Atari 8-bit - Tail of Beta Lyrae gameplay

[R2daE01]

this is a `scramble` clone... but pretty well done.

[gamesDAMNED]

This was just about my favorite game on the Atari 800XL. I'm glad I've got a copy on my PC all these years later.  These computer games were sensational to us kids back in the early '80s. Compare these games to the Atari 2600, and you'll see the real reason why the console videogames scene crashed. Thanks for uploading!

[donkeybasketball]

The animations in this are pretty nice. I've never seen towers crumble in a shooter.

[nv1962]

Totally awesome! Thanks so much for digging up this long lost gem.

[nv1962]

Wait a sec... It just hit me that you didn't use the bombs! That's how to rake up points in the caves and the "skyscraper" section, where the targets are hidden in those pits... Ah - sweet memories.

[Scoth3]

Hmm, I don't think I know about the bombs. At least, I never used them growing up and don't know how to drop them now. What's the method?

[nv1962]

It's been so long, I'm not sure - but I think it was the "x" key. Those cherry-shaped thingies shown to the right of "Subsector" indicate how many bombs you have left to use, that I do vividly remember.

[TheRyk]

@nv1962 I think you confuse this one with C64 Skramble where you dropped bombs while shooting. I cannot remember bombs either.

[chrisinmainz]

Great game, great sound and music, but, was it really that fast?

[VideyoJunkei]

bought the disk for this game...would play the intro music then crash at the menu screen :*(

[His7021]

great music

[FrakAttack]

Always wondered if there was a way to "reset" the game back to its original state.

[digitaldave1234]

I had this game, and to me it always sounded like the game used more than four sounds at once. The programmers did the music and sounds really well.

[richardhutnik]

This game did some randomization of levels I believe. Wikipedia says it did, and I remember seeing this way back when.

[Scoth3]

The levels were randomized completely within the "theme" of the level (first level being the mountains, second the cave, etc). I remember the gameplay changes over time from back in the day, but I was a little young to really get a grasp of it. I'd love to see a more in-depth look at how it worked, but I'm not good enough with ASM to figure it out :)

[odislaw]

hmmm...i didnt know this game...i have to play it :)

[sikerin]

I do remember this game :) yes - I remember the 4th level with colored ground - but I'm not sure if I manage to pass further...