Cosmic Crusader Longplay (Commodore 64 Game) - Warning: Contains Flashing Lights!
4Cosmic Crusader Longplay (Commodore 64 Game) -
Cosmic Crusader is a space shooter for the Commodore 64, released in 1985 by Green Valley Publishing. The game is divided into four stages, each requiring players to destroy every enemy or object on the screen in order to advance.
In the first stage, players must destroy meteorites that fall either straight down or obliquely. The challenge comes from their sudden direction changes, which can catch players off guard. The second stage features enemies that are visually reminiscent of Demon Attack, though unlike that classic game, these enemies are relatively easy to take down, making this stage far less challenging.
In the third stage, players face classic UFO saucers. These enemies are even easier than the Demon Attack-like ones, as their slow speed makes it simple to dodge their bullets or attacks, even with their shifting movements. In addition to that, they’re not particularly pleasant to look at. While their colorful appearance adds some visual flair, the sprites feel overly flat and lacking in detail.
The final stage introduces enemies that bear a slight resemblance to those in Galaxian. This stage is quite difficult, even in the first loop. The enemies can disappear off-screen and launch attacks from below, breaching the surface where the player’s spacecraft is positioned. Their oblique movements are especially tricky, requiring significant patience and precision to clear this stage without losing a life.
After completing the fourth stage, the game loops back to the first stage with increased difficulty, offering a progressively tougher challenge.
Overall, Cosmic Crusader is a decent space shooter, but its short length and steep difficulty curve can make it a frustrating experience. Furthermore, like Blue Moon, the game lacks a coherent sense of mission, instead feeling like a series of disconnected trials rather than a unified journey through space.
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