''Track Attack'' (stylized as ''Track Attack!'') is a train-themed action game written by Chris Jochumson for the

Apple II Apple II ("apple Roman numerals, two", stylized as Apple ][) is a series of microcomputers manufactured by Apple Computer, Inc. from 1977 to 1993. The Apple II (original), original Apple II model, which gave the series its name, was designed ...

. It was published in 1982 by Broderbund, as was a port for Atari 8-bit computers by Bill Hooper. ''Track Attack'' contains both overhead maze video game, maze levels and side-scrolling platform game, platform levels. In the latter, the player controls a character who runs along the top of a train, performing acrobatic leaps between the cars. Jochumson co-authored ''

The Arcade Machine ''The Arcade Machine'' is a game creation system written by Chris Jochumson and Doug Carlston for the Apple II and published by Broderbund in 1982. Louis Ewens ported it to Atari 8-bit computers. Broderbund ran a contest from January–June 1984 ...

'' which was released the same year.

Gameplay

There are three distinct levels with unique gameplay. The first shows a top-down view of overlapping mazes of roads and train tracks. The player drives a car attempting to—at places where the tracks and road intersect—jump through boxcars and to steal the gold contained within. The second level shows a side view of the train, and the player runs along the top, making aerial somersaults between the cars as the train scrolls horizontally. Reaching the

locomotive A locomotive is a rail transport, rail vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. Traditionally, locomotives pulled trains from the front. However, Push–pull train, push–pull operation has become common, and in the pursuit for ...

ends the level. In the third segment the overhead maze returns, but the player now controls the train, picking up gold along the tracks while avoiding vehicles on the road.

Reception

''ROM'' magazine liked the visuals, commenting "The second level of this game are icreally impressive. The movement of the little man is smooth and the train is very colorful with fine details." The reviewer disliked the minimal sound, blaming it on the game being ported from the Apple II. It received an overall rating of 8.2 out of 10, with 10s for both playability and graphics. Reviewing the Atari translation for ''Softline'', Marcia and Gary Rose concluded, "''Track Attack'' is an original game that makes good use of the cops and robbers theme, an area that has sadly been overlooked in these times of extraterrestrial warfare and adventure." In a "D+" review, ''Addison Wesley Book of Atari Software 1984'' called the controls "somewhat crazy" and found there to be too many random factors in the game.

References

{{reflist, refs= {{cite web , title=Track Attack! , url=http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-track-attack_5453.html , website=Atari Mania {{cite web , title=The Giant List of Classic Game Programmers, url=https://dadgum.com/giantlist/ , last1=Hague , first1=James {{cite journal , last1=Rose , first1=Gary & Marcia , title=Gameline: Track Attack , journal=Softline , date=January 1983 , pages=44–45 , url=https://archive.org/details/Softline_1983_01/page/n45/mode/2up {{cite journal , title=Reviews: Track Attack , journal=ROM , date=September 1983 , issue=1 , page=23 , url=https://www.atarimagazines.com/rom/issue1/track_attack.php

External links

Review
in ''

Creative Computing ''Creative Computing'' was one of the earliest magazines covering the microcomputer revolution. Published from October 1974 until December 1985, the magazine covered the spectrum of hobbyist/home/personal computing in a more accessible format t ...

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Review
in ''

SoftSide ''SoftSide'' is a defunct computer magazine, begun in October 1978 by Roger Robitaille and published by SoftSide Publications of Milford, New Hampshire. History Dedicated to personal computer programming, ''SoftSide'' was a unique publication wi ...

''
Review
in ''

Softalk ''Softalk'' () was an American magazine of the early 1980s that focused on the Apple II computer. Published from September 1980 through August 1984, it featured articles about hardware and software associated with the Apple II platform and the p ...

'' 1982 video games Apple II games Atari 8-bit computer games Broderbund games Maze games Platformers Video games developed in the United States Single-player video games