Definition: "MOON PATROL" is an arcade video game released in 1982 by Irem Corporation, and later distributed in North America by Williams Electronics. The game combines side-scrolling racing and shoot-'em-up elements, featuring a moon buggy navigating terrain while engaging enemy vehicles and UFOs.
Overview: Moon Patrol is recognized as one of the early arcade games to incorporate parallax scrolling, creating a sense of depth by moving multiple background layers at different speeds. Players control a lunar vehicle that moves automatically from left to right across a two-dimensional landscape. The objective is to traverse each stage while avoiding or destroying obstacles such as craters, rocks, and enemy fire. The gameplay alternates between ground and aerial sequences, allowing the player to jump over terrain hazards and shoot airborne enemies.
The game was notable for its innovative graphics and smooth animation for the time, contributing to its commercial success and influence on later side-scrolling games. It was adapted for various home computer and console platforms during the 1980s, including the Atari 2600, ColecoVision, and MSX.
Etymology/Origin: The name "Moon Patrol" reflects the game's science fiction setting, where the player assumes the role of a patrol vehicle on the Moon. It was developed by Irem, a Japanese company known for early arcade titles such as "Moon Cresta." The term "Patrol" suggests a military or exploratory mission, consistent with the game's theme of defending lunar territory from alien threats.
Characteristics:
- Genre: Side-scrolling shooter / racing hybrid
- Display: Horizontal orientation, raster graphics
- Controls: Two-button setup — one for jump, one for fire
- Gameplay: Automatic forward movement, parallax scrolling with three background layers (stars, mountains, and ground)
- Obstacles: Craters (must be jumped over), rocks (must be jumped or destroyed), and enemy fire from ground-based targets and UFOs
- Scoring: Points awarded for destroying enemies, surviving hazards, and distance traveled
Moon Patrol was one of the first video games to use multilayer parallax scrolling, a technique that would later become standard in side-scrolling titles.
Related Topics:
- Irem Corporation
- Williams Electronics
- Parallax scrolling in video games
- Early arcade games (1980s)
- Lunar-themed video games
- Side-scrolling shooter games
- Video game adaptations for home systems in the 1980s