Star Fighter (video game)

Star Fighter or Star Fighter 3000 is a 3D flight based shoot-em-up. The gameplay is mission based and involves elements of strategy and planning. The player can order wingmen to fly in formation and attack specific targets.^[2]

RISC OS

Acorn Archimedes

Star Fighter 3000 was first released for the Acorn Archimedes, in November 1994, by Fednet Software. Fednet Software was a company created by Tim Parry and Andrew Hutching to publish the game. An earlier game the pair developed, Stunt Racer 2000, was published by The Fourth Dimension.^[3]

Version 3.20, of this branch of the game, was released in January 2016.^[4] Later versions improve compatible across RISC OS machines and are free to any owner of a previous release.^[5]

StrongARM

In 2002, a second branch for RISC OS was developed for newer machines. It was a back-port of the 3DO code. Development was done under the software label FlaYmz, headed by Nathan Atkinson, coded by Lee Noar and additional support from Paul Thomson and Lee Johnstone. This version featured the graphical and gameplay enhancements of the 3DO version. However, the game required the fastest RISC OS machines, fitted with StrongARM processors, to run well. This reduced the potential market for the game. Instead a deal was made with MicroDigital to bungle the game with their forthcoming, suitably fast, Omega computer. However, the deal fell through when MicroDigital started showing financial difficulties. Later, in April 2008, this version was made available for through RiscWorld magazine, the full version being bundled free with Volume 8, Issue 6.^[3]

3DO

The 3DO version was developed by Tim Parry and Andrew Hutching. It was developed after the original Acorn version was released. This version is slightly different from the original RISC OS game. The map screen is in 3D, not 2D as in the Acorn RISC OS version. Also, to upgrade the ship the player must collect a series of 3D shapes after blowing up certain objects. In the Acorn RISC OS version, the player collects and spends money on ship upgrades. Another difference is that the player can blast pathways through mountain ranges with the laser.

PC, PlayStation and Saturn

Star Fighter 3000 was also released for the PC, Sony PlayStation and Sega Saturn by Acclaim Entertainment.^[6] These versions were ports of the 3DO version. Unlike the original Acorn version and 3DO version, Tim Parry and Andrew Hutchings had no involvement in their development.

These versions make heavy use of distance fog to significantly decrease the draw distance. Detail levels on the buildings, texture mapped ground, and other objects were also decreased.

Reception

Reviews for the 3DO version varied widely. Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the 3DO version a score of 8.125 out of 10. They criticized the controls for being too loose but praised the huge number of missions, the addictive gameplay, and most of all the ability to fly freely in any direction.^[7] GamePro summarized that "Star Fighter doesn't quite soar with the eagles, but it doesn't flop with the turkeys, either." They noted the ability to fly in any direction and the large number of missions as positive elements, and the slow game speed, undetailed graphics, and pronounced pop up as negative elements.^[8] Maximum gave it two out of five stars, panning it for its "dreadful control system", pronounced slowdown, and grating music, as well as the simplicity of the early missions. They did praise the game's visuals, but concluded that "when inevitably compared to Air Combat, this ultimately fails to present a credible alternative."^[9]

Stephen Poole of GameSpot gave the PC version a 4.4 out of 10, saying that flight simulators are much better suited for PC than console, and as a straight conversion of a 3DO game, Star Fighter retains the shortcomings of its console origins. He especially criticised the poor graphics, story and controls.^[10]

Space Fighter 4000

In 2011, Andrew Hutching entered a new game, inspired by Star Fighter, in the 2011 'Dream Build Play' contest.^[11] Written for the XNA platform, it was released for Xbox 360 and Windows PC.^[12]

References

External links

• starfighter.acornarcade.com Christopher Bazley's site maintaining updated versions of the Acorn Archimedes version
• gamesarefun Release information for Sega Saturn version