Harrier Attack
Encyclopedia
Harrier Attack is a computer game for the Amstrad CPC
, Commodore 64
, Oric 1 and ZX Spectrum
initially released in 1983 by Durell Software
.
fighter, looking sideways onto a right-to-left scrolling seascape and landscape. The aim of the game is to take off from a carrier, attack ships and land targets, avoid the odd missile and enemy fighter, then land back on the carrier again. Although the game was a work of fiction, it was inspired by the 1982 Falklands War
, in which the Sea Harrier had played a major role. http://www.durellgames.com/harrierattackii/history.shtml/
One interesting little quirk to the game was that, it was possible to bomb your own ship as you took off from it. If you did this, when you returned it would no longer be there (having sunk, presumably) and being unable to land on it your plane would just continue flying until it ran out of fuel and crashed.
Durell managed to get the executable size down to just under 9 kilobytes, which allowed for a fast loading time from cassette.
The game sold over 250,000 copies in total http://www.durellgames.com/harrierattackii/history.shtml/.
Amstrad CPC
The Amstrad CPC is a series of 8-bit home computers produced by Amstrad between 1984 and 1990. It was designed to compete in the mid-1980s home computer market dominated by the Commodore 64 and the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, where it successfully established itself primarily in the United Kingdom,...
, Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
, Oric 1 and ZX Spectrum
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
initially released in 1983 by Durell Software
Durell Software
Durell Software is a UK software developer based in Taunton, Somerset in the United Kingdom. The company is a provider of back office administration and accounting software to Independent Financial Advisers, Mortgage and General Insurance Brokers. Durell was formerly a leading video games...
.
Summary
The player controls a Sea HarrierBAE Sea Harrier
The British Aerospace Sea Harrier is a naval VTOL/STOVL jet fighter, reconnaissance and attack aircraft, a development of the Hawker Siddeley Harrier. It first entered service with the Royal Navy in April 1980 as the Sea Harrier FRS1 and became informally known as the "Shar"...
fighter, looking sideways onto a right-to-left scrolling seascape and landscape. The aim of the game is to take off from a carrier, attack ships and land targets, avoid the odd missile and enemy fighter, then land back on the carrier again. Although the game was a work of fiction, it was inspired by the 1982 Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
, in which the Sea Harrier had played a major role. http://www.durellgames.com/harrierattackii/history.shtml/
One interesting little quirk to the game was that, it was possible to bomb your own ship as you took off from it. If you did this, when you returned it would no longer be there (having sunk, presumably) and being unable to land on it your plane would just continue flying until it ran out of fuel and crashed.
Durell managed to get the executable size down to just under 9 kilobytes, which allowed for a fast loading time from cassette.
The game sold over 250,000 copies in total http://www.durellgames.com/harrierattackii/history.shtml/.