Laser Squad
Today's C64 Walkabout game spotlight is on a game called Laser Squad.
Originally made for the ZX Spectrum home computer popular in the UK in 1988 and ported to the Commodore 64, the C64 version still has the familiar black background present in many "Speccy" games (due to color limitations of that system). The game style is similar to, and an inspiration for the popular X-COM strategy game series. It also spawned a "remake" that came out a few years ago titled Laser Squad Nemesis.
Laser Squad is a turn-based Sci-Fi/futuristic "tactics" style strategy game. You control units with attributes that have a certain number of AP's or "action points" for performing all activities during a turn, including manipulating inventory, moving and attacking. After all of the units under your command have spent all of their AP's, you select "end turn" to let the enemy take its turn.
Laser Squad is an enduring and popular game for the C64 and other systems it was ported to, and works well in an emulator. By using a "snapshot" in VICE, you can mail the snapshot file back and forth to a friend and play by e-mail once you've both gotten the hang of playing against the computer. This feature of modern C64 emulators allows casual and infrequent play that is quite different from the old days when one of you needed to turn the other way or leave the room for minutes on end while your friend moved his units around.
From the manual:
"The winner of the game is the first side to accumulate 100 victory points. Victory points are awarded for
various things, such as eliminating enemy units or destroying certain installations, depending on the scenario being played."
The rest of the original manual text can be found HERE.
The game uses Joystick Port #1 for Single Player mode, and I find a USB game pad or the NumPad to be much easier to use than the unusual default keyboard directional controls.
Left and right on your controller will rotate you, and pushing up will move your unit forward.
Once you've selected your single player scenario, you'll need to deploy your units on RED "D" tiles on the map. That is your starting point. The rest is straightforward turn-based strategy.
A page dedicated to all things Laser Squad is HERE.
Give this classic a chance and it will have you hooked on strategy for hours on end!
DOWNLOAD the file (from the "Latif" link), bring up your emulator, and have fun!
Originally made for the ZX Spectrum home computer popular in the UK in 1988 and ported to the Commodore 64, the C64 version still has the familiar black background present in many "Speccy" games (due to color limitations of that system). The game style is similar to, and an inspiration for the popular X-COM strategy game series. It also spawned a "remake" that came out a few years ago titled Laser Squad Nemesis.
Laser Squad is a turn-based Sci-Fi/futuristic "tactics" style strategy game. You control units with attributes that have a certain number of AP's or "action points" for performing all activities during a turn, including manipulating inventory, moving and attacking. After all of the units under your command have spent all of their AP's, you select "end turn" to let the enemy take its turn.
Laser Squad is an enduring and popular game for the C64 and other systems it was ported to, and works well in an emulator. By using a "snapshot" in VICE, you can mail the snapshot file back and forth to a friend and play by e-mail once you've both gotten the hang of playing against the computer. This feature of modern C64 emulators allows casual and infrequent play that is quite different from the old days when one of you needed to turn the other way or leave the room for minutes on end while your friend moved his units around.
From the manual:
"The winner of the game is the first side to accumulate 100 victory points. Victory points are awarded for
various things, such as eliminating enemy units or destroying certain installations, depending on the scenario being played."
The rest of the original manual text can be found HERE.
The game uses Joystick Port #1 for Single Player mode, and I find a USB game pad or the NumPad to be much easier to use than the unusual default keyboard directional controls.
Left and right on your controller will rotate you, and pushing up will move your unit forward.
Once you've selected your single player scenario, you'll need to deploy your units on RED "D" tiles on the map. That is your starting point. The rest is straightforward turn-based strategy.
A page dedicated to all things Laser Squad is HERE.
Give this classic a chance and it will have you hooked on strategy for hours on end!
DOWNLOAD the file (from the "Latif" link), bring up your emulator, and have fun!
I love this game, I never beat the last 2 scenarios and now I think I will with an emulator!
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