Duck Attack!

{{Short description|2010 action-adventure video game}}

{{Infobox video game

| title = Duck Attack!

| image = Duck Attack! (Atari 2600) cartridge art.jpg

| developer = Will Nicholes

| publisher = AtariAge

| designer = Will Nicholes

| engine =

| released = July 2010

| genre = Action-adventure

| modes = Single player

| platforms = Atari 2600

}}

Duck Attack! is an action-adventure video game developed by Will Nicholes for the Atari 2600 console and published by AtariAge. The game was released at the July 2010 Classic Gaming Expo in Las Vegas.

Plot

A mad scientist has created mutant, fire-breathing ducks that lay radioactive plutonium eggs. The player must collect the eggs to prevent the scientist from using them to build a doomsday device, while avoiding the ducks and other obstacles.

Gameplay

File:DuckAttack-Tank-room-1.png

The player uses the joystick to control a robot that explores the scientist's lair, picking up eggs, weapons, and other useful objects. When two eggs are found and brought to the appropriate exit, the player advances to the next level.

The player starts with three lives (robots) and loses one when eaten by a duck or hit by the ducks' fire or another deadly object. Additional lives and various power-ups can be earned by picking up colored balloons. The player can play with all objects either in a predetermined location, or randomly distributed in the rooms.

Development

Duck Attack! was initially conceived as a ROM hack of the Atari 2600 game Adventure, but was then rewritten as an original title. The game displays sprites that are larger and more detailed than commonly seen in Atari 2600 games, but with a lower vertical resolution.

Reception

French retrogaming magazine Pix'n Love offered a positive review in a July 2010 issue, complimenting the game's originality and depth.

In April 2011, 1UP.com included Duck Attack! as one of "31 Homebrew Games Worth Playing", saying "It's like someone took Adventure and mixed it with Resident Evil 3. Only with more ducks."

The A.V. Club described the game as "an oddity: It's a wholly modern 2600 game that's actually fun and as awesomely weird as old 2600 games like Frankenstein's Monster."

References

{{reflist|refs=

{{cite web

| url = http://www.toledofreepress.com/2010/08/03/tech-savvy-fans-programming-developing-on-classic-console/

| title = Tech-savvy fans programming, developing on classic console

| first = Jeff

| last = McGinnis

| work = Toledo Free Press

| date = 2010-08-04

| access-date = 2010-08-04

| archive-url = https://archive.today/20130104225054/http://www.toledofreepress.com/2010/08/03/tech-savvy-fans-programming-developing-on-classic-console/

| archive-date = 2013-01-04

| url-status = dead

}}

{{cite web

|url=http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100725/LOCAL0201/307259917/1002/LOCAL

|title=Ducks roam new game for old Atari

|first=Frank

|last=Gray

|work=The Journal Gazette

|date=2010-07-25

|access-date=2010-08-04

|url-status=dead

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100830090424/http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100725/LOCAL0201/307259917/1002/LOCAL

|archive-date=2010-08-30

}}

{{cite web

| url = https://willnicholes.com/2010/09/02/duck-attack-online-manual/

| title = Duck Attack! online manual

| first = Will

| last = Nicholes

| date = 2 September 2010

| access-date = February 8, 2023 }}

{{cite journal

| title = Duck Attack! review

| first = Cyril

| last = Denis

| date = July 4, 2010

| journal = Pix'n Love

| issue = 13

| page = 14

| language = fr

}}

{{cite web

| url = http://www.1up.com/features/31-homebrew-games-worth-playing

| title = 31 Homebrew Games Worth Playing

| first = Ryan

| last = Winterhalter

| work = 1UP.com

| date = April 29, 2011

| access-date = February 8, 2023

| url-status = dead

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110503220427/http://www.1up.com/features/31-homebrew-games-worth-playing

| archive-date = May 3, 2011 }}

{{cite web

| url = http://www.avclub.com/article/back-from-the-dead-9-modern-games-for-obsolete-con-105772

| title = Back from the dead: 9 modern games for obsolete consoles

| first = Anthony John

| last = Agnello

| work = The A.V. Club

| date = November 19, 2013

| access-date = December 4, 2013 }}

{{cite web

| url = https://willnicholes.com/2010/08/04/technical-specs/

| title = Duck Attack! technical specifications

| first = Will

| last = Nicholes

| date = 4 August 2010

| access-date = February 8, 2023 }}

{{cite web

| url = https://kittysneezes.com/interview-will-nicholes-697/

| title = Interview: Will Nicholes

| work = Kittysneezes.com

| date = August 24, 2010

| access-date = February 8, 2023 }}}}

  • {{cite news

|url = http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100809/BUSINESS/8090325

|title = Atari revival

|first = Bob

|last = Caylor

|work = The News-Sentinel

|location = Fort Wayne, Indiana

|date = August 18, 2010

|access-date = January 12, 2011

|url-status = dead

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110511185257/http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20100809%2FBUSINESS%2F8090325

|archive-date = May 11, 2011

}}

  • {{cite news

| title = Introducing Duck Attack!

| first = Lindy

| last = Jurack

| work = Sidney Daily News

| location = Sidney, Ohio

| date = December 15, 2010 }}