Atari 8-bit Intro - The Last Starfighter

This is the opening sequence to The Last Starfighter for the 8-bit Atari.

This game is an unreleased prototype. Atari originally obtained the license to create both an arcade version and a home version of The Last Starfighter, though neither saw a release. Because The Last Starfighter didn't turn out to be quite the hit that it was expected to be, and because Atari had already spent so much money developing the game, it was modified and eventually released a year later in 1985 as Star Raiders II.

(Funny enough, it is said that The Last Starfighter originally started out as a *another* game titled Orbiter, and it was decided they would turn it into TLSF early in its development.)

Played on an Atari 130XE and recorded through a TV Capture Card.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• last
• starfighter
• unreleased
• prototype
• atari
• 8-bit
• 400
• 800
• 130
• xe
• xl

[trophy242]

Impossible. I spent hours playing this game on Atari 800XL, 65XE and 130XE with my mates. Moreover, I liked this game so much, that I was disappointed that there was only XL/XE version of this game. I had to wait for Starglider II to have the similar level of fun on my Atari ST. Definitely The Last Starfighter was very popular in my country on XL/XE. I remember there was also a movie with the same title and similar storyline. This had to be released.

[rfswitchbox]

The movie came first and the game was based on it, but when the movie didn't turn out to be a big hit, Atari decided to release the game as Star Raiders II instead. I don't doubt at all that you played this though, as it wasn't exactly rare. People copied it around a lot, often not realizing it was an unreleased prototype!

[trophy242]

Huh... I didn't know. Very good explanation :) Thanks. It is one of my best games ever, not only in the XL/XE league, but including the general qualification.

[rfswitchbox]

No problem, happy to clarify! It's a great game :)

[Groose1972]

This is one of my favorite games on the Atari 8-bit computers.

[legoguy151]

@rfswitchbox the reason why there was no arcade version is because the vp of atari thought the $10,000 dollar sale price was too high.

[carpetmonk]

@1xWertzui good ear!

[flamingmarsupial]

Looks kinda lame. George Lucas must've been involved, somehow... :)

[1xWertzui]

Why is the music identical to one of the G.I. Joe's (Commodore 64 game) tune?

[urmo345]

heu, its star raider