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starfighters. They can also see their
Mission Attack Control Computer (MACC) which shows stats such as their energy remaining, their ship damage status and the energy required to make a warp to a selected location on the map. The color of the display panel also showcased information, such as green indicating they are flying to an empty sector while a red panel suggested flying to sections with enemy starfighters. The player can select a sector of the galaxy to which to warp to either engage with enemies or dock with a starbase for refueling and repairs. While warping to a section, the player must avoid meteors by either dodging them or shooting them with lasers. Getting hit causes energy to be depleted or could cause damage to the ship. Damage to the player limits the player's abilities. These range from losing shields leading to one hit kills from meteors or enemies, losing the ability to fire lasers, losing radar which makes warp travel cost double the energy, and losing radar which no longer lets you view enemies on the galactic chart.
254:
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and the starbase disappears from the map. When entering an enemy sector, the player will have a gunsight represented by a crosshair shaped like an x. The player must destroy enemy starfighters by firing lasers from their ship in the fastest amount of time all while conserving energy. Each laser shot drains 100 units of energy while being hit by an enemy can drain 100 to 500 units of energy. The sector is cleared once control console turns from red to green.
603:
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To remove damage, the player must travel to a sector with a starbase and dock which will restore their energy and repair any damage done to their ship. Enemy starfighters are continuously attempting to surround and destroy starbases. When they succeed in taking over a starbase, an explosion is heard
235:
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is set in outerspace where the player must protect starbases from enemy starfighters. The game can be played a four levels of difficulty, with the first being "Ensign" having nine enemy fighters to defeat with meteors and enemies moving at normal speed while the highest being "StarMaster" with 31
273:
The game ends when the player runs out of energy, all enemies' ships are destroyed or the player's ship is destroyed. When the mission is over, the top line of the MACC screen displays an evaluation based on how what difficulty level the played, how many enemies were destroyed, how many starbases
249:
The game has four distinct modes of operation: galactic chart analysis, warp travel, docking with a starbase, and engaging an enemy. On the galactic chart, the player navigates a map of the galaxy that is on a six by six matrix. Here they can view their location, starbase locations, and enemy
524:
noted the familiarity of the game noting it belonged to the "Trek" genre of games which had dozens of titles, but was an achievement for its richness for an Atari 2600 game. The reviewers concluded that the game had staying power due to its wide range of play possibilities. Tim Onosko of
39:
144:. The game involves the player travelling through space attacking enemy starfighters who are invading starbases. The player traverses through a map called the galactic chart to destroy all the enemies and survive against oncoming enemy attacks and crashing with meteors.
535:
had on Miller's game, but found it far more satisfying than the Atari 2600 version of the game, being visually superior to the Atari 2600 port and more challenging than other similar games such as
374:." Miller said the game took about four to five months to complete. Activision employee Steve Kitchen said that Miller had spent months making the stars look correct in
413:
was included as receiving multiple mentions without cracking the top five most mentioned titles. By 1983, it became Miller's most commercially financial game.
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for the Atari 2600." Weiss echoed these statements saying that the game was a "a must-have for fans of the genre" specifically highlighting its gameplay.
1435:
352:, and that he could make a game that more realistically simulated outer space flight by moving the stars towards the player. In a 2003 interview with
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The game became Miller's most successful game at that point in his career and would receive positive reviews from publications such as
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was the "a game to challenge the most sophisticated player, with enough features to make total mastery a long-term proposition."
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of home computers, saying he "sought to replicate that feeling of flying through space on the much more limited
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required the players to use the "TV Type" switch on the Atari 2600 console to load the MACC menu.
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enemies to defeat and the speed of meteors and enemies moving at 2.5 times the speed as Ensign.
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573:(1982). and that despite simple graphics and only one type of enemy, it was "easily the best
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Kunkel, Bill; Katz, Arnie (February 1983). "Arcade Alley: A Critical Look at Video Games".
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1300:(January 19, 1983). "Designers are Stars in Video-Game-Field; Some Get Fan Mail;".
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550:(1982) it won a "Certificate of Merit" in the "Videogame of the Year" category.
226:(1982) it won a "Certificate of Merit" in the "Videogame of the Year" category.
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Onosko, Tim (April 9, 1982a). "Video Game Future Shoots for Stars".
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38:
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Kunkel, Bill; Katz, Arnie (October 1982). "Programmable Parade".
1012:
Backiel, Al (January 2003). "The Wacky World of... Alan Miller".
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468:
816:
220:. In 1983, at the Fourth Annual Arcade Awards, along with
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said that the game was superior to the Atari 2600 port of
315:(1978). After leaving Atari, Inc. to form Activision with
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409:, readers were asked about their favorite console games.
983:"Arcade Videogames Will Dominate Second-Half Releases".
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In 1983, at the Fourth Annual Arcade Awards, along with
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remain, and how fast the player reached their end goal.
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1111:. Vol. 2, no. 4. Fun & Games Publishing.
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705:
703:
634:
1223:. Vol. 1, no. 8. Reese Publishing Company.
1206:. Vol. 1, no. 5. Reese Publishing Company.
777:
646:
1105:
Hacker, Randi (February 1984). "The Space
Program".
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151:developing games for the Atari 2600 before forming
1184:. Vol. 6, no. 11. Reese Communications.
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342:, Miller described his influences as the game was
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508:were the best new releases of the month and that
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389:was released in June 1982. Activision president
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1263:"Fall Home Video Game More Fun and Challenge"
987:. A Gralla Publication. May 1982. p. 92.
559:From retrospective reviews, Skyler Miller of
293:. Miller had previously developed games at
1436:Video games developed in the United States
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1108:Electronic Fun with Computers & Games
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257:Along with controlling the game via the
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419:was included in the compilation titles
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1158:"Video Artists Use Strokes of Genius"
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998:. Vol. 1, no. 4. July 1982.
950:
735:
723:
1310:
1136:Harris, Craig (December 15, 2006a).
1066:Dunham, Jeremy (November 21, 2002).
1046:"The Replay Interviews: David Crane"
1044:Donovan, Tristan (January 3, 2011).
1007:. Vol. 2, no. 2. May 1983.
899:
1116:Harris, Craig (December 11, 2006).
622:List of Activision games: 1980–1999
448:
393:predicted high sales comparable to
13:
1339:Classic Home Video Games 1972-1984
1235:
1088:Fleming, Jeffrey (July 30, 2007).
887:
565:Classic Home Video Games 1972-1984
14:
1452:
1359:
1068:"Activision Anthology PS2 Review"
1003:"Questionnaire Results Tallied".
563:and Brett Alan Weiss in his book
147:Miller had previously worked for
1311:Vogt, Rick (November 19, 1982).
1261:Onosko, Tim (October 22, 1982).
1138:"Activision Hits Remixed Review"
970:(Back cover). Activision1. 1982.
601:
587:
978:. Activision. 1982. AX-016-03A.
140:and published in June 1982 by
1200:(July 1982). "Inside Gaming".
1023:Atari Archive: Vol.1 1977-1978
277:
1:
1343:McFarland & Company, Inc.
1156:Hubner, John (June 1, 1982).
1135:
976:Starmaster Basic Instructions
870:
627:
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444:
7:
1173:– via Newspapers.com.
1090:"The History of Activision"
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991:
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556:(1982) won the main award.
229:
21:Starmaster (disambiguation)
10:
1457:
992:"Critically Speaking...".
982:
960:
912:The Video Game Update 1982
835:The Video Game Update 1983
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381:
18:
1441:Single-player video games
1163:Austin American-Statesman
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175:(1981). Miller described
111:
99:
91:
79:
67:
57:
45:
36:
31:
617:List of Atari 2600 games
319:, Miller made the games
1426:Space combat simulators
1303:The Wall Street Journal
575:space combat simulation
498:stated that along with
435:Activision Hits Remixed
356:, Miller also included
179:as being influenced by
106:Space combat simulation
1118:"Activision Anthology"
936:Kunkel & Katz 1983
683:Kunkel & Katz 1982
266:
239:
1421:Atari 2600-only games
1337:Weiss, Brett (2007).
1021:Bunch, Kevin (2022).
1005:The Video Game Update
995:The Video Game Update
495:The Video Game Update
406:The Video Game Update
256:
237:
211:The Video Game Update
197:Atari 8-bit computers
1298:Sansweet, Stephen J.
1248:on November 14, 2014
439:PlayStation Portable
422:Activision Anthology
19:For other uses, see
1313:"Video Game Report"
455:
238:Gameplay screenshot
823:Merchandizing 1982
595:Video games portal
518:and Arnie Katz of
453:
350:Magnavox Odyssey 2
338:For his next game
267:
240:
187:Magnavox Odyssey 2
1431:Video game clones
1351:978-0-7864-3226-4
1290:The Capital Times
1268:The Capital Times
1036:978-1-955183-21-5
528:The Capital Times
490:
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159:and making games
121:
120:
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1416:Atari 2600 games
1411:Activision games
1406:1982 video games
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1244:. Archived from
1236:Miller, Skyler.
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1221:Electronic Games
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1203:Electronic Games
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641:Activision1 1982
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521:Electronic Games
456:
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431:Game Boy Advance
403:in May 1982. In
368:Atari 8-bit line
285:was designed by
205:Electronic Games
132:written for the
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1027:Press Run Books
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501:Chopper Command
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437:(2006) for the
425:(2002) for PC,
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366:(1980) for the
348:(1978) for the
345:Cosmic Conflict
280:
232:
195:(1980) for the
185:(1978) for the
182:Cosmic Conflict
27:
26:1982 video game
24:
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16:1982 video game
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1370:at Atari Mania
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1360:External links
1358:
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1330:Newspapers.com
1318:The Fresno Bee
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1281:Newspapers.com
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1051:Game Developer
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1016:. No. 50.
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953:, p. 115.
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938:, p. 108.
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902:, p. C8.
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801:, p. 59.
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774:, p. 14.
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712:Sansweet 1983
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1328:– via
1322:. Retrieved
1316:
1301:
1289:
1279:– via
1273:. Retrieved
1271:. p. 41
1266:
1250:. Retrieved
1246:the original
1238:"Starmaster"
1220:
1201:
1198:Kunkel, Bill
1179:
1167:. Retrieved
1161:
1147:February 23,
1145:. Retrieved
1141:
1127:February 23,
1125:. Retrieved
1121:
1106:
1096:February 21,
1094:. Retrieved
1079:February 23,
1077:. Retrieved
1071:
1057:February 21,
1055:. Retrieved
1049:
1022:
1013:
1004:
993:
984:
975:
967:
931:
924:Onosko 1982a
919:
907:
895:
871:Harris 2006a
866:
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787:Backiel 2003
767:
760:Fleming 2007
755:
748:Donovan 2011
743:
731:
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609:1980s portal
570:Star Raiders
568:
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558:
553:Demon Attack
551:
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533:Star Raiders
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59:Publisher(s)
47:Developer(s)
859:Harris 2006
847:Dunham 2002
811:Onosko 1982
799:Hacker 1984
772:Kunkel 1982
695:Kunkel 1982
516:Bill Kunkel
459:Publication
399:(1982) for
329:(1981) and
317:David Crane
309:(1978) and
295:Atari, Inc.
287:Alan Miller
278:Development
169:(1981) and
157:David Crane
138:Alan Miller
81:Platform(s)
74:Alan Miller
69:Designer(s)
1400:Categories
1386:Starmaster
1375:Starmaster
1367:Starmaster
968:Starmaster
951:Weiss 2007
736:Bunch 2022
724:Bunch 2022
628:References
510:Starmaster
506:Starmaster
417:Starmaster
411:Starmaster
401:Starmaster
387:Starmaster
376:Starmaster
372:Atari 2600
340:Starmaster
332:Ice Hockey
312:Basketball
291:Activision
283:Starmaster
263:Starmaster
243:Starmaster
177:Starmaster
172:Ice Hockey
153:Activision
142:Activision
134:Atari 2600
130:video game
125:Starmaster
86:Atari 2600
63:Activision
52:Activision
32:Starmaster
1391:MobyGames
1229:0730-6687
1212:0730-6687
1190:0147-8907
900:Vogt 1982
450:Reception
445:Reception
335:(1981).
95:June 1982
1380:AtariAge
1275:June 11,
1252:June 11,
581:See also
547:Atlantis
541:(1982).
391:Jim Levy
360:'s game
323:(1980),
321:Checkers
303:(1977),
300:Surround
297:such as
259:joystick
230:Gameplay
223:Atlantis
163:(1980),
161:Checkers
101:Genre(s)
1324:June 5,
1242:AllGame
1169:June 5,
961:Sources
561:AllGame
469:AllGame
433:and in
396:Pac-Man
382:Release
306:Hangman
112:Mode(s)
92:Release
1348:
1227:
1210:
1188:
1033:
888:Miller
429:, and
326:Tennis
166:Tennis
1181:Video
462:Score
155:with
149:Atari
128:is a
1346:ISBN
1326:2024
1277:2023
1254:2024
1225:ISSN
1208:ISSN
1186:ISSN
1171:2024
1149:2024
1129:2024
1098:2024
1081:2024
1059:2024
1031:ISBN
289:for
214:and
189:and
1389:at
1378:at
1142:IGN
1122:IGN
1073:IGN
474:4/5
136:by
1402::
1341:.
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943:^
878:^
779:^
702:^
673:^
648:^
504:,
441:.
378:.
261:,
208:,
199:.
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486:A
23:.
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