Gildahl26 Jul 2022
As a fan of the arcade, and various conversions for home systems including the VIC-20, Colecovision, and Atari 2600, its funny that I never knew until TODAY that there was also a version of Gorf for the Atari 8-bits as well; so I just had to try it. The first review here left me with the impression that it might include the Galaxian level, but alas! It does not. Even so, the other levels are provided and all seem to play pretty decently. The invaders seem to move more quickly than other versions, but I was able to make it past the flagship on my second try. I'm sure if I had had this back in the day, I would have played it quite a bit since, with the exception of missing the Galaxian level, it is pretty faithful to the arcade version.
Atari A to Z (Pete Davison)4 Jul 2022
Gorf is an arcade game from Bally Midway, ported to the Atari 8-Bit by Roklan. It is not at all a Space Invaders ripoff, because it also rips off several other games along the way and provides one of the earliest examples of a boss fight! Let's Play! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1BQjjCGzIs
rave.N7 Dec 2015
The larger version with High Score List is best kept on a boot disk of its own, because it reads and writes to sector number 720 for load and save hi scores. Most cracked file based versions continue trying to write to sector 720, in conflict of course.
I've located 2 disk based versions, 1 was originally compiled, the other was patched in a few places in order to fix bugs. The 1st one has 2 sequences "$4C $A9 $37" and "$60 $A5 $06 $D0 $FC $60" - the patched version changed these 2 sequences into "$60 $A9 $37" and "$60 $60 $06 $D0 $FC $60" and if you're like C3P0 who understands this stuff you'll see the 1st one might have an endless loop which became fixed in the patch.
rave.N3 Jul 2015
GORF has a fantastic history to it. A good read. Seems like an homage to 1980s Arcade games but was actually it's own 80s Arcade console. The Arcade had five Mini games resembling (loosely) space invaders, galaxian, galaga, tempest, and star castle (a boss) in that order - but "EVERY" ported version had the galaxian round removed (for copyright reasons) resulting in only 4 Mini game rounds. This port's Sound effects transport me back into those arcades they are so authentic (minus the Arcade version's Speech synthesis, which heckled anyone in earshot.
The 8KB cartridge version here on atarimania is incomplete and made for OS/B only. There is a larger version that is XL/XE native plus adds a must have prose intro with more great sound during said intro as well as a high score list not found on the 8K cart.
Some GORF trivia: the name is an acronym and so is all capitalized but I'm not sure dots ever went with the name which stood for Galactic Orbiting Robotic Fleet. Your ship deliberately resembles Kirk's Starship Enterprise because GORF was initially conceived to have a Star Trek The Motion Picture theme which was dropped. GORF and "Wizard Of Wor" Arcade consoles ran on mostly the same hardware.
Hillsy_11 Oct 2013
Pretty decent game, always enjoyed taking the flagship out. Did I just see a rainbow effect? :)
http://gwobby.webs.com/10 Oct 2010
Nice satisfying game. Only downers are first screens are too easy and second screens are too hard when the ships start flying across at speed you pretty much can't kill them before they crash into you. Great fun annihilating the Flag Ships to see how few pixels you can leave, yes I'm sick mwah ha haa haaaa Shoot the pixels for bonus points too!
Paul Westphal13 May 2009
Sorry, I forgot to mention that the prototype "Blaster" is also very simular as in it has different 'phases' to it, but is also excellent in execution.
Paul Westphal13 May 2009
This HAS to be one of the more faithful arcade to home conversions. The sounds (as I remember them) are spot on. What the hell happened to the 5200 version? It sucks compared to this. Controls? Check. What a blast...play this and Wizards of Wor and be in for a great deal of gaming fun.
Jim Kuchera28 Jan 2007
I expected great things from Roklan software after seeing this game, and Wizard of Wor. Both games are excellent ports of the arcade versions. What I find engaging in this game is that it includes a Galaxian-type of game action, then moves unto two additional scenarios. I lost lots of quarters in the late 70's playing this sucker, and am glad to enjoy it in the 8-bit format. Every time I load this game, I could swear that I hear my Atari 800 go, "Thanks, I needed that." YOU need this game. It's easy playability will draw you back again and again. Go have some fun.
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