Superman III (prototype) for the Atari 8-bit family

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Published on April 11, 2014 6:32:18 PM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfAvb_7ux4o

Duration: 3:22

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Game description:

(From AtariProtos.com)

The plot for the game revolves around Superman's fight with the super computer at the end of the movie. But what about that cool game Ross played in the movie you ask? As it turns out the 'game' was nothing more than an elaborate computer sequence designed by Atari specifically for the movie. The actual game that was developed didn't have to do with this sequence. This was because it would have been impossible to do anything like it on the Atari 8-bit computer (same deal as with the Last Starfighter game).

As mentioned before, the game revolves around Superman's fight with the super computer. The game board is separated into eight city blocks with the super computer in the center. You play the role of Superman (naturally) who must fly around the screen destroying energy pulses being sent out by the computer with his heat vision. These energy pulses will roam the screen in a random pattern, often snaking around for a few moments before actually hitting a city. If a pulse hits a city it will immediately be drained of all its power and will go dead (all the lights will go out). Once a city is dead, if a probe hits it again it will catch fire which Superman will have to put out with his ice breath. If a fire burns too long the city will turn to rubble and be permanently destroyed. Hitting the pulses is very difficult due to the fact that Superman is always moving, and it's really easy to overshoot your target. The computer will also shoot out green Kryptonite probes which will disable Superman for a few moments (afterall, you can't really kill the man of steel). Also keep an eye out for people that randomly appear during the later rounds whom Superman can grab for extra points. The whole game plays somewhat like Missile Command in the round, but doesn't have the same addictive fast paced gameplay.


What I think:

The controls aren't the best and it is reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaally repetitive.

But at least it is better than the god awful "Superman: The Game"...