Fireball (video game)

Fireball is a Breakout clone video game developed by Arcadia (whose name changed to "Starpath" during development) for the Atari 2600. The game was released on cassette tape and required the Starpath Supercharger add-on to play.[1]

Fireball
front cover of the Fireball cassette
Developer(s)Arcadia/Starpath
Publisher(s)Arcadia/Starpath
Platform(s)Atari 2600
Release
Genre(s)Action
Mode(s)Single-player, two-player

Gameplay

The game is similar to breakout in that the player uses a ball (a fireball, hence the name) to break-up walls made of bricks by hitting the bricks with the ball, with the shape of the walls changing as the player progresses. The game differs from breakout, however, in that rather than just being a bat, the player is controls an animated juggler who can catch and throw the ball at the bricks. Five different modes of play are provided, including "Firetrap", "Knock-a-block", "Marching Blocks", "Migrating Blocks", and "Cascade", and as many as six balls may be on-screen at any given time.[2]

The game may be played in single-player mode, or in a two-player mode where each player takes turns. [1]

Reception

The contemporary reception to the game was mixed. The British TV Gamer magazine described it as "very similar to other Breakout games" though they also noted that the game was "challenging and entertaining".[2] The German TeleMatch magazine gave it a negative review, giving it 2/6 overall and marking it down especially for poor gameplay.[3]

Later reviewers have been more positive about Fireball. In Classic Home Video Games, 1972-1984: A Complete Reference Guide, Brett Weiss described in in-game action as "fun, hectic, and more than a little challenging".[1] Writing for Atari HQ, Iida Keita also gave the game a positive review, describing the game as "very derivative and familiar to most classic videogame enthusiasts" whilst also saying that "the design does provide for some challenging and exciting play".[4]

References
  1. Weiss, Brett (2011). Classic Home Video Games, 1972-1984: A Complete Reference Guide. McFarland. p. 59. ISBN 978-0786487554. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
  2. "Fireball: New!" (PDF). TV Gamer: 25. Autumn 1983. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  3. "Fireball: Evergreen - neu aufgelegt". TeleMatch (5): 54–56. August–September 1983. Retrieved 2 September 2019.CS1 maint: date format (link)
  4. Iida, Keita. "AGH Atari 2600 Review: FIREBALL". AGH. AGH. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
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