Red Alert (arcade)
Encyclopedia
Red Alert is an arcade
video game released in 1981.
The object of the game is to defend various cities from an unnamed enemy's attacks. Each round of the game takes place in one location (e.g. "France
"). The assaults consist of waves of planes, helicopters, night bombers, and MIRV bombs. Similar to Space Invaders
, each attack wave moves back and forth across the screen, getting faster in successive waves.
The games distinguishing features include:
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
video game released in 1981.
The object of the game is to defend various cities from an unnamed enemy's attacks. Each round of the game takes place in one location (e.g. "France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
"). The assaults consist of waves of planes, helicopters, night bombers, and MIRV bombs. Similar to Space Invaders
Space Invaders
is an arcade video game designed by Tomohiro Nishikado, and released in 1978. It was originally manufactured and sold by Taito in Japan, and was later licensed for production in the United States by the Midway division of Bally. Space Invaders is one of the earliest shooting games and the aim is to...
, each attack wave moves back and forth across the screen, getting faster in successive waves.
The games distinguishing features include:
- Each round begins with a spoken mission brief which begins with the words "Red Alert! Enemy aircraft approaching!", followed by details of the game objectives for the round. This is one of the earliest uses of speech in a video game.
- Landmarks from the city being defended are shown in the background of the gameplay. For example, during the "France" round, a depiction of the Eiffel TowerEiffel TowerThe Eiffel Tower is a puddle iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris. Built in 1889, it has become both a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world...
is shown.
- Some rounds take place at night. In these rounds, the game area is illuminated only by two spotlights, which the enemy can destroy.