Review: Asteroids Deluxe (Atari)

[Daniel W. Rouse Jr.]

Asteroids Deluxe is basically Asteroids gameplay with the following changes:

* Asteroids tumble in addition to drifting
* Shield instead of hyperspace
* More accurate large and small flying saucers
* Killer satellites

The shield does wear out after a number of uses, in which case, it is not
available until the loss of a turn.

The killer satellites are to prevent staying in one spot and shooting down
flying saucers. Shooting a killer satellite breaks it up into three
diamonds. Shooting a diamond breaks it up into two wedges. Finally, shooting
a wedge gets rid of the wedge. Not just the player, but also the flying
saucers can shoot killer satellites. Once a killer satellite appears, it
must be destroyed to proceed to the next stage.

In later stages, the number of asteroids increases up to the game's maximum,
the rate of killer satellites appearing increases, and the rate of the
flying saucers appearing also increases.

The Asteroids Deluxe games I have played are the actual arcade cabinet
version, and also the version on Atari Anthology for the PS2.