Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom

Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom,[lower-alpha 1] known as Zoom 909[lower-alpha 2] in Japan, is a pseudo-3D rail shooter released as an arcade video game by Sega in 1982. The player controls a spaceship in a third-person perspective,[4][5] adapting the three-dimensional perspective of Sega's earlier racing game Turbo (1981) for the space shoot 'em up genre.[6] It used the Buck Rogers license, referencing the space battles,[7] though Buck himself is never seen.

Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom
Atari 2600 cover art
Developer(s)Sega
Publisher(s)Sega
Platform(s)Arcade, SG-1000, Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Atari 8-bit, Coleco Adam, ColecoVision, Intellivision, MSX, Commodore 64, VIC-20, TI-99/4A, Apple II, ZX Spectrum, IBM PC
Release
Genre(s)Rail shooter
Arcade systemSega VCO Object

The arcade game debuted at the Amusement & Music Operators Association (AMOA) show, held during November 18–20, 1982, where it was considered one of the show's best games and a milestone for demonstrating the potential of 3D shoot 'em up gameplay.[6] Ports were released for the SG-1000, Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Atari 8-bit family, Coleco Adam, ColecoVision, Intellivision, MSX, Commodore 64, VIC-20, TI-99/4A, Apple II, and ZX Spectrum. The IBM PC version uses CGA graphics.[8][9][10] The ColecoVision version was released in April 1984.[11]

Gameplay

Reception

Arcade version

In the United States, it was among the thirteen highest-grossing arcade games of 1983.[12] In Japan, Game Machine listed Zoom 909 on their June 1, 1985 issue as being the thirteenth most-successful upright/cockpit arcade unit of the month.[13]

The arcade game received positive reviews from critics. American magazine Video Games gave it a highly positive review following its AMOA 1982 debut, ranking it the second best game of the show. They called it a "gorgeous, 3-D game that deserves the" moniker "Space Turbo" with "high-quality graphics" and "fast and furious" action. They concluded, "Say goodbye to Galaga—shoot-'em-ups will be 3-D from now on."[6]

French magazine Tilt, in its May 1983 issue, rated the arcade game six out of six stars.[3] British magazine Computer and Video Games also gave it a positive review, noting the behind-the-ship perspective, comparing the opening tunnel section to the Death Star battle in the film Star Wars (1977), and stating that anyone "who has enjoyed the" Buck Rogers "TV series will be interested to see just how it converts to the video screen!"[7]

Home conversions

Michael Blanchet for Electronic Fun with Computers & Games reviewed the Coleco Adam version, stating: "After playing Buck Rogers a scant fifty times, I noticed an ever-increasing number of on-screen glitches. I can only presume they were caused by tape wear."[14]

Dan Hallassey for Ahoy! reviewed the Commodore 64 and VIC-20 versions, stating: "Graphics and gameplay combine to make this an excellent and absorbing – though admittedly one-note – space game."[15]

Other reviews

Legacy

Planet of Zoom went on to influence the 1985 Sega game, Space Harrier, which in turn influenced Nintendo's 1993 game, Star Fox.[21]

Notes
  1. Japanese: バック・ロジャース：プラネット・オブ・ズーム, Hepburn: Bakku Rojāsu: Puranetto obu Zūmu
  2. Japanese: ズーム909, Hepburn: Zūmu kyū-hyaku-kyū

References
  1. "Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom (Registration Number PA0000170607)". United States Copyright Office. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  2. Akagi, Masumi (13 October 2006). アーケードTVゲームリスト国内•海外編(1971-2005) [Arcade TV Game List: Domestic • Overseas Edition (1971-2005)] (in Japanese). Japan: Amusement News Agency. p. 131. ISBN 978-4990251215.
  3. "Service Compris Arcade: Les Seuers Froides". Tilt (in French). No. 5. May 16, 1983. pp. 72–3 – via Internet Archive.
  4. Buck Rogers Planet of Zoom at the Killer List of Videogames
  5. "IGN Presents the History of SEGA". IGN. 21 April 2009. p. 2. Retrieved 2011-03-27.
  6. "Top Ten Hits". Video Games. Vol. 1, no. 7. Pumpkin Press. March 1983. p. 66.
  7. "Arcade Action". Computer and Video Games. No. 21 (July 1983). 16 June 1983. pp. 30–1.
  8. "Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom - World of Spectrum". www.worldofspectrum.org. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  9. "Atari Age: Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom Standard label". Archived from the original on September 17, 2013. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  10. "Lemon64.com - all about Commodore 64". Lemon64. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  11. "Year-End Index" (PDF). Computer Entertainer. Vol. 3, no. 10. January 1985. p. 156.
  12. "AMOA Votes On Annual Game Awards". Cash Box. October 29, 1983. p. 60.
  13. "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - アップライト, コックピット型TVゲーム機 (Upright/Cockpit Videos)". Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 261. Amusement Press, Inc. 1 June 1985. p. 23.
  14. "Electronic Fun with Computer & Games - Vol 02 No 05 (1984-03)(Fun & Games Publishing)(US)". March 16, 1984 – via Internet Archive.
  15. "Ahoy! Magazine Issue 03". March 16, 1984 – via Internet Archive.
  16. "Kultpower Archiv: Komplettscan Happy Computer Spielesonderheft 3 (1986)".
  17. "TeleMatch.N08.1984.01". TeleMatch Verlag – via Internet Archive.
  18. "Popular Computing Weekly (1985-07-18)". 18 July 1985.
  19. "Zzap! 64 Issue 001 (HQ)" – via Internet Archive.
  20. http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=14285&tab=review
  21. Weiss, Brett Alan (6 December 2014). "Star Fox - Overview". AllGame. Archived from the original on 2014-12-06. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
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