Medieval Mayhem
Encyclopedia
Medieval Mayhem is an action game
developed for the Atari 2600
video game console, inspired by the arcade game Warlords.
developer Darrell Spice Jr. and released under the SpiceWare label in 2006. David Vazquez and Erik Ehrling provided graphics and music for the game, respectively. The game was inspired by Atari
's 1980 arcade game Warlords, which was first ported to the Atari 2600 in 1981 by game designer Carla Meninsky
.
At the start of the game (and each round), a "launch dragon" appears and releases a fireball. As the game progresses, additional fireballs appear. A round is complete when three kings have been destroyed, leaving one remaining. The player with the surviving king wins the round, and a knight marches across the screen, carrying the banner of the winning player.
published a favorable review of the game, giving it a 90% rating and calling it "hugely entertaining".
The game received an "A+" rating from The Video Game Critic
, the only Atari 2600 homebrew to do so, and one of the only two Atari 2600 games from any era to earn an A+ rating. (The other is the 1984 Starpath Supercharger
version of Frogger
).
Allgame
gave it 4 out of 5 stars.
Medieval Mayhem has also been featured in several retro-gaming tournaments.
Action game
Action game is a video game genre that emphasizes physical challenges, including hand–eye coordination and reaction-time. The genre includes diverse subgenres such as fighting games, shooter games, and platform games, which are widely considered the most important action games, though some...
developed for the Atari 2600
Atari 2600
The Atari 2600 is a video game console released in October 1977 by Atari, Inc. It is credited with popularizing the use of microprocessor-based hardware and cartridges containing game code, instead of having non-microprocessor dedicated hardware with all games built in...
video game console, inspired by the arcade game Warlords.
Background
Medieval Mayhem was written by Atari 2600 homebrewAtari 2600 homebrew
An Atari 2600 homebrew is a homebrew video game designed for the Atari 2600 by independent developers following the discontinuation of the console in 1992. The first 2600 homebrew was written in 1995, and since then over 100 homebrew titles have been released...
developer Darrell Spice Jr. and released under the SpiceWare label in 2006. David Vazquez and Erik Ehrling provided graphics and music for the game, respectively. The game was inspired by Atari
Atari
Atari is a corporate and brand name owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by Atari Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of the French publisher Atari, SA . The original Atari, Inc. was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It was a pioneer in...
's 1980 arcade game Warlords, which was first ported to the Atari 2600 in 1981 by game designer Carla Meninsky
Carla Meninsky
Carla Meninsky was a video game designer during the early years of the Atari 2600 video game console.Along with Carol Shaw , Meninsky was one of two female engineers at Atari to develop video game cartridges released in the early 1980s.Meninsky's Atari 2600 credits include the award-winning 1980...
.
Gameplay
Medieval Mayhem is an action game that features a king in each of the four corners of the screen. Each king is protected by a brick castle. The object of the game is to destroy the opponents' kings by breaking through the walls of the castle with a fireball. Up to four players can play simultaneously; each controls a shield in front of the castle. If there are fewer than four players, the remaining shields are controlled by the computer.At the start of the game (and each round), a "launch dragon" appears and releases a fireball. As the game progresses, additional fireballs appear. A round is complete when three kings have been destroyed, leaving one remaining. The player with the surviving king wins the round, and a knight marches across the screen, carrying the banner of the winning player.
Reception
Retro GamerRetro Gamer
Retro Gamer is a British magazine, published worldwide, covering retro video games. It was the first commercial magazine to be devoted entirely to the subject. Although launched as a quarterly publication, Retro Gamers soon became a monthly...
published a favorable review of the game, giving it a 90% rating and calling it "hugely entertaining".
The game received an "A+" rating from The Video Game Critic
The Video Game Critic
The Video Game Critic is a website focused on video-game reviews and run by David Mrozek. It was established in 1999, and is known for featuring comprehensive reviews on many early gaming platforms.-History:...
, the only Atari 2600 homebrew to do so, and one of the only two Atari 2600 games from any era to earn an A+ rating. (The other is the 1984 Starpath Supercharger
Starpath Supercharger
The Starpath Supercharger was an add-on module created by Starpath to expand the game capabilities of the Atari 2600 video game console. The device resembled a long game cartridge with a handle on one end. The Supercharger interface multiplied the Atari 2600's RAM 49-fold, from its meager built-in...
version of Frogger
Frogger
Frogger is an arcade game introduced in 1981. It was developed by Konami, and licensed for worldwide distribution by Sega/Gremlin. The object of the game is to direct frogs to their homes one by one. To do this, each frog must avoid cars while crossing a busy road and navigate a river full of...
).
Allgame
Allgame
Allgame is a commercial database of information about arcade games, video games and console manufacturers.Allgame is owned by All Media Guide, along with Allmusic and Allmovie....
gave it 4 out of 5 stars.
Medieval Mayhem has also been featured in several retro-gaming tournaments.