Machine Guides

Game History

Missile Command is a classic arcade game developed by Atari and released in 1980. It was designed by Dave Theurer, who had previously created the seminal game Asteroids. The game was inspired by Theurer's nightmares about nuclear war following his work on a military simulation for the U.S. Department of Defense. This personal connection to the subject matter gave the game an emotional weight that was unusual for arcade titles of its era.

The game's premise was simple yet terrifying: players controlled three anti-missile batteries positioned at the bottom of the screen, tasked with protecting six cities from an onslaught of incoming nuclear missiles. The gameplay was innovative for its time, featuring a trackball controller that allowed for precise aiming and a multi-button system for launching countermeasures.

Missile Command was an immediate commercial success, with Atari shipping approximately 20,000 units worldwide. Its popularity was such that it became one of the highest-grossing arcade games of 1980, helping to cement Atari's dominance in the arcade market.

The game's cultural impact was significant, with its Cold War themes resonating with audiences during a period of heightened nuclear anxiety. Missile Command established conventions for real-time strategy and resource management that would influence countless games in the years to come.

How to Play

Objective

The main goal of Missile Command is to protect six cities from incoming nuclear missiles by intercepting them with your own anti-missile defenses. You must survive increasingly difficult waves of attacks while preserving as many cities as possible. The ultimate objective is to achieve the highest score possible by successfully defending your cities through multiple waves.

Controls

• Trackball: Use the trackball to move your crosshair across the screen to target incoming missiles
• Left Button: Press to launch missiles from your left battery
• Center Button: Press to launch missiles from your center battery
• Right Button: Press to launch missiles from your right battery

Gameplay

• Starting the Game: Press the Start Button to begin your defense mission.

• Battery Management: Control three anti-missile batteries positioned at the bottom of the screen. Each battery has limited ammunition that depletes with each shot.

• Target Acquisition: Use the trackball to aim your crosshair at incoming missiles and press the corresponding button to launch countermeasures.

• Interception Mechanics: Launch missiles that explode upon reaching their target altitude, creating a blast radius that can destroy multiple incoming missiles if timed correctly.

• City Defense: Protect your six cities from destruction. Cities hit by enemy missiles are permanently destroyed for the remainder of the game.

• Wave Progression: Face increasingly difficult waves of attacks with more missiles, faster speeds, and different attack patterns.

• Bonus Points: Earn bonus points for unused ammunition and surviving cities at the end of each wave.

• Smart Bombs: Occasionally, you'll encounter planes or satellites that can be destroyed for bonus points.

• Game Over: The game ends when all your cities are destroyed. Your final score is displayed based on your performance.