Star Strike
Platform: Intellivision
Region: USA
Media: Cartridge
Controller: INTV
Genre: Action 
Gametype: Licensed
Release Year: 1981
Developer: APh Technological Consulting
Publisher: Mattel Electronics
Players: 1
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Star Strike was clearly inspired by the Death Star battle sequence in the movie Star Wars. You fly a space craft into the enemy launch trench. Your mission: to destroy the alien station before Earth passes directly over the launch trench. You must evade the alien ships that are defending the launch trench while being sure to bomb the red "Hot Targets". The very first red target that is missed when the Earth is directly in the middle of the launch trench becomes a missile. The missile is launched and destroys Earth.


PRODUCTION HISTORY:

Inspired by the Death Star trench sequence from the movie Star Wars, Star Strike is actually a very simple game; most players quickly learn the timing of it to consistently win. But visually it was stunning, with a 3-D effect (accomplished by sequencing GRAM) not seen before in a home videogame. Heavily promoted, it was the top-selling Intellivision game of 1982, with nearly 800,000 units shipped that year.

An M Network Atari 2600 Star Strike was also released.


BUG:

Hold down the left controller disk in a single position while simultaneously pressing one of the top action keys. The fighter will soon remain in a fixed position on the screen. Release the disk to unfreeze the fighter.


PLAYING TIPS:

From Intellivision Game Club News, Issue 3, Summer 1982:

* Stay mobile. Keep moving up, down, left and right when the aliens are behind you. Don't give them a stationary target. 

* Practice firing at the aliens. Line up the alien ship between you and your laser's vanishing point. 

* Try shooting down both aliens. Doubling up on targets will give you a little extra time to align your ship for bombing before a new wave of aliens appear. You'll add extra points to your score. 

* Stay on the deck. It's much more difficult to bomb the alien's silos from a high altitude. Stay low and score higher. 

* Keep a mental scorecard. Keep track of alien silos destroyed. Don't risk damage by going after a "dead" silo. 

* Be aware of damage. Keep a careful record of your ship's capabilities. Damage reduces control. Don't ask your ship to do something it can't in emergency situations. 


FUN FACT:

The Star Strike TV commercial became probably the most notorious of all videogame commercials of its era, with Mattel Electronics spokesperson George Plimpton bragging about "our most amazing visual effect ever: the total destruction of a planet!" while the earth is seen being blasted to pieces. Comedians, cartoonists and politicians all jumped on this as an example of the glorification of violence in videogames.

 
http://www.mobygames.com/game/intellivision/star-strike
http://www.intellivisiongames.com/bluesky/games/credits/space.html#strike