Shoot'em Up! / Shoot'em Up! - Miscellaneous · 1983

Nightstrike

Published by TG Software · Developed by Solitare Group

atarimania.com — atari-400-800-xl-xe-games-nightstrike-3701

Information

Genre: Shoot'em Up! - Miscellaneous
Language: Machine Language
Controls: Joystick
Players: 1, 2 (alt.)
Programmer(s): Kobayashi, A. Y.
Graphic Artist(s): [n/a]
Sound: [n/a]
Cover Artist(s): [unknown]
Year: 1983
Publisher: TG Software
Developer: Solitare Group
Country: USA
License: Commercial
Medium: Cartridge
Rarity: 8
Serial: -

Votes / Statistics

Rating: 5.7/10 · Votes: 16 · Downloads: 2,582 · Hits: 10,257

Additional Comments

Final version of Der Blitz!.

Also known as Night Strike! or Night Strike.

Screenshots (4)

Cover Art (2)

Instructions (2)

Ads (2)

Book / Magazine Reviews (1)

Computer Fun · May, 1984 · Rating: 2.5 / 4

Night Strike gives those of you who dream of being heroes a chance to act out your fantasies. It immediately elevates you to commander status and puts you in charge of defending a helpless city from a night invasion of killer planes. The city is under bomb attack and only you can save it with the help of a very reliable tank.
If you love the old tank-versus-plane motif of video games then this game will enthrall you. Detailed graphics are used throughout the game and the animation of the tank onto the center of the screen is incredibly well done. You can see the movement of the caterpillar treads underneath the tank and also hear it.
The tank can only be moved horizontally and the cannon on it aimed at different angles to shoot the attacking planes. The play mechanics become complicated by the fact that you can shoot bullets, missiles and flares plus move the cannon and tank - all with the joystick. Awkward patterns must be memorized to accomplish just about any action. However, once you've mastered them, you should never again have trouble shooting the slowly fading flares or missiles.
The sound effects are not unique or new, yet they do sound like what they're supposed to and therefore enhance the game action. For example, when the planes are attacking you hear many consecutive explosions, as if a city were really being bombed. Another sound effect that really adds to the action is the whiz of the missiles that the tank shoots. The bullet volleys are also accompanied by appropriate sounds.
Everything considered, Night Strike succeeds in revamping and improving a traditional game theme.

Comments (5)

Monk — 27 Jul 2021
What's the name of this game? The title screen (as well as an old magazine) says "Night Strike", but the package seems to say "Nightstrike". Almost didn't find this game because of the missing space in the name. The game itself is simplistic, the graphics are bland, colorless, dim and awful. The soundworld is minuscule, and you have to wait a long time every time you play, because you tank slowly drives itself from the edge of the screen to the middle. The playability is rubbish - you die too easily even in the beginning, hitting the tiny, samey planes is too difficult, it's hard to pull off the 'use the other missile' maneuvre (which does what, exactly? Just makes a hissing noise?), and all in all, this is a poor excuse for a game. Atlantis - all versions I've played, from Atari 2600 to VIC-20 (on real systems, of course), are VASTLY better than this. You don't have to wait, there are THREE cannons instead of one, so you can INSTANTLY shoot at any of the three angles, your bullets are faster, the first levels are easy, there's an actual soundworld that's lovely and interesting, the enemies vary, and did I mention it has ACTUAL GRAPHICS AND COLOR? Avoid this turd, play Missile Command, Atlantis or even Laser Blast for a more visual and playable experience with proper sound.
GadZombiE — 14 Jan 2017
This is one of better games of this kind. The best is shooting with bombs! Nice graphics and much fun.
rave.N — 24 Feb 2016
CHEAT MODE unlimited lives, 8K cartridge - edit 4 bytes in the cartridge, changing offsets $2A5-$2A6 from $F6,$92 to $EA,$EA and offsets $797-$798 from $D6,$92 to $EA,$EA. Affects both one and two players.
CannibalCat — 16 Sept 2015
People hating on this game looking at the rating but it's quite good (and addictive)... better than say Atlantis (which it kind of reminds me of). Cool graphics effects and animations.
rave.N — 19 Jun 2015
Simple shooter can be very fun. The V1 buzz bombs are especially authentic. The city in the background slowly crumbles.