shaped like clusters of triangles). When hit, the asteroids and death stars will break into progressively smaller pieces.

Players can put up an octagon-shaped 'shield' to temporarily protect their spaceship. However, this shield wears out with use.

Large asteroids appear and drift in from the outer edges of the display. By pressing the ROTATE LEFT and ROTATE RIGHT pushbuttons on the control panel, the player may aim a spaceship toward any of the asteroids. The player uses the FIRE pushbutton to shoot at the asteroids and other objects.

When shot, each large asteroid divides into two medium-sized asteroids, and the game adds 20 points to the player's score. Medium-sized asteroids, when shot, divide into two small-sized asteroids, and the game awards 50 points to the player. When shot the smallest asteroid disappears and the game adds 100 points to the player's score.

In addition to asteroids, the players can score points for shooting the various enemy ships. When hit, the large ships ('death stars' shaped like hexagons) score 50 points and break into three diamond shapes. The medium-sized enemy or diamond, when hit, grants the player 100 points and breaks into two small triangular pieces. These small pieces disappear when the player hits them, and the score increases by 200 points.

At any time during game play, a flying saucer may appear from either side of the display. The game awards players 200 points for shooting a large saucer and 1,000 points for a small saucer (the latter is a smaller target for players, though not any faster moving than the large one. It also shoots more accurately).

The player's objective in the game is to shoot and destroy as many asteroids, saucers, and enemy ships as possible before all his or her spaceships are destroyed. A ship is destroyed if an asteroid, saucer or enemy ship smashes into it, or if a flying saucer shoots it. To prevent losing a ship, the player may press the THRUST pushbutton to move out of the path of an oncoming object.

As an emergency maneuver, a player can press the Shields button. An octagon will then appear around the player's ship as protection from all enemies. For challenge the shield power lasts only about 10 seconds, but the power is renewed with each ship. The amount of shielding power available is shown by the brightness of the octagon (dim means almost exhausted power).

- CAST OF CHARACTERS -

Spaceship - This is you, the player. You can rotate 360 degrees, fire bullets, thrust forward in any direction, and use the shields if you feel you are in danger.

Large Asteroid - These are the large rocks that fill the screen at the beginning of each stage. Hitting one with a bullet will break it apart in to two Medium Asteroids.

Medium Asteroid - Slightly smaller than Large Asteroids, but faster moving, shooting one of these will result in two Small Asteroids.

Small Asteroid - These are the smallest and fastest rocks on the screen. If a bullet hits one of these, it will vaporize.

Hexagon - This addition to Asteroids appears when the stage is nearly free of rocks. It floats in one direction until it is shot.

Diamond - When the Hexagon is shot it breaks up in to three separate diamonds. These begin to track and slowly follow you.

Triangle - When a Diamond is shot it breaks up in to two separate triangles. These will move very quickly and zero in on you if you don't destroy them fast enough.

Large Saucer - Large flying saucers appear on the screen from time to time, randomly firing shots around the screen. Approximately one out of every four shots will be aimed directly at your ship. They will also target Hexagons if any are on the screen at the same time.

Small Saucer - The small saucers are deadlier than the large variety. They are much more precise with their shots, and are more likely to kill you. Eliminate them quickly or get out of their range.

- TECHNICAL -

This particular machine was released in three different formats; an upright, a cabaret, and a cocktail, with the upright being the most common, and the cabaret being the least common. All three versions were nearly pin compatible with an original ""Asteroids"" board-set, only a few wires had to be swapped.
* The upright was a rather interesting looking design that actually bulged out toward the player from the control panel on up. Atari went all out with the side-art on this one, it completely covers the sides from the floor to the top of the machine (it [...]
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