Spacechase (1982)

It's another blog post about an Atari 2600 game. I cannot be stopped. You can't catch me and force me not to post about the Atari 2600, so I shall continue. Today's game is Spacechase (1982).

It's a beautiful little alien shooter, where waves of alien ships swoop in and you must GET them. And it works well as a high score seeking arcade game. It has just the right feel to make you want to go another round - the kills feel satisfying, and you quickly feel like you've gotten a knack for the game's movements.

What really struck me, though, were the visuals. There are some pretty sophisticated visual tricks going on. The background is this wonderfully rendered, perpetually moving moon underneath you, and it just looks so good.

I also love the blinking stars in the background, and the graceful way enemies swoop in. These details make the environment feel so immersive, which is not something I'm used to saying about Atari 2600 games.

Spacechase feels quite beautiful, but more importantly, it feels good to chase that high score.

Beat mine if you dare.