Demon Attack
Demon Attack is a fixed shooter video game designed and programmed by Rob Fulop and published by Imagic for the Atari 2600 home console in 1982.[1][2] In the game, players maneuver a laser cannon positioned at the bottom of the screen to fend off successive waves of alien demons descending from above, which attack in increasingly complex formations and retaliate with projectiles; successful shots cause demons to split into smaller entities or be replaced by more aggressive variants, escalating the challenge across multiple rounds until the player's defenses are overwhelmed.[2] The title draws inspiration from arcade shooters like Phoenix, leading to a 1982 lawsuit from Atari against Imagic for alleged similarities, which was settled out of court in early 1983, with Imagic agreeing to pay royalties to Atari for each copy sold.[3][2] Demon Attack was ported to numerous contemporary platforms, including the Intellivision, Magnavox Odyssey², Commodore 64, Atari 8-bit family, TI-99/4A, TRS-80 CoCo, PC Booter, and Videopac+ G7400, with variations in graphics, sound, and controls adapted to each system's capabilities; for instance, the Atari 2600 version is noted for its smooth animations and eerie sound effects despite hardware limitations.[2] As one of Imagic's debut titles alongside Star Voyager and Trick Shot, selling over a million copies on the Atari 2600, it contributed to the third-party publisher's rapid rise during the early 1980s video game boom, earning praise for its addictive gameplay, innovative enemy behaviors, and replayability through progressive difficulty levels.[4][5] The game received strong critical and player acclaim, frequently ranking among the top Atari 2600 titles in retrospective lists for its technical achievements and enduring appeal as a benchmark fixed shooter.[6] Modern evaluations highlight its influence on the genre, with player ratings averaging 3.7 out of 5 on databases like MobyGames based on over 100 reviews, and it remains a staple in retro gaming collections for emulators and original hardware.[2]Gameplay
Controls and Objectives
In Demon Attack for the Atari 2600, the player operates a stationary laser cannon fixed at the bottom of the screen. The joystick controls horizontal movement of the cannon to the left or right, while pressing the red fire button launches laser projectiles upward toward incoming threats.[7] The core objective is to survive by destroying successive waves of descending demons, preventing them from colliding with the laser cannon or allowing their projectiles to strike the player's reserve bunkers. Successful destruction of demons earns points, with scoring varying by demon type and the current wave number, which progressively increases in difficulty and speed; for instance, basic demons in early waves are worth 10 points, while more advanced split or diving variants in later waves can yield up to 140 points. The game concludes when all reserve bunkers are depleted.[7] Players start with three reserve bunkers, functioning as lives, and lose one if a demon directly hits the cannon or an enemy projectile damages a bunker. Surviving an entire wave without incurring damage grants an additional bunker, allowing accumulation up to a maximum of six.[7] At the start, players select from various game modes using the console's selectors, including one- or two-player options, with difficulty determined by the left and right difficulty switches set to B (Basic Bombardment, for novice play with slower demons) or A (Aggressive Action, for advanced play with faster and more aggressive enemies). Standard modes (games 1-4) begin at wave 1, while advanced modes (games 5-8) start at higher waves for greater challenge. Games 3, 4, 7, and 8 feature Tracer Shots, allowing players to angle their lasers by holding the fire button and moving the joystick. Games 9 and 10 are cooperative modes where players alternate control every four seconds with shared bunkers.[7]Enemy Waves and Challenges
In Demon Attack, enemies appear in eight distinct waves for the Atari 2600 version, each escalating in complexity from simple single-file dives in the initial stages to more intricate formations such as V-shapes and clusters in later ones. The game's core challenge lies in adapting to these evolving patterns, where demons descend from the top of the screen while shifting horizontally, occasionally firing projectiles or bombs toward the player's position. Waves cycle indefinitely after the eighth, repeating the same patterns but at progressively higher speeds to emphasize long-term survival and score maximization.[7][8] Demon types vary across waves to introduce tactical variety. Basic divers, the simplest foes encountered in waves 1–4, worth 10–15 points depending on the cycle, fly in straightforward lines and drop vertical bombs while strafing. Paired demons, appearing in mid-game waves 3-4, maneuver in twos for coordinated attacks, each worth 15 points in those waves and increasing in later cycles per standard demon scoring. Swooping clusters in waves 6–7 form tight groups that dive erratically, with each unit worth 20 points in wave 6 and 25 in wave 7, demanding quick evasion and prioritization of threats. From wave 5 onward, many demons split into smaller mini-units upon impact, doubling their point value (e.g., 40 points for split variants in waves 5–6) and forcing players to track multiple targets. Diving demons, introduced alongside splitting mechanics, perform aggressive swoops toward the base, offering quadruple points (up to 100 in wave 7–8, reaching 140 in wave 11-12) but posing a high risk of collision.[7][8] The progression builds relentless tension, with each wave cleared granting a reserve bunker if unscathed, up to a maximum of six, while enemy fire depletes them one by one. After wave 8, patterns reset but accelerate, ensuring no true conclusion and rewarding endurance through escalating speeds and combined behaviors like splitting divers in formations. This structure transforms the game into a pure test of reflexes and strategy, where early waves teach basic positioning and later ones demand split-second decisions amid chaotic swarms.[7] A unique challenge arises in wave 8 with the mothership boss in certain ports like the Intellivision version, which hovers at the screen's top and releases indestructible mini-demons that swarm downward and must be dodged until the mothership is destroyed for 200 points or escapes after a time limit, with each evaded mini-demon adding 5 points to the tally. In the original Atari 2600 release, this wave instead features intensified clusters of splitting and diving demons without the boss, maintaining focus on wave survival.[9][10]| Wave Cycle | Basic Demons (Points) | Split Demons (Points) | Diving Demons (Points) | Key Behaviors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | 10 | N/A | N/A | Single-file dives, vertical bombs |
| 3–4 | 15 | N/A | N/A | Paired strafing, horizontal shifts |
| 5–6 | 20 | 40 | 80 | Splitting on hit, initial swoops |
| 7–8 | 25 | 50 | 100 | Cluster formations, ramming dives |
| 9–10 | 30 | 60 | 120 | All prior + faster speeds |
| 11–12 | 35 | 70 | 140 | Continued escalation |
| 13+ | Cycles from wave 1 | Cycles from wave 5 | Cycles from wave 5 | Increasing speeds |