Space Shuttle

 

Space Shuttle isn't really a game; it's a simulation. It's a cartridge that is so complex, it loses its appeal. I can't imagine that this game sold well with the youngsters. You can't just plug it in your 2600 and play. It requires patience and is difficult. It's not the type of game where you can sit down and figure out how to play the game with the joystick. You need the instruction manual or you will be taking this cartridge out of your 2600 faster than you can say Cape Canaveral.

Like Decathlon, Space Shuttle was also released for the Atari 8-bit computers. Programmer Steve Kitchen, who also programmed Carnival(by Coleco), utilized every control and switch on the Atari 2600's console. When the game was first released in 1984, an overlay was included which fit over the console's switch panel. When the game was re-released in the late 1980's, the overlay was scrapped. This may be due to the fact that the redesigned slimline Atari 2600 Jr. was available at the time, and the overlay would not fit over this new, smaller 2600 system. The 8-bit version uses the computer's keyboard. Since the Atari 2600 lacks a keyboard, Kitchen had to make use of all the switches on the 2600: the difficulty switches, the COLOR/BW switch, the SELECT switch, etc.

As I mentioned in "The Future of the 2600" in issue #1, Space Shuttle is an advanced game. I can see why Steve programmed Space Shuttle this way. When you think about it, flying a space shuttle is not a simple process. It's not like going out for a joyride in an automobile. There are complex systems to manage, and procedures to follow. One of these days I am going to sit down and spend some time with this game. I bet it must be pretty neat to successfully complete the mission.

Back in the 1980s, Activision used to give out embroidered game club patches if you got a high score, took a picture of your TV screen, and mailed it to them. Here are the high scores to shoot for and club names:

Pilot: dock 4 or 5 with 4,500 units
Wings: dock 6 with 7,500 units

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