Tandy/Radio Shack Astro Command

TokyoBatman · Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2018 10:18 pm Post subject: Tandy/Radio Shack Astro Command

There's a good amount to like with this horizontal shooter, but also one big let down.

What I like is the cool space theme. The enemy graphics are neat. The beginning beeps of the game are cool. It's great that you get 5 different phases/levels to play through.

The let down is your spacecraft movement. It's linked to your shot. So basically you can't move until your bullet hits something or is off the screen. This leads to frustration. You see the bullet headed at you, you try to move to dodge, but you just fired a shot. Dead. It's bad game design.

After you play a lot, you can adjust to this, but it slows you down and justs makes for a sub par experience.

I did find myself wanting to play more, not sure why, maybe just to beat all 5 phases on the most difficult setting. Another game better suited for lower level speed setting. The gameplay flaw makes the fastest setting impossibly hard/unfair.

My high score on speed 4, the fastest, is: 488

OTTOgd · Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 7:47 pm Post subject:

Congrats on the high score!

... but really appreciate the review.

billytherobot · Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2019 12:12 pm Post subject: Commanding the Astro Plane

This is one of only a couple VFD games I've had since I was a kid.
Back then, me and my brother could beat the game on the easy setting.
When you beat it, (score 3000 I believe)...the game plays an extra long song and gives you a light show.

my high score on speed 4, the fastest, is: 950

TokyoBatman · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2019 9:46 pm Post subject:

This is 1 of the 7 I'm posting today. My first review of this was a little harsh. It's starting to grow on me. Even though the movement can be frustrating. I'm beginning to work with it and play around that factor.

My high score on speed 4 is: 1,223 (The dot next to the score means 1,000)

billytherobot · Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2019 3:46 pm Post subject:

i'm fairly certain we can go back and forth on this for a while. this was one of the games i've had since i was a kid so i sort of have a feel for it. i have a question for you. why does the game blink and make us move to the very front to bomb the object? is it a gas tank or something? i don't have the instruction book for this so it is frustrating to learn what everything is. do you happen to have the instruction manual that you can send photos of? if you did, that would be so cool.
billytherobot@gmail.com

TokyoBatman · Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2019 6:03 pm Post subject:

I agree. I think we will be able to beat the game on the 4th speed at around 3,000 points I believe. I like the idea of a little back and forth battle to get there!

So yeah, that's an energy base. The instructions don't specifically tell you what to do, but the picture does hint at it.

billytherobot · Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2019 6:26 pm Post subject:

sweet!
thanks for the scan!!!
Yessss!