A classic arcade game brought to home consoles. This version is of course a nicer looking and better sound than home console. This is shooter, but actually you keep pace in a car, and there is actually not any vertical movement. You move horizontally, faster or slower, and there is one fire button - that shoots two guns. The first, is a cannon right out the front of the car. The second, is a laser at the top of your buggy that zaps aerial threats. You merely move from left to right, until you reach the alphanumeric checkpoints, the longer you play, the more the game throws at you.
Your enemies range from enemy tanks, rocks that must be shot or jumped over, and ufos that try to hit you. If you get really good the enemy will send a rocket to attack you from behind, and mines on the ground.
Graphics: 7
I do like the backgrounds. Its canyons and funny buildings. You never get to see them closer than this, but it does give some thought to colonization and why you are on the moon in the first place. The enemy ships drop bombs that have a nice explosion, and then later also create craters that will destroy your ride if you fall in them. It was a nice touch then to see the structural damage. The enemy graphics are not particularly well done, the tanks look quite small, but the ufo's and rocks look very nice, as does your car. When I was a little kid, I wanted a 6 wheel moon buggy.
Sound: 7
Moon Patrol has a classic track thats stuck in my head. You also have the soft explosions of enemies blowing up or dropping bombs. If you do crash, you get a loud shattering sound effect.
Addictiveness: 6
Its pretty fun in its simplicity. You're just moving left or right, and can sort of zone out. You get bonus points if you drive fast, but going fast often puts you right in the way of enemy bombs. You have to use both kinds of speed to get the job done.
There is no ending to the game, but once you beat it, the car changes color and you try it again.
Story:2
You are a moon buggy.. and you're apparently on patrol. I don't know any more than that.
Depth: 5
For the Atari age, this had four kinds of threats to worry about; above, below and behind and ahead. The game could have been made more challenging having two buttons to control your fire, but shots are free, you might as well just have one. The game also uses continue points, and probably one of the first to do so.
Difficulty:8
This game can go until you quit. Its one of those hardcore games that just wants to keep challenging you.
Overall: 7.1
Moon Patrol is a good Atari game, and I found its music the best I had heard on an Atari system. I also appreciated the depth of adding the craters for the destruction caused by bombs. Good fun.
A classic arcade game brought to home consoles. This version is of course a nicer looking and better sound than home console. This is shooter, but actually you keep pace in a car, and there is actually not any vertical movement. You move horizontally, faster or slower, and there is one fire button - that shoots two guns. The first, is a cannon right out the front of the car. The second, is a laser at the top of your buggy that zaps aerial threats. You merely move from left to right, until you reach the alphanumeric checkpoints, the longer you play, the more the game throws at you.
Your enemies range from enemy tanks, rocks that must be shot or jumped over, and ufos that try to hit you. If you get really good the enemy will send a rocket to attack you from behind, and mines on the ground.
Graphics: 7
I do like the backgrounds. Its canyons and funny buildings. You never get to see them closer than this, but it does give some thought to colonization and why you are on the moon in the first place. The enemy ships drop bombs that have a nice explosion, and then later also create craters that will destroy your ride if you fall in them. It was a nice touch then to see the structural damage. The enemy graphics are not particularly well done, the tanks look quite small, but the ufo's and rocks look very nice, as does your car. When I was a little kid, I wanted a 6 wheel moon buggy.
Sound: 7
Moon Patrol has a classic track thats stuck in my head. You also have the soft explosions of enemies blowing up or dropping bombs. If you do crash, you get a loud shattering sound effect.
Addictiveness: 6
Its pretty fun in its simplicity. You're just moving left or right, and can sort of zone out. You get bonus points if you drive fast, but going fast often puts you right in the way of enemy bombs. You have to use both kinds of speed to get the job done.
There is no ending to the game, but once you beat it, the car changes color and you try it again.
Story:2
You are a moon buggy.. and you're apparently on patrol. I don't know any more than that.
Depth: 5
For the Atari age, this had four kinds of threats to worry about; above, below and behind and ahead. The game could have been made more challenging having two buttons to control your fire, but shots are free, you might as well just have one. The game also uses continue points, and probably one of the first to do so.
Difficulty:8
This game can go until you quit. Its one of those hardcore games that just wants to keep challenging you.
Overall: 7.1
Moon Patrol is a good Atari game, and I found its music the best I had heard on an Atari system. I also appreciated the depth of adding the craters for the destruction caused by bombs. Good fun.