Yars' Revenge

North American box art.

Yars' Revenge is an action game designed by Howard Scott Warshaw and published by Atari for the Atari 2600 in 1982.

While I don't remember my first time playing this game, it was probably around 6-8. I do remember my older brother being the first to reach the part where the shield changes color and being amazed by it.

Status

I don't have my old scores from when I was younger which I believe was higher, but my most recent high score is 245,863. I will consider myself to have beaten the game if I can roll the score past 999,999.

Review

• Overall: 6/10
• Best Version: Atari 2600

Good

• Over all, the game is well-made. You can play safe, but are rewarded for more aggressive behavior, and the challenge continues to improve as you get better.
• The game makes good use of the Atari's poor audio capabilities. Though there isn't any music, the constant buzzing background sound, spin of the swirl, crash of attack, full screen explosion, and beep of death are all distinct. They also help keep the game play aggravating.
• The color-changing shield wall is a nice indicator of your progress and what you can expect from the Qotile.
• The additional comic that came with the game was a nice addition.

Bad

• While I get the importance of wanting to add an Easter egg into the game, I have accidentally triggered it on more than one occasion and ruined a good high score run.

Ugly

• Nothing.

Gallery

• 

  Game manual.

• 

  Comic book included with the game.

Links

• mobygames.com/game/yars-revenge - MobyGames.
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yars%27_Revenge - Wikipedia.
• atariage.com/software_page.php?SoftwareLabelID=603 - Atari Age.