Starquake

Introduction

Starquake is an unique game written by Dave Collins and Stephen Crow of Bubble Bus software.

You are BLOB (Bio-Logically Operated Being), and your starship has crashed on a planet. The crash destabilised the core of the planet, and you have to find it's parts which are scattered all through the planet and fix it before it explodes. The natural inhabitants of the planet don't like your presence and keep trying to kill you.

It has been released for:

• C64 in 1984
• MSX MSX1, in 1985
• ZX Spectrum in 1985
• DOS 4 color CGA, in 1988
• Amiga ???
• Atari ST ???

Gameplay

There are several features of Starquake which help it stand out from other platform games of the era.

Transportation

Within the game, there are many ways to get around;

• Running is the default, and Blob can move pretty quickly.
• Hover Platforms can be used to fly. Items can't be picked up while on a hover platform, though.
• Blob can build his own short-lived platforms to reach high places.
• There are also multiple teleport booths scattered around the play area, each with its own destination code.

Inventory

Blob is able to carry up to four items at once, using a FIFO arrangement. Some of the items encountered will be useful to repair the core, while others will need to be exchanged using a Cheops Pyramid for something more useful. There is also an Access card, which is needed to get through some doors, and for using the aforementioned Pyramid.

Play Area

The game features a large and varied play area, with 512 screens. The placement of the objects, and the identities of those needed to fix the core, are never the same, thus keeping the game interesting.

Screenshot analysis

1. BLOB, the player
2. harmless decoration
3. enemy
4. score
5. remaining number of lives
6. life energy indicator
7. levitate platform energy indicator
8. weapon energy indicator
9. inventory, here a part of the core is in the inventory; maximum 4 items can be held at a time

See Also

• Starquake hints