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Illustration of Asteroids

Asteroids

Overview

Play the role of a spaceship pilot trapped in a gigantic asteroid cloud and pulverize incoming asteroids with the ship's photon cannon. When all asteroids are destroyed, the player can then move on to the next round. In addition to the asteroids, the player will also face an Alien Robot Saucer which shoots randomly across the screen.

The player using the controller may rotate the ship (left or right) to any direction or move the ship forward. Shots will be fired according to the ship direction. The player has three reserved ships available to replace a destroyed spaceship. The spaceship is destroyed if an asteroid collides with the spaceship or is shot by an Alien Robot Saucer. Additionally, the player may opt to use the hyperspace warp to avoid collision. The warp, however, may also destroy the spaceship in the process.

Asteroids when shot will break up into smaller pieces or be destroyed. There are three types of asteroids: large asteroids, medium asteroids, and small asteroids. Large asteroids and medium asteroids, when shot, will break up into two smaller sized asteroids. Small asteroids when shot will be destroyed.

Alien Robot Saucers come in two sizes: small and large. Both use photon lasers to shoot and will explode when destroyed. Alien Robot Saucers will not appear at the Novice Level.

Game Difficulty and Variations

There are 4 available difficulty settings: Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, and Expert.

The game also offers three different game variations:

Standard Play - For one or two players, taking turns when a player's ship is destroyed.

Competition Asteroids - Two players appear on the screen at the same time. Friendly fire is in effect, which means shots fired from one player's spaceship will destroy the other player's spaceship. Each player has separate ship reserves.

Team Asteroids - Two players on the screen at the same time. Friendly fire is disabled, which means shots fired from one player's spaceship will not destroy the other player's spaceship and just pass through. Ship reserves for both players are combined.

Scoring

The score of the Player 1 is viewable on the upper left side of the screen, while Player 2 on the opposite upper right side. A player will be awarded a new reserve ship for every 10,000 points.

Small saucer - 1,000 points

Other player's ship - 500 points

Large saucer - 200 points

Small asteroid - 100 points

Medium asteroid - 50 points

Large asteroid - 20 points

Publishers
Atari
Platform
Atari 2600
Genre
Shooter
Alternate Names
  • AsteroidesBrazilFlag of Brazil region

Media

Banner

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North America -  680 x 96

Box - 3D

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Europe -  455 x 672
Asteroids - Box - 3D (North America) - 455x672
North America -  455 x 672
Asteroids - Box - 3D (North America) - 455x672
North America -  455 x 672

Box - Back

Asteroids - Box - Back (North America) - 800x1100
North America -  800 x 1100
Asteroids - Box - Back (Europe) - 800x1106
Europe -  800 x 1106

Box - Back - Reconstructed

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Box - Front

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Asteroids - Box - Front (Europe) - 800x1115
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North America -  669 x 916

Box - Front - Reconstructed

Asteroids - Box - Front - Reconstructed (North America) - 1539x2100
North America -  1539 x 2100
Asteroids - Box - Front - Reconstructed (Europe) - 800x1115
Europe -  800 x 1115

Cart - 3D

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Cart - Front

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Asteroids - Cart - Front (Europe) - 1189x1762
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Asteroids - Cart - Front (North America) - 654x793
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Clear Logo

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North America -  2400 x 373
Asteroids - Clear Logo (Europe) - 2451x327
Europe -  2451 x 327
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North America -  1011 x 178

Fanart - Background

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Fanart - Box - Front

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Fanart - Cart - Front

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Screenshot - Game Title

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Screenshot - Gameplay

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