Badlands (1989 video game)
Badlands is a 1989 arcade video game published by Atari Games. It was ported by Domark under the Tengen label to the Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum. The game is a re-themed version of Atari's previous racing games Super Sprint and Championship Sprint with the addition of vehicular combat. Badlands is set in the aftermath of a nuclear war and races around abandoned wastelands with many hazards. Three gun-equipped cars race around a track to win prizes.
| Badlands | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Atari Games Teque (ports) |
| Publisher(s) | Atari Games Domark (ports) |
| Designer(s) | Kelly Turner |
| Programmer(s) | Kelly Turner Norm Avellar |
| Artist(s) | Kris Moser Sam Comstock Bridget Erdmann |
| Composer(s) | John Paul Brad Fuller Matt Furniss (ports) |
| Platform(s) | Arcade, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum |
| Release | |
| Genre(s) | Racing, vehicular combat |
Gameplay edit
Badlands pits three cars against each other in a three lap race around a small, single-screen circuit. Bonuses are present in the form of wrenches which can be traded for goods such as extra speed, extra acceleration or better tires.
Unlike the Sprint games, Badlands expands upon the formula, taking place in a post-apocalyptic environment and equipping each of the players with cannons. In reality, the cannons do little except to slow cars down by repeatedly shooting at them, but the shop between levels offers the possibility of arming the car with missiles which will destroy the target car, placing it at a severe disadvantage as a replacement is brought onto the track, taking a few seconds.
The tracks also featured a number of new obstacles, including mines and retractable barricades.
Reception edit
Response to the Spectrum version was mixed. Your Sinclair and CRASH awarded average marks, both claiming in reviews of the original and rerelease that the title's contemporary Super Off-Road was superior.[citation needed] Sinclair User expressed more enthusiasm for the game, but made the same comparison to Super Off-Road.[citation needed]
Reviews edit
- Computer and Video Games[3]
- Computer and Video Games[4]
- ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment)[5]
- Commodore Format[6]
- ST Format[7]
- Sinclair User[8]
- All Game Guide[9]
- Retro Archives[10]
- Commodore Format[11]
- CPC Attack![12]
- Your Sinclair[13]
- Computer and Video Games[14]
- Amiga Games[15]
- Power Play[16]
- Commodore User[17]
- The Good Old Days (Staff Reviews only)[18]
- Zzap![19]
- Computer and Video Games[20]
- Amiga Power[21]
Legacy edit
The game was re-released in 2005 as part of Midway Arcade Treasures 3 for the PlayStation 2, GameCube and Xbox. It was also re-released in 2006 as part of Midway Arcade Treasures Deluxe Edition for Microsoft Windows.
References edit
- ^ Openshaw, Mary (March 1990). "ATEI '90: major international show rings in new year with good spread of new products". RePlay. Vol. 15, no. 6. pp. 126–32.
- ^ "Badlands (Registration Number PA0000518937)". United States Copyright Office. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
- ^ "CVG Magazine Issue 108". November 1990.
- ^ "CVG Magazine Issue 100". March 1990.
- ^ "ACE Magazine Issue 41". February 1991.
- ^ Commodore Format, issue 3, 1990
- ^ "ST Format (Issue 18) - January - 1991: Atari magazine scans, PDF".
- ^ "Sinclair User Magazine Issue 099". May 1990.
- ^ All Game review
- ^ "Badlands (Atari Games Corporation)". 14 March 2020.
- ^ Commodore Format, issue 25, 1992
- ^ "CPC Attack Magazine Issue 06".
- ^ "Your Sinclair Magazine Issue 60". December 1990.
- ^ Computer and Video Games January 1991
- ^ "Kultboy.com - DIE Kult-Seite über die alten Spiele-Magazine und Retro-Games!". www.kultboy.com. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
- ^ "Kultpower Archiv: Komplettscan Powerplay 4/1990".
- ^ "Commodore User Magazine Issue 77". February 1990.
- ^ "MechWarrior 2: 31st Century Combat".
- ^ "Zzap! 64 Issue 068 (HQ)".
- ^ Computer and Video Games February 1991
- ^ Amiga Power, issue 1, 1991
External links edit
- Badlands at the Killer List of Videogames
- Badlands at the Arcade History database
- Badlands at SpectrumComputing.co.uk
- Badlands at Lemon 64