Bit Pilot
{{Short description|2010 video game}}
{{good article}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2024}}
{{Infobox video game
| image = Cover art of Bit Pilot, Zach Gage, 2010, transparent background.png
| caption = App icon
| developer = Zach Gage
| publisher = Zach Gage
| platforms = iOS
| released = March 4, 2010
| genre = Bullet hell
| modes = Single-player
| composer = Sabrepulse
| alt = A pixel art illustration of a moon
}}
Bit Pilot is a 2010 bullet hell created by American developer Zach Gage. The player controls a spaceship and must continuously dodge incoming asteroids and lasers for as long as possible. Released on March 4, 2010, for iOS, the game was praised for its graphics and soundtrack but faced a mixed reception for its gameplay and controls.
Gameplay
File:Gameplay_screenshot_of_Bit_Pilot,_2010.jpg
Bit Pilot is a bullet hell game. In the game, the player controls a spaceship and must avoid incoming lasers and asteroids.{{Cite web |last=McWhertor |first=Michael |date=August 4, 2011 |title=In Bit Pilot, You Actually Are Going In To an Asteroid Field |url=https://kotaku.com/in-bit-pilot-you-actually-are-going-in-to-an-asteroid-5827596 |access-date=November 9, 2024 |website=Kotaku |archive-date=November 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241109205023/https://kotaku.com/in-bit-pilot-you-actually-are-going-in-to-an-asteroid-5827596 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Schramm |first=Mike |date=July 27, 2011 |title=TUAW's Daily iPhone App: Bit Pilot |url=https://www.engadget.com/2011-07-27-tuaws-daily-iphone-app-bit-pilot.html |access-date=November 9, 2024 |website=Engadget |archive-date=November 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241109064838/https://www.engadget.com/2011-07-27-tuaws-daily-iphone-app-bit-pilot.html |url-status=live }} The player can control the speed and direction of the spaceship by swiping on the screen with two-thumb controls.{{Cite web |last=Orland |first=Kyle |date=October 11, 2013 |title=Valve video shows Steam Controller working with a variety of games |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2013/10/valve-video-shows-steam-controller-working-with-a-variety-of-games/ |access-date=November 10, 2024 |website=Ars Technica |archive-date=November 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241109223733/https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2013/10/valve-video-shows-steam-controller-working-with-a-variety-of-games/ |url-status=live }} As the game progresses, the asteroids increase in size. When the player comes in contact with an obstacle, the spaceship loses one shield; hitting an asteroid without any shields or touching a laser triggers a game over. Pill-shaped power-ups occasionally spawn and give the player bonus points or an additional shield. Gaining enough points unlocks new modes, music, and themes.
The game has two gameplay modes: Super Massive and Tunnels. In Super Massive mode, asteroids are smaller and faster, but power-ups spawn more frequently and increase the player's size when collected.{{Cite web |last=Nicholson |first=Brad |date=June 15, 2011 |title=New Update To Bit Pilot Yields New Modes, New Levels, And Other New Stuff |url=https://toucharcade.com/2011/06/15/new-update-to-bit-pilot-yields-new-modes-new-levels-and-other-new-stuff |access-date=November 9, 2024 |website=TouchArcade}} In Tunnels mode, the player must evade larger asteroids. Additionally, the two difficulty modes—Easy and Normal—change the number of asteroids in the game.
Development and release
Bit Pilot was developed by Zach Gage, a New York City-based indie developer. Bit Pilot{{'s}} soundtrack was composed by Sabrepulse, and the leaderboards were run by OpenFeint. The game was released for iOS on March 4, 2010.{{Cite web |last=Flodine |first=Dave |date=March 9, 2010 |title=Bit Pilot Review |url=https://www.appspy.com/review/3561/bit-pilot-review |access-date=November 9, 2024 |website=AppSpy |archive-date=November 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241109065627/https://www.appspy.com/review/3561/bit-pilot-review |url-status=live }} In June 2011, Game Center support and the two gameplay modes were added. Bit Pilot was showcased at the Austin Film Festival in September 2011 and the Hayden Planetarium in January 2012.{{Cite web |last=Cifaldi |first=Frank |date=September 12, 2011 |title=Austin Film Festival To Showcase 20+ Indie Games |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/austin-film-festival-to-showcase-20-indie-games |access-date=November 10, 2024 |website=Game Developer}}{{Cite web |last=Rose |first=Janus |date=January 24, 2012 |title=Babycastles is Turning the Hayden Planetarium into a Giant Videogame |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/babycastles-is-turning-the-hayden-planetarium-into-a-virtual-spaceship/ |access-date=November 10, 2024 |website=Vice |archive-date=November 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241109153122/https://www.vice.com/en/article/babycastles-is-turning-the-hayden-planetarium-into-a-virtual-spaceship/ |url-status=live }}
Reception
{{Video game reviews
| rev1 = 148Apps
| rev2 = AppSpy
| rev3 = Slide to Play
}}
On Metacritic, Bit Pilot has a "generally favorable" score of 78 based on nine critics.{{Cite web |title=Bit Pilot |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/bit-pilot/ |access-date=November 8, 2024 |website=Metacritic |archive-date=November 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241109065014/https://www.metacritic.com/game/bit-pilot/ |url-status=live }}
Bit Pilot{{'s}} gameplay was divided among critics. Reviewers praised the game as exciting and noticed its likeness to retro video games,{{Cite web |last=Orland |first=Kyle |date=January 7, 2013 |title=Get your game on: The Ultimate Smartphone Guide, part IV |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2013/01/get-your-game-on-the-ultimate-smartphone-guide-part-iv/ |access-date=November 10, 2024 |website=Ars Technica |archive-date=November 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241109153122/https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2013/01/get-your-game-on-the-ultimate-smartphone-guide-part-iv/ |url-status=live }} specifically Asteroids. However, 148Apps and Edge felt that the gameplay, rather than its rewards for gaining points, gave it replay value, and Tracy Erickson of Pocket Gamer and Kyle Vanhemert of Wired magazine commented on its lack of variety.
The game's controls garnered a mixed reception. Although AppSpy, 148Apps, and Edge magazine thought the swiping mechanic was unique and precise,{{Cite web |date=March 28, 2012 |title=Bit Pilot review |url=http://www.edge-online.com/reviews/bit-pilot-review |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120628020605/http://www.edge-online.com/reviews/bit-pilot-review |archive-date=June 28, 2012 |access-date=November 9, 2024 |website=Edge}} 148Apps and AppSpy criticized how the controls were complicated to learn. Chris Reed of Slide to Play stated that he preferred for Bit Pilot to have a single movement stick,{{Cite web |last=Reed |first=Chris |date=April 15, 2010 |title=Bit Pilot review |url=http://www.slidetoplay.com/story/bit-pilot-review |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111208125258/http://www.slidetoplay.com/story/bit-pilot-review |archive-date=December 8, 2011 |access-date=November 9, 2024 |website=Slide to Play}} while Andrew Hayward of GamesRadar+ described them as, "the most responsive [they had] experienced to date".{{Cite web |last=Hayward |first=Andrew |date=October 1, 2011 |title=iPad reviews of the week: Katamari Amore, Monsters Ate My Condo, Bit Pilot, Sprinkle |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/ipad-reviews-week-katamari-amore-monsters-ate-my-condo-bit-pilot-sprinkle/2/ |access-date=December 2, 2024 |website=GamesRadar+ |page=2 |archive-date=November 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241109223539/https://www.gamesradar.com/ipad-reviews-week-katamari-amore-monsters-ate-my-condo-bit-pilot-sprinkle/2/ |url-status=live }}
Critics praised Bit Pilot{{'s}} graphics and soundtrack;{{Cite web |last=Fanguy |first=Jason |date=March 8, 2010 |title=Bit Pilot |url=https://www.148apps.com/reviews/bit-pilot/ |access-date=November 9, 2024 |website=148Apps |archive-date=November 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241109065646/https://www.148apps.com/reviews/bit-pilot/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Vanhemert |first=Kyle |date=November 8, 2011 |title=Bit Pilot |url=https://www.wired.com/2011/11/bit-pilot-app/ |access-date=November 9, 2024 |website=Wired |archive-date=November 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241109064834/https://www.wired.com/2011/11/bit-pilot-app/ |url-status=live }} some felt that they complemented the game's retro theme,{{Cite web |last=Erickson |first=Tracy |date=March 25, 2010 |title=Bit Pilot |url=https://www.pocketgamer.com/bit-pilot/bit-pilot/ |access-date=November 9, 2024 |website=Pocket Gamer}} while a reviewer from The A.V. Club stated the graphics "[belied] the atrocious challenge at hand".{{Cite web |last=Fischer |first=Russ |last2=Heisler |first2=Steve |last3=Jones |first3=Scott |last4=Nelson |first4=Samantha |last5=Teti |first5=John |last6=Wolinsky |first6=David |date=March 29, 2010 |title=Sawbuck Gamer: March 29, 2010 |url=http://origin.avclub.com/articles/march-29-2010%2C39602/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110912030956/http://origin.avclub.com/articles/march-29-2010,39602/ |archive-date=September 12, 2011 |access-date=November 9, 2024 |website=The A.V. Club}} Reed praised unlocking soundtracks as a reward, writing that they were "far more pleasing" than a leaderboard ranking.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://web.archive.org/web/20160109060059/http://www.bitpilotgame.com/}} (archived)
{{Zach Gage}}
Category:Bullet hell video games
Category:Retro-style video games
Category:Single-player video games
Category:Video games designed by Zach Gage