Eugene Jarvis sure knows how to design intense and playable games. From his plethora of awesome creations, Robotron:2084 (or simply, Robotron) stands out for its sheer mayhem. Yes, I am aware that Mr Larry DeMar was also part of the design duo that brought us this fab game.
I first laid eyes on the Robotron arcade machine in the mid 80’s at the arcade parlor near my school. To say I was mesmerised would be a great understatement. I intently watched others play the game so that I could learn from their mistakes and get more playtime out of my 40 cents. Once I grabbed the two control sticks (no fire buttons here matey!) it was a massive adrenaline rush of evading, attacking and rescuing.
There is a plot to all of this mayhem. As I do not want to bore you with detail, here is the short version: Robots (Grunts, Tanks, Spheroids/Enforcers, Brains, & Hulk) have revolted against the human race (Terminator anyone?) and it is the protagonists job to rescue the last remaining human family before the robots annihilate everyone and take over.
With the plot set, the next thing to get your head around playing this game is the dual-joystick control system. The left-hand joystick provides maneuverability (usual eight directions) to evade the robots and also rescue the humans. The right-hand joystick is used to fire the laser gun (also in eight directions) to disintegrate the robots in each wave (level). Once you get the hang of the control system, you will be blasting Grunts, Tanks, Brains and rescuing the hapless humans in no time.
The play area is set on one screen – there is no scrolling. Each wave contains a number of different robots and humans to rescue. This game is relentless, there is no time to wipe your brow and high five your mates while playing. Once you meet the ‘Hulk’ robot, things get interesting – he (I assume it’s male) is the one robot that can not be killed. Your laser gun can slow him down, but the basic premise is, evade him and get going on rescuing those humans.
I guess I can rave on about this game till the cows come home, but I will leave you with this – if you want intense gaming, then look no further, Robotron:2084 will provide it in truckloads !
| Graphics | Simple sprites to depict the robots, obstructions and humans. The screen can get busy, but this makes your heart palpitate (in a good way) |
77% |
| Sound | Very meaty sound effects. Your laser gun sounds like it can penetrate anything |
81% |
| Playability | The dual-joystick control system will take some time getting used to, but persist with it – you will be rewarded |
90% |
| Lastability | The legacy of the mayhem that is Robotron:2084, has survived for 3 decades. I am sure it will last for more |
93% |
| Overall | Evade, Shoot, Rescue = perfect ingredients for the ultimate old school arcade shooter |
92% |
Manufacturer: Williams Electronics. Inc.
Year: 1982
Genre: Shooter
Number of Simultaneous Players: 1
Maximum number of Players: 2 (alternating)
Control Panel Layout: Single Player
Controls:
– Left Joystick: 8-way [Move];
– Right Joystick 8-way [Fire]
Sound: Amplified Mono (single channel)
