285:
244:. The player controls a laser cannon that can scroll left or right along a flat plane in order to target falling objects, such as large or small meteors, large or small spinning bombs, and guided missiles, as well as a UFO that crosses the screen from time to time at higher levels. Low hills and stars are seen in the background.
251:
The bulk of the targets are meteors, which come in two sizes and various colors. Both sizes fall vertically when entering the screen. Large meteors may be destroyed with a direct hit, or may split into two smaller meteors, which fall diagonally in opposite directions. Small meteors are destroyed in a
208:
The
Intellivision game catalog features the exciting caption, "Spin. Blast. And drop into hyperspace to avoid a killer asteroid shower. Power on. Attack computer engaged. Fire a quick burst at the alien antagonists. Got 'em!" The actual package gives a more specific description: "You're in command of
275:
The player has the option of firing single shots by pressing the fire buttons, or switching to automatic fire at a rate of three shots per second. The hyperspace option moves the gun to a random location, which may or may not be safer than the starting point. The game can also be paused at any time.
267:
The player loses a laser cannon each time it is hit by a falling meteor, a guided missile, a non-guided salvo, or by shrapnel from a nearby explosion, and any time a spinner reaches the ground, even if it does not strike the gun. Each target hit increases the player's score; it decreases by half as
259:
Guided missiles appear occasionally as white dots making a pulsing sound, and may fall diagonally toward the player's initial location, or track the laser cannon as it moves left and right. If a missile reaches the ground, it may disappear, or it may continue to track left or right, and can only be
358:
magazine where it was described as "an obvious attempt to provide
Intellivision-ites with a solitaire arcade-style target game". The pacing of the early stages in the game was described as "dull and plodding", although later in the game the pace becomes much more challenging. The color-coding of
271:
The game has six levels, each of which features increased speed and scoring. Each level is represented by a differently-colored background. Level 1, up to 999 points, is black; level 2, from 1,000 to 4,999 points, is blue; level 3, from 5,000 to 19,999 points, is purple; level 4, from 20,000 to
32:
218:
326:. The games were compatible, since they were designed together, and used the same sprites and sound effects. In rare instances, if the console's reset button is pressed rapidly, an error can occur, resulting in the game starting in the original
359:
stages corresponding with difficulty level and player score was described as "not a bad idea", but reviewers noted that "the greyish blue used for the 1000-to-4999-point range is especially odious" and described this hue as "assaulting the
363:". Despite the lackluster review, the game was ultimately recommended as "probably worth a try" for Intellivision users seeking a new experience because the Intellivision "traditionally lacks arcade programs", and eight months later in
272:
49,999 points, is turquoise; level 5, from 50,000 to 99,999 points, is gray; and level 6, above 100,000 points, is black again. Speed continues to increase along with the player's peak score, at 200,000, 500,000, and 1,000,000 points.
255:
The player must also shoot spinning bombs, or spinners, which are white, come in two sizes, and spin while falling vertically. Each spinner emits a loud whistling sound, which gradually lowers in pitch as it approaches the
209:
a battery of laser guns. You have unlimited ammo and a lot of targets! You can roll up big scores by hitting a spectacular barrage of falling rocks, bombs, guided missiles and attacking UFOs..."
614:
268:
much each time a meteor reaches the ground, or a laser cannon is destroyed. An extra gun is awarded each time the player's peak score increases by 1,000 points.
247:
There are four types of targets, each of which may move at a range of speeds. As the game advances, the range of speeds for each type of target increases.
919:
501:
179:
sales. It was also promoted in the United States and Canada via a high score contest where top scorers were flown to
Houston for the finals.
812:
839:
306:
clone, did not fill up the ROM space of an entire cartridge. The extra space was used to create a variation of the game called
606:
175:
is among the top five best selling
Intellivision games. A free by mail offer, with the purchase of the console, boosted
914:
865:
263:
UFOs cross the screen occasionally, beginning at level 4, firing non-guided salvos aimed at the player's laser cannon.
555:
377:
As of June 1983 the game shipped 984,900, making it the third most widely distributed
Intellivision game behind
468:
379:
899:
374:
was described as "probably the most popular action game produced by Mattel for play on the
Intellivision".
168:
Electronics in 1981. The player uses a laser cannon to destroy falling meteors, bombs, and other targets.
904:
509:
909:
762:
430:
400:
889:
884:
860:
421:
console. As
Intellivision continues to struggle in releasing the Amico console, the Amico version of
318:. Programmer John Sohl programmed a "branch" around the opening-screen menu, leading directly to the
260:
avoided by entering hyperspace. The missile may change directions several times before disappearing.
143:
894:
790:
767:
240:
730:
693:
657:
51:
39:
8:
772:
418:
406:
65:
448:
to PC and major consoles. These versions were released on
October 12 of the same year.
75:
639:
711:
675:
735:
702:
666:
354:
128:
813:"Intellivision launches app version of Amico console, as hardware remains distant"
314:
game was cancelled at the last minute, due to concerns that it was too similar to
88:
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234:
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878:
715:
679:
635:
536:
284:
222:
161:
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133:
102:
80:
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trademark, along with the right to port the
Intellivision Amico version of
523:
360:
398:
T-shirts are worn by the characters Cisco Ramon, in the first season of
697:
661:
334:
183:
84:
502:"Intellivision Classic Video Game System / Frequently Asked Questions"
817:
191:
31:
664:(March 1982). "Arcade Alley: Mixed Reviews for Intellivision".
593:
571:
Classic Home Video Games, 1972–1984: A Complete
Reference Guide
540:
488:
217:
187:
165:
115:
44:
58:
434:
291:
cartridge inserted and the overlay on the left controller
551:
549:
417:
was announced as one of the six games included with the
700:(November 1982). "Video's Guide to Electronic Games".
341:, it has faster play than the Intellivision original.
599:
546:
425:
has been selected by Intellivision as part of their
585:
583:
581:
579:
840:"ASTROSMASH BLASTS BACK INTO MODERN GAMING TODAY!"
440:In late 2023, BBG Entertainment GmbH acquired the
628:
876:
576:
164:console, designed by John Sohl, and released by
404:, and Sheldon Cooper, in various episodes of
861:Blue Sky Rangers - Space Action Network page
480:
478:
433:version was released in late 2023, while an
644:Creative Computing Video & Arcade Games
565:
563:
920:Video games developed in the United States
787:"Intellivision Amico Pack-in announcement"
692:
656:
387:. Sales reached 2 million copies by 1999.
30:
731:"Vintage Intellivision games transformed"
475:
728:
560:
437:version was announced for a later date.
283:
221:A laser cannon defends the Earth from a
216:
171:With more than one million copies sold,
776:, Warner Bros. Television (2009, 2015).
710:(8). Reese Communications: 47–56, 108.
634:
877:
640:"Home Video Games: Video Games Update"
779:
463:
461:
729:Biledeau, Steven (March 25, 1999).
674:(12). Reese Communications: 40–42.
13:
607:"Mattel Intellivision - 1980-1984"
458:
370:s 1982 Guide to Electronic Games,
14:
931:
854:
617:from the original on 23 June 2008
333:Mattel released the game for the
298:was conceived when a game called
832:
805:
793:from the original on 2021-12-21
789:. Intellivision Entertainment.
755:
722:
686:
650:
385:Las Vegas Poker & Blackjack
530:
516:
494:
279:
1:
524:"INTV Funhouse - Astrosmash!"
451:
870:, Sohl and the Intellivision
846:(Press release). 2023-10-12.
344:
7:
212:
10:
936:
866:The Dot Eaters article on
506:www.intellivisionlives.com
232:resembles a cross between
915:Single-player video games
390:
139:
127:
94:
74:
64:
50:
38:
29:
24:
592:Cartridge Instructions,
429:initiative. As such, an
352:was reviewed in 1982 by
186:port was released under
768:Warner Bros. Television
203:
16:1981 Intellivision game
556:intellivisionlives.com
413:An updated version of
292:
226:
380:Major League Baseball
287:
220:
322:variation, retitled
900:Intellivision games
773:The Big Bang Theory
573:, McFarland (2007).
491:Electronics (1981).
419:Intellivision Amico
407:The Big Bang Theory
160:video game for the
905:Mattel video games
293:
227:
910:Sears video games
149:
148:
927:
890:Atari 2600 games
885:1981 video games
848:
847:
836:
830:
829:
827:
826:
809:
803:
802:
800:
798:
783:
777:
759:
753:
752:
746:
744:
736:Edmonton Journal
726:
720:
719:
690:
684:
683:
654:
648:
647:
632:
626:
625:
623:
622:
603:
597:
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574:
567:
558:
553:
544:
534:
528:
527:
520:
514:
513:
508:. Archived from
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492:
482:
473:
472:
465:
369:
119:
107:October 15, 1981
106:
34:
22:
21:
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655:
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638:(Spring 1983).
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110:
101:
57:
20:
19:1981 video game
17:
12:
11:
5:
933:
923:
922:
917:
912:
907:
902:
897:
895:Fixed shooters
892:
887:
873:
872:
863:
856:
855:External links
853:
850:
849:
831:
804:
778:
754:
749:Newspapers.com
721:
685:
649:
636:Goodman, Danny
627:
598:
575:
559:
545:
539:game catalog,
529:
515:
512:on 2002-02-14.
493:
474:
456:
455:
453:
450:
392:
389:
346:
343:
281:
278:
265:
264:
261:
257:
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235:Space Invaders
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36:
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27:
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15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
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646:. p. 32.
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641:
637:
631:
616:
612:
611:ClassicGaming
608:
602:
595:
591:
586:
584:
582:
580:
572:
569:Brett Weiss,
566:
564:
557:
552:
550:
542:
538:
537:Intellivision
533:
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511:
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457:
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224:
223:meteor shower
219:
210:
201:
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185:
180:
178:
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169:
167:
163:
162:Intellivision
159:
158:fixed shooter
155:
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145:
144:Single-player
142:
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135:
134:Fixed shooter
132:
130:
126:
117:
113:
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100:
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81:Intellivision
79:
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60:
55:
53:
49:
46:
43:
41:
37:
33:
28:
23:
867:
843:
834:
823:. Retrieved
821:. 2023-11-23
816:
807:
795:. Retrieved
781:
771:
761:
757:
747:– via
743:November 22,
741:. Retrieved
739:. p. 64
734:
724:
707:
701:
694:Kunkel, Bill
688:
671:
665:
658:Kunkel, Bill
652:
643:
630:
619:. Retrieved
610:
601:
596:Inc. (1981).
589:
570:
543:Inc. (1982).
532:
518:
510:the original
505:
496:
484:
469:"Astrosmash"
445:
441:
439:
426:
422:
414:
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405:
399:
395:
394:
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371:
364:
361:optic nerves
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52:Publisher(s)
40:Developer(s)
844:Games Press
698:Katz, Arnie
662:Katz, Arnie
280:Development
252:single hit.
76:Platform(s)
66:Designer(s)
879:Categories
868:Astrosmash
825:2024-02-09
621:2008-05-16
590:Astrosmash
485:Astrosmash
452:References
446:Astrosmash
442:Astrosmash
427:Amico Home
423:Astrosmash
415:Astrosmash
396:Astrosmash
372:Astrosmash
350:Astrosmash
339:Astroblast
337:. Renamed
335:Atari 2600
324:Astrosmash
320:Avalanche!
308:Avalanche!
296:Astrosmash
289:Astrosmash
230:Astrosmash
197:Astroblast
184:Atari 2600
177:Astrosmash
173:Astrosmash
153:Astrosmash
85:Atari 2600
25:Astrosmash
818:Eurogamer
763:The Flash
716:0147-8907
680:0147-8907
401:The Flash
345:Reception
316:Asteroids
304:Asteroids
241:Asteroids
194:label as
192:M Network
70:John Sohl
797:29 March
791:Archived
770:(2014);
615:Archived
330:format.
213:Gameplay
129:Genre(s)
89:Aquarius
613:. IGN.
431:Android
328:Meteor!
312:Meteor!
300:Meteor!
256:ground.
140:Mode(s)
95:Release
714:
678:
594:Mattel
541:Mattel
489:Mattel
391:Legacy
188:Mattel
166:Mattel
56:Mattel
45:Mattel
703:Video
667:Video
368:'
365:Video
355:Video
302:, an
156:is a
59:Sears
799:2020
745:2021
712:ISSN
676:ISSN
383:and
310:The
238:and
204:Plot
120:1982
435:iOS
190:'s
182:An
881::
842:.
815:.
766:,
733:.
706:.
696:;
670:.
660:;
642:.
609:.
578:^
562:^
548:^
504:.
487:,
477:^
460:^
410:.
200:.
116:EU
103:NA
87:,
83:,
828:.
801:.
751:.
718:.
708:6
682:.
672:5
624:.
526:.
471:.
225:.
118::
105::
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
