Game 32: Air Raiders

Name:Air Raiders
Number:32
Year:1983
Publisher:Mattel
Developer:Mattel
Genre:Flight Sim
Difficulty:4/5
Time:Under an hour

Hmm, another Intellivision game, I think to myself when this comes up on my list. One I haven't heard of before. This is going to be crap, I can feel it. Its sort of an artificial consideration. Its not on Intellivision Lives!, ergo, it must be crap. Its not like that compilation has any trash on it or anything. I don't write what console something is on before playing it, something that was a mistake here. Air Raiders is on the Atari 2600. If you're not up on your console history, well, that's on you. Imagine if Microsoft or Sony released one of their exclusives on a Nintendo system.

I think I get why, to a certain extent. Air Raiders has one stiff learning curve. Not a realistic one, but an attempt at realism for 1983. You treat this game point and shoot, you'll get your crap kicked in. You've got to time your journey out of the runway, too short, you crash, too long, you crash. You've got to be careful when you're off the ground, because the enemy is right on your butt. It isn't instant death later, getting shot just lowers you for a bit, but at 6 whatever, you're going to crash.

After that, the game gets less manic. One you're used to weaving like a madman, you can easily mosey yourself higher and your bar into the differently colored part of the bar. The enemy planes show up there. Shoot down three planes, rinse, repeat. Outside of the initial panic, there's not much to it. Stay above the ground, avoid getting shot at, shoot enemy planes. This continues until you die. You can run out of ammo, but things go on until you die.

Weapons:
Its a gun, I'll tell you that much. 1/10

Enemies:
Admittedly, I like the way they bob and wave, but otherwise not very impressive. 1/10

Non-Enemies:
Non-existent. 0/10

Levels:
Non-existent. 0/10

Player Agency:
Despite the altitude meter, this doesn't feel like anything more than a point and shoot game. 1/10

Interactivity:
Non-existent. 0/10

Atmosphere:
Non-existent. 0/10

Graphics:
I like the plane sprites, otherwise baby's first landscape. 1/10

Story:
Non-existent. 0/10

Sound/Music:
Generic Atari. 1/10

That's 5. But then, you didn't need me to tell you that this isn't interesting from the perspective of a guy into '90s shooters.