Orc Attack

Orc Attack is a fixed shooter video game written by Deal Lock for the Atari 8-bit family and originally published in 1983 by Thorn EMI.[1] The game was re-released, along with Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum ports, when Thorn rebranded as Creative Sparks, and later at budget price by Sparklers and Top Ten. Orc Attack is notable for its high-level of violence, though the visuals are low-resolution.[2]

Commodore 64 re-release cover
Publisher(s)Thorn EMI
Creative Sparks
Sparklers
Top Ten
Designer(s)Dean Lock[1]
Programmer(s)Atari 8-bit
Dean Lock
ZX Spectrum
Phil Snell
Commodore 64
Chris James
Platform(s)Atari 8-bit, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum
Release1983: Atari
1984: C64, Spectrum
Genre(s)Fixed shooter
Mode(s)Single-player, two-player

Gameplay

The player moves back and forth along the top of a castle wall, defending it from an orc horde by dropping rocks and pouring boiling oil. Attackers use ladders to scale the wall. Should one of them climb all the way to the ramparts, the player can kill it with a sword, but this diverts attention from the climbing orcs. An evil sorcerer also sends evil spirits against players.

Reception

Atari 8-bit magazine ANALOG Computing called Orc Attack "easily the most violent and gratuitously satisfying shoot-'em-up on the market today (although "drop-'em-down" might be a more accurate label)."[2] Arcade Express concluded, "Orc Attack combines fast-paced action with lots of strategy to produce a strong overall program"—8/10.[3]

ZX Spectrum magazine CRASH gave Orc Attack a 91% rating.[4]

References
  1. Hague, James. "The Giant List of Classic Game Programmers".
  2. Patrick J. Kelly (1984). "Three New Games". ANALOG Computing.
  3. Katz, Arnie (July 31, 1983). "The Hotseat: Orc Attack". Arcade Express. 1 (26): 4.
  4. "Orc Attack". CRASH Magazine: The Online Edition.
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