Video games - Bosconian

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	Video games - Bosconian

Bosconian is a multi-directional shooter arcade game that was made by Namco in 1981. It runs on Namco Galaga hardware but with a video system like that used in Rally-X.

Description

In the game, the player controls a spaceship that can move in eight directions. There are a number of green space stations to destroy. They all are the same: they consist of six cannons in a hexagonal pattern with the red enemy base of the space station in the middle. The player can destroy them in two ways: either by shooting all six cannons or shooting the red enemy base of the center. The latter becomes difficult on later levels, however, as there is a door surrounding the enemy base that opens, launches a missile-like ship and closes. In addition, the player has to avoid space mines, missiles, and asteroids.

The most notable feature of this game was its use of a synthesized voice, which was relatively new at the time. The game features messages such as "Blast Off" (start of round), "Alert Alert" (enemies approaching), "Battle Stations" (enemy formation attack), "Spy Ship Sighted" (self-explanatory), and "Condition Red" (you have taken too long over a level, enemy frenzy).

Legacy

Bosconian was one of Namco's less successful games, which is why it was not initially ported to any consoles. It was ported to several computer systems, including the Sharp X68000, MSX, Commodore 64 and the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, and later appeared in several of Namco's Namco Museum
compilations for PlayStation and other consoles. A sequel of sorts called Blast Off
was released to the arcades by Namco in 1989; it too was a commercial disappointment. Blast Off was a vertical-scrolling shooter, and had more in common gameplay-wise with Namco's own Dragon Spirit
than with their Bosconian.

Dedicated Bosconian arcade machines have become somewhat of a rarity for arcade collectors, because many of them were converted to other, more profitable games over the years. Galaga was the most common conversion choice, because it uses the same basic hardware platform and wiring harness as Bosconian.

Some claim that Bosconian was the first game to allow players to insert more coins to continue a game from where they lost their last life. The concept of the continue, by this logic, comes from Bosconian. This distinction more properly belongs to Tempest.

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Bosconian ]

This page is based on the copyrighted Wikipedia article Bosconian; it is used under the GNU Free Documentation License. You may redistribute it, verbatim or modified, providing that you comply with the terms of the GFDL.

Video games - Bosconian

Description

Legacy

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