Megamania

Rating
Graphics: 4
Sound: 4
Control: 5
Depth: 5
Overall: 5

Megamania

By: Steve Cartwright
Published By: Activision
Released: 1982

Megamania is an excellent shooter that really tests your hand-eye coordination! Like most Space Invaders type games, you essentailly control a turret at the bottom of the screen that can move left and right. Loosely based on Sega's Astro Blaster arcade game, you defend against eight waves of different bizarre objects: Hamburgers, Cookies, Bugs, Radial Tires, Diamonds, Steam Irons, Bow Ties, and Space Dice.

The enemy waves alternate between horizontal and vertical patterns. While enemy fire is always deadly, the enemy ships themselves prove to be particularly dangerous during the vertical waves as they try to ram into you. Once the eighth wave is defeated, the objects return with more complicated behaviors. Clearing the stages once shouldn't be too difficult after becoming familiar with the enemies, yet clearing them a second time (or more) is much more challenging – particularly during the Cookie and Radial Tire waves.

The graphics in Megamania are simple and monochromatic, but crisp and well done. The sound effects, while serving the gameplay, are not particualrly memorable. So what separates Megamania in the sea of Space Invader clones on the Atari VCS? The spot on control and nigh perfect difficulty curve; they transform Megamania into a great game, and into one of the top shooters for the system.

- Ben Langberg

Media

Game Variations

Game 1: Guided Missiles - One Player
Game 2: Guided Missiles - Two Players Taking Turns
Game 3: Straight Missiles - One Player
Game 4: Straight Missiles - Two Players Taking Turns

Difficulty Switches. Difficulty switches affect the speed of the missiles only. With switches in the b position, missiles travel at high speed. In the a position, missiles travel at slow speed.

How To Join The Activision "MegaManiacs"

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