Gauntlet (shoot 'em up)

Infobox VG
title = Gauntlet
developer = Donald R. Lebeau
release = 1984
genre = Shoot 'em up
modes = 1 player
input = Joystick, Keyboard
platforms = Atari 8-bit computers

"Gauntlet" is a shoot 'em up game written in 1984 by Donald R. Lebeau for the Atari 8-bit family of computers. It was released as shareware, with a full-version available for registration of USD$35. Gameplay was divided into separate screens with terrain and enemies (though the game can be played with no terrain at all).

The player controls a saucer-shaped ship using a joystick and the keyboard, and can fire weapons in eight directions, both at the terrain (to dig holes or tunnels) and at enemies. The player uses the joystick to apply thrust in different directions, meaning the ship can be moving in one direction and firing in any other (strafing the ground or enemies). The X key on the keyboard causes the ship to full-stop.

Variety in Gauntlet

Various kinds of enemies are found in the game, which react differently to the player. Some attack the player immediately, some wait until the player is within close proximity, some wait until the player is in their line of sight, etc. Some large enemies release smaller enemies that in turn attack the player.

Additionally, the player has an arsenal of different weapons to choose from -- "fusion bolts", homing missiles, flares, and so on -- that have different effects. For example, "fusion bolts" are similar to the counter-missiles in Missile Command; the explode when they hit other objects, including explosions. The player can fire repeatedly in the same direction causing explosions to 'walk back' towards their ship, providing a kind of shield against enemies.

Gauntletak

A year after Donald's game was released, Atari Games created the hack and slash arcade game Gauntlet(itself based on another Atari computer game, Dandy Dungeon). Despite having copyrighted the name, after talking with his lawyers, Donald renamed the registered version of his game "Gauntletak" to avoid infringement. [ [http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=100537 "Gauntlet by Donald R. Lebeau" thread] at [http://www.atariage.com/ AtariGame.com] forums] ] The registered version was released in 1987. The game was very rare, since few people purchased the registered version, but in 2007 became available for download as a disk image.

References

External links

* [http://atarimania.com/detail_soft.php?MENU=8&VERSION_ID=2170 Gauntlet entry at Atarimania]
* [http://atarimania.com/detail_soft.php?MENU=8&VERSION_ID=20465 Gauntletak entry at Atarimania]
* [http://www.xgd.com/developer/3397/35 Donald R. Lebeau page at X Games Database]
* [http://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,238421/ Donald R. Lebeau page at MobyGames]
* [http://atarimania.com/Gauntletak.pdf Gauntletak instruction manual]