Panther

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7.8/10
Hits: 14,689
Downloads: 2,966
Votes: 59
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Comments (10)
dtm-artist - 18/03/2024
One of the all-time great POKEY soundtracks. And the game is also pretty good.
chr1sbean - 02/10/2023
Again...another family game where we all took turns and this game was loved by all of us. It is a very fond memory of the late 80's and those destroyed houses in the town section in my head really were mansions that had been destroyed by aliens. I think our imaginations made these games sooooo much more and mostly can only be appreciated by being there and playing them whilst growing up. And that music....C64 did great tunes but the Atari version easily blows it out of the water this time. Goosebumps!!
Steve - 24/11/2022
This is a great game. Aesthetically it's better than the C64 for me. The C64 looks like a cartoon, where as the Atari looks advanced and cool. The playability is spot on and reminds me of Blue max, slowly getting harder as you go, drawing you in. Great game, superb soundtrack.
Rich - 23/09/2016
This one bummed me out - the C64 version was WAY better IMHO, and while this is good, I don't think it flexed the Atari's muscle enough.
thax - 18/10/2013
the very game that made me choose Atari.superb tune and gfx. took awhile but finally got past the plasmawave and completed it until it repeats and becomes stupidly impossible with the aliens on red bull with thier unavoidable weapons fire. well worth 1.99
thax - 18/10/2013
The very game that made me fall in love with atari 8 bit! The plasma wave took me along time to get past and finally managed to complete it. 2nd time round is just impossible as the aiens fire at you faster than you can move! stunning music and great gfx, could of charged full price for this game. a mile better than 64 version which i used to own
mymoon - 27/08/2013
Hey Chris! I guess the game is the very same game on the 64 and the atari except for the color palette and the Interface graphics. Both versions are good. Mr. Whittaker's brilliant music changes a bit in both versions a bit. Great game anyway!
Chris - 24/04/2008
I had this for my 65XE back in the day and my parents and me used to spend many hours on this taking turns and trying to beat each others score!

Sadly the XE died and we got a C64 and this was one of the first purchases - but graphically and musically it was nowhere near as good as the Atari version!
Jonny EOL - 15/04/2008
This is the one you could move onto once you'd cracked 'Blue Max'. Tricky diagonal scroller with erratic flying saucers getting in the way of your daring rescue mission. Great music, decent graphics and no shortage of action.
Alex - 23/11/2006
Top notch game thats all im gonna say...

Screenshots

Panther atari screenshot
Panther atari screenshot
Panther atari screenshot

Information

GenreShoot'em Up! - ZaxxonYear1987
LanguageMachine LanguagePublisherMastertronic (UK)
ControlsJoystickDeveloperSculptured Software
Players1CountryUnited Kingdom
Programmer(s)

Peavey, Chuck

LicenseCommercial
Graphic Artist(s)MediumTape
Sound

Whittaker, David

Rarity
Cover Artist(s)SerialIT0134
Dumpdownload atari Panther Download

Tape

Panther Atari tape scan Panther Atari tape scan

Instructions


THE GAME

You take the part of the one remaining (what else?) pilot in the federal force under attack in the city of Xenon. The alien invaders have swept away the defences and all the population has been evacuated. Well, nearly all of it. There are still people in the city, mostly military personnel who must be brought out to the spaceport and safety. As the one and only poor sucker who can fly a Panther ground attack craft, you're the hero for today.

Those who get left behind are hiding in bunkers either in the city or the surrounding areas. All you have to do is to fly through and pick them up. The spaceport is on the other side of the city from where you are, so it should be a nice easy flight. Have fun.

Oh, by the way, the enemy is now in the suburbs and some craft have been sighted near the main buildings. Missile emplacements have probably been set up and the spaceport is a long way away. You'll probably get quite a reception when you get there.

The Panther you'll be flying has five Phoenix shields to repair itself if hit, but you'll need a couple of seconds to activate them.

Meanwhile, it gets lonely on the ground, waiting to lift off again and hoping no aliens happen to drop in...

The shuttle takes off at 0800 sharp. With or without you. It may take more than one run to clear the city but the transmat still operating can put you back to Panther base from the shuttle bay. Probably just in time to start again and go get some more people.

It's at times like this you really know where the luck stops. Always with you doesn't it! Cease whining and get in there and act heroic. At least get it right this once... please!


GAMEPLAY

In short, the game is won by piloting your craft across the landscape, shooting up the invaders and rescuing the silly personages who got themselves left behind. To do this, you land close to the bunkers as they appear on the screen. Stay around until all the refugees have made it into your ship - whatever the aliens are doing to stop you - then move on as quickly as possible.

At the end of your run, there awaits a means of getting your passengers to safety. Find it and use it. Scoring high points is only possible upon completing several sweeps through the different stages, and upon the safe departure of the civilians.

The aliens attack in waves and your flight computer indicates both the launch and position of the incoming craft relative to your Panther at the bottom of the screen, along with the number of Phoenix shields remaining. The number bottom right is your present score.

The craft is flown with the joystick in the normal manner and watching the shadows of both your ship and the aliens will give you an indication of height and relative positioning.


THE LANDSCAPE

The City stands on an island in the middle of a large inland lake. You start from the base in the desert and head in towards the city centre. The lake contains some oil platforms - somewhere - and there are PROBABLY a number of survivors hiding out in there so you'll have to go look for them on the way past. The spaceport lies beyond the City and is well surrounded by alien siege craft.

Things get considerably tougher once you approach the City itself. There are Surface-to-Air-Missile (SAM) batteries amongst the buildings and if you don't obey the computer's instructions to get below radar, they'll hunt you down pretty quickly. This does of course mean that you have to fly AROUND the skyscrapers, not over them. A pilot of your class should find that no problem. Much.


CONTROLS

Joystick only.


LOADING INSTRUCTIONS

Press PLAY on cassette recorder. Hold down START button while switching on the computer. Press RETURN, program will now load.

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