Crossbow Overview
“Crossbow” is an innovative light gun shooter game, initially launched in arcades by Exidy in 1983 and subsequently brought to the Atari 2600 by Atari Corporation. This game stands out for its unique control mechanism, which involves a positional gun designed to mimic the look and feel of a full-sized crossbow, offering players a unique and immersive gaming experience.
Gameplay Details
In “Crossbow,” players take on the role of a guardian, safeguarding a group of adventurers by eliminating threats from a distance. These adventurers appear from the left side of the screen, aiming to traverse to the opposite side without harm. Successfully guiding the adventurers across the screen allows them to continue to the next level, with new adventurers joining the player’s party at various intervals.
However, the game introduces a notable risk: the adventurers are also susceptible to the player’s crossbow bolts. An accidental hit triggers a warning message after the first offense, causing the struck adventurer to slow down but remain unharmed. A subsequent hit, however, results in the adventurer’s demise, marked by a cry of pain.
Players navigate through the game by selecting their path on a map screen, choosing from various scenarios including a town, desert, volcano, cave, bridge, jungle, and castle. The ultimate aim is to venture beyond the castle to face the final challenge against the Master of Darkness, believed to be the architect behind the game’s perils. Victory is achieved by targeting the Master of Darkness’s eyes when they glow red. Upon defeating the antagonist, players receive congratulations and an invitation to challenge him anew.
An intriguing feature of the arcade version was its auditory cue upon inserting a quarter, ominously warning players with a voice saying, “You will die!” This aspect added an extra layer of intrigue and challenge, setting the tone for the adventurous journey ahead.