Whats up with the Laser Blast Hate

[mikey.shake]

I'm recent to Laser Blast, so I don't have any bias either way from back in the day. My chief complaint is that the gameplay did seem boring to me, in that I could follow the same little 4-move, 3-click pattern and just blow through screen after screen. Only getting shot when my attention waned from the repetition. Granted, I really only gave the first level of difficulty a go, but what I got didn't necessarily make me want to try more.

 

However, despite the gameplay being a little basic, I've got to give the game plenty of credit. In historical context, being the invading alien rather than the defending battle station is a neat twist. The laser itself looks GREAT, better than even some other Activision games. It has that cool zapping sound effect, as well (not something to overlook when the games are this stark). And considering its release date, it's a big step above some of the early text-label Atari games in graphics and style, even if it's not quite at the level Pressure Cooker or Beamrider or any other well-designed cart that came out several years later. (Even Megamania, for a space-ish shooter comparison.)

 

I'm kinda surprised it gets the hate it does, and I was sort of ambivalent toward it... but wouldn't fault someone for being a fan, especially back in the day. Good question, though. I'm glad it opened up this thread... it does seem like it gets dogpiled, maybe unfairly.

[Bill Loguidice]

However, despite the gameplay being a little basic, I've got to give the game plenty of credit. In historical context, being the invading alien rather than the defending battle station is a neat twist. The laser itself looks GREAT, better than even some other Activision games. It has that cool zapping sound effect, as well (not something to overlook when the games are this stark). And considering its release date, it's a big step above some of the early text-label Atari games in graphics and style, even if it's not quite at the level Pressure Cooker or Beamrider or any other well-designed cart that came out several years later. (Even Megamania, for a space-ish shooter comparison.)

 

I'm kinda surprised it gets the hate it does, and I was sort of ambivalent toward it... but wouldn't fault someone for being a fan, especially back in the day. Good question, though. I'm glad it opened up this thread... it does seem like it gets dogpiled, maybe unfairly.

 

I think the main issue is that on top of the repetition and simple gameplay is that, as was confirmed by many posters in this thread, it's all too easy to discover the pattern to always beat the enemies. You can't have ALL of those sins in one game, even for that era. The game desperately needed another occasional stage or some AI variation to break up the pattern. From a technical standpoint, it definitely got the job done, but that's rarely been enough to make a game beloved (exceptions being games like Dragon's Lair).

[toiletunes]

• Never had LB bitd, but it reminds me of Space Jockey. Played the heck out of that one for a week or so. It was pretty impressive at first, until the challenge went away. Then it was just repetitive and boring. I'll still play it once in a blue moon, when I want to just zone out and not think- a great meditation game.

[p.opus]

I think like many games of the 2600 era you have to judge it not with the entire library, because it is definitely weak tea compared to even the rest of the library. Laser Blast came out the same time as "Bridge", "Dragster" and other Activision titles that showed the promise that was to be fullfilled with River Raid, Pitfall and other Activision classics.

 

I never discovered the pattern, so the game remained brutal to me. And that laser was just so satisfying to use. It was instantaneous, that meant there was no avoid it like you could with other games.

 

When I discover the pattern, and it becomes rote, then my feelings may change. But then again I roll over Space Invaders all the time, and I still have affection for that game. In fact the 2600 version of Space Invaders for me is more fun than the arcade version. I don't know why, I just prefer it.

[darthkur]

Laser Blast was the first Activision game I bought. Being a major sc-fi geek it caught my attention over all of the other early Activision releases. Sadly I did grow weary of it once I quickly mastered it and unlike my other subsequent purchases from them, Boxing and Stampede, it didn't get nearly the amount of replay through the years. In fact the most I have ever played it was just last week thanks the recent Activision Patch competition here in the 2600 forum. Not only went for the initial 100k patch but did the 1,000,000 bonus one, which is something I never had any intention of doing.

[Bill Loguidice]

 

• Never had LB bitd, but it reminds me of Space Jockey. Played the heck out of that one for a week or so. It was pretty impressive at first, until the challenge went away. Then it was just repetitive and boring. I'll still play it once in a blue moon, when I want to just zone out and not think- a great meditation game.

 

 

Space Jockey is not great by any means, but it's at least an example of having fairly distinct selectable game variations to help mitigate some of the repetition. Laser Blast's game variations don't break up the monotony, they just adjust the relative difficulty.

 

Besides the fairly nice scrolling and overall audio-visuals, I'll also give Laser Blast bonus points for the Kamikaze-style crashing option when you're hit. That was used to awesome effect several years later in Will Wright's first game (and one of my all-time favorites, albeit specifically the C-64 version), Raid on Bungeling Bay.

[p.opus]

 

That was used to awesome effect several years later in Will Wright's first game (and one of my all-time favorites, albeit specifically the C-64 version), Raid on Bungeling Bay.

 

Easily the best game I have ever purchased for the C-64. I loved Elite, and bought it multiple times as I upgraded my computer, but ROBB holds a special place in my heart. The way the difficulty would ramp up as you proceeded into your mission. ROBB is probably responsible for the most broken C64/Atari Joysticks of any game I have owned.

Edited September 9, 2015 by p.opus

[Bill Loguidice]

 

Easily the best game I have ever purchased for the C-64. I loved Elite, and bought it multiple times as I upgraded my computer, but ROBB holds a special place in my heart. The way the difficulty would ramp up as you proceeded into your mission. ROBB is probably responsible for the most broken C64/Atari Joysticks of any game I have owned.

 

Not to derail the thread, but what do you think of the NES and MSX versions? I think even though they expanded the gameplay a bit (mostly by adding levels), I think it lost a LOT of the charm of the original.

[p.opus]

 

Not to derail the thread, but what do you think of the NES and MSX versions? I think even though they expanded the gameplay a bit (mostly by adding levels), I think it lost a LOT of the charm of the original.

Never played them. I would have hated it on the NES if for no other reason than the NES controller. I still abhor keypads.

[retrogoober]

Dont make me blast all the haters in the face with a thick yellow beam..............that or crash into them:) Resistance is Futile............

[spawnshop]

That commercial is awesome! I love Laserblast. Was one of my favorites growing up, and still is today!

[Syzygy1]

You are an alien in this?! I always thought you were Commander DAN, rescuing Captain TOM from the evil Yexxen race.