Боскониан: Классический аркадный шутер 1981 года

1981 video game

Bosconian (ボスコニアン, Bosukonian) is a scrolling multidirectional shooter arcade video game developed and released by Namco in Japan in 1981. In North America, it was manufactured and distributed by Midway Games. The goal is to earn as many points as possible by destroying enemy missiles and bases using a ship which shoots simultaneously both the front and back. Bosconian was commercially successful in Japan and received positive critical reception, but did not achieve the global commercial success of other shoot 'em up games from the golden age of arcade video games. It was ported to home computers as Bosconian '87 (1987) and spawned two sequels: Blast Off (1989) and Final Blaster (1990). The game has been regarded by critics as influential in the shoot 'em up genre.

The objective of Bosconian is to score as many points as possible by destroying enemy missiles and bases. The player controls the Starfighter, a ship that can move in eight directions and fires both forward and backward simultaneously. Throughout the game, the Starfighter stays affixed to the center of the screen as it moves. The game also features a color coded alert system with voice commands. Additionally, the player must avoid or destroy stationary asteroids, mines, and a variety of enemy missiles and ships which attempt to collide with his or her ship. Enemy bases will also occasionally launch a squadron of ships in formation attacks — destroying the leader causes all remaining enemies to disperse, but destroying all enemies in a formation scores extra bonus points. Throughout the game, a digitized voice alerts the player to various events, such as incoming enemies or an approaching spy ship.

In Japan, Bosconian was the seventh highest grossing arcade game of 1981, according to the annual Game Machine chart. Game Machine later listed Bosconian in their August issue as the 22nd most successful table arcade cabinet of the month. However, the game was less successful internationally. Due to the rising popularity of Galaga and a shortage of arcade machines for the game, many of the Bosconian machines that were not selling were transformed into Galaga machines. Upon release, Bosconian received generally positive reviews. Video Games Magazine referred to the game as a "treat for Galaxian fans" and opining that, while it did not "break ground insofar as graphics, sounds, weaponry, and antagonists are concerned", it had "a terrific eight way joystick that has great maneuverability". Mike Roberts and Steve Phipps of Computer Gamer reviewed the arcade game several years after its release in 1985, stating it was "good value" and still "enjoyable" to play. In a retrospective 1998 review of the game, Brett Alan Weiss of Allgame wrote that the game's front rear firing system, radar display, and alert system "help[ed] make the game a cut above the average shooter of the era". Beep! criticized the Sord M5 version of the game for its poor quality, low difficulty level, and the lack of features from the arcade original, such as the voice samples.

Bosconian won the 1983 Arcade Award for "Best Science Fiction/Fantasy Coin Op Game", beating both Atari's Gravitar and Sega's Zaxxon.

Bosconian '87, a home computer port of Bosconian, was created by Binary Design and released for several systems, including the Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64 in 1987. In 2003, PC Zone called Bosconian '87 a "spiffing little game", praising the game's soundtrack on the Spectrum 128. Sinclair Users Tamara Howard gave the port seven out of ten stars.

Bosconian has been considered influential for other multidirectional shooters, and has been called "a granddaddy of the multidirectional shooter" by Retro Gamer. The game has also been released as part of Jakks Pacific's TV game controllers.