Space Shuttle: A Journey into Space is a space flight simulator game designed by Steve Kitchen for the Atari 2600 and published by Activision in 1983.[1] It is one of the first realistic spacecraft simulations available for home systems. Space Shuttle was adapted to the Atari 8-bit computers and Atari 5200 by Bob Henderson (1984),[2][3] then ported to the ZX Spectrum (1984),[4] Commodore 64 (1984),[5] Amstrad CPC (1986), and MSX (1986).[6] The 1984 Activision Software catalog also mentions an Apple II version.[7]
| Space Shuttle: A Journey into Space | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Activision |
| Publisher(s) | Activision |
| Designer(s) | Steve Kitchen |
| Programmer(s) | Atari 2600 Steve Kitchen Atari 8-bit, 5200 Bob Henderson |
| Platform(s) | Atari 2600, Atari 8-bit, Atari 5200, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, MSX |
| Release | 1983: 2600 1984: Atari 8-bit, 5200, C64, Spectrum 1985: Amstrad, MSX |
| Genre(s) | Flight simulator |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
The player controls the most critical flight phases of the Space Shuttle such as launch, stabilizing orbit, docking, deorbit burn, reentry, and landing, each with its own set of instructions to follow.[1] The original Atari 2600 version came with an overlay since it made use of all the switches.[8]
Reception
editIn an April 1984 review for Video Games magazine, Dan Persons wrote:
Space Shuttle is not a game for everybody. It requires a considerable amount of patience and, perhaps not too surprisingly, a considerable amount of brainpower. Players who seek the visceral thrills of the standard shoot'em-up may ultimately find this simulation's complexity frustrating. But those of you who are ready for a richer, more sophisticated experience will probably recognize Space Shuttle for the monumental achievement it is.[9]
References
edit- ^ a b "Space Shuttle: A Journey Into Space magazine ad". archive.org. 1983.
- ^ Atarimania, Atari 8-Bit Box and Instructions, complete scans
- ^ Atariage Atari 5200 Space Shuttle Information
- ^ Space Shuttle: A Journey into Space - World of Spectrum
- ^ Lemon - Commodore 64, C64 Games, Reviews & Music!
- ^ Space Shuttle - A Journey into Space (1986, MSX, Activision) | Generation MSX
- ^ "Activision Software Catalog 1984, page 2". Archived from the original on 2016-03-15. Retrieved 2016-02-29.
- ^ AtariProtos.com - All Your Protos Are Belong To Us!
- ^ Persons, Dan (April 1984). "Space Shuttle". Video Games. 2 (7): 58–59.