Space shooters were a dime a dozen for the Atari 2600. Although they were all more or less a variation on Space Invaders, each had unique qualities that made it a good game or a pale imitator. Fortunately, Phoenix is one of the better games of the genre due to great play control and fast action, but also to the fact it offered a more varied gameplay.

PRESS FIRE TO START

Technically, there isn’t much difference between the premise of Phoenix and that of Space Invaders. You play as a laser cannon that slides back and forth along the bottom of the screen and your goal is destroy the small armies of enemies flying above you. What’s different here is the fact there are less enemies to fight, they are not perfectly aligned in rows and columns, and they constantly swoop down to attack you.

Another interesting feature is the ability to activate a defense shield by pulling down on the controller, which lasts for 1.5 seconds (although you have to wait another 3.5 seconds to use it again and you are rendered immobile while using it).

There are five different stages: the first two being made up of small groups of enemies formed in a circle; the second two being flocks of Phoenixes flying horizontally across the screen and the last being the mothership which can only be destroyed by a direct hit on a certain spot (hmmm… sound familiar?). Points are awarded based on your proximity to the enemy when you destroy it and a 1-up is awarded every 10,000 points.

PLAYER 1 – READY!

As novel as Space Invaders was for its time, the chief complaints gamers had was its slow pace and repetitive nature. The designers behind Phoenix seem to have created a game to directly address those issues. Right from the moment the game begins you’re immediately aware of just how much of an action-oriented game this is. Since the screen is not swarmed with enemies you don’t feel cramped. There’s also no rush to clear the screen since the aliens never drop down as a group, instead they take turns dive-bombing you.

Usually, I find the “one shot at a time” rule for shooters makes for constrictive gameplay, but it’s well-utilized here. Simply squeezing off rounds as fast as possible is not a wise strategy because accuracy is more critical than pure dexterity. The proof of this is in stage two, which is the only stage that allows for continuous firing as long as the button is held down. You’re able to blast your way through this stage in a fraction of the time, but it’s not particularly fun, it feels quite arbitrary.

What I also appreciate is the relatively small size and high speed of both the enemies as well as your own character. There’s a fine line between a truly challenging game and one that is ridiculously difficult. Bigger and/or slower enemies make for easier targets, but where’s the strategy in shooting fish in a barrel? And making the protagonist small and nimble also makes it more difficult for the enemy to hit you, as well. I guess that’s why the baddies attack much more vigorously in Phoenix than in Space Invaders.

JOYSTICKING

Since there isn’t much to do in Phoenix aside from moving left and right and shooting the enemy, it seems like play control would be a moot point, eh? Well, since this game is fast-paced it demands very receptive controls and that’s exactly what you get here. My only complaint is that they might be a bit too sensitive because I occasionally found myself activating my shield unintentionally. Still, it’s better to have a defense system engage too easily than too slowly or not at all.

SPRITES & PIXELS

A problem many games in the Atari 2600 library had was blocky graphics due the fact most objects were much bigger than they needed to be. Since the enemies are fairly small here, they have a seemingly detailed appearance (for a 4-bit game, that is). Phoenix makes use of a dark, cool color scheme of purple, blue and green and a few additional colors for compliment. All the characters scroll smoothly around the screen without any stuttering or flickering.

CHIPPED TUNES

The only unoriginal quality to Phoenix would have to be its sound effects, because nearly all are Atari standard issue. I’ve heard much more grating, annoying sounds, but there’s nothing very pleasant about the ones here, though. At least the game has the option of muting the background sounds of the enemies.

INSERT COIN TO CONTINUE

Many of the first generation video games walked a fine line between “easy to learn but difficult to master” and feeling flat-out repetitive. So the use of different stages in Phoenix really helps break up the monotony of a game that is, technically, repetitive, but never really feels as such. This is a game you could play continuously while maintaining genuine interest.

GAME OVER

Critically analyzing early space shooters might seem futile, since they were all essentially the same, but Phoenix is truly one of the higher quality games and deserves recognition. It’s a true test of dexterity and wits while also putting a new spin on a tired formula. No wonder it’s so fun to play.

Recommended: Yes