Eagle Empire

Eagle Empire

Game No.	305
Voting	6.69 points, 13 votes
Developer	Steve Evans
Publisher	Alligata Software, Dixons, Stars, Central Software
Release	1984
Platform	C64, BBC Micro
Genre	Shoot'em Up, Space Invader, Arcade
Gamemode	Single player 2 players (in turns)
Operation
Media
Language
Information	also: Zona Roja The arcade version was named Phoenix

Description[edit | edit source]

"Eagle Empire" is a conversion of the arcade machine classic "Phoenix", which filled the arcade halls in 1980. To end a game round you need to fend off four attack waves with a space ship and then try to eliminate the commanders of the enemy’s base. As follows:

Convoy Phoenix (1st wave): The enemies (Phoenix) make a formation from which some break out and try to destroy your ship by collision or shooting. Your spaceship has a slow shooting frequency.

Diving Phoenix (2nd wave): The course is the same as in the first attack wave, but the enemies are faster and so is your spaceship‘s shooting frequency.

Eagle blue (3rd wave): They appear in a formation of eight eggs, from which the eagles hatch. You have to hit an eagle exactly in the centre to destroy it, it does not mind if it loses a wing, it will regenerate. Your spaceship has a slow shooting frequency.

Eagle purple (4th wave): The course is the same as in the 3rd attack wave, but the enemies are faster and so is your spaceship‘s shooting frequency.

Emperor (enemy base): You have to try to destroy the commander of the basis. For this destroy the outer protective layer (purple) and then the inner protective layer (blue) of the base. The bigger the destruction of the outer layer, the more points you get. But beware: The distance between the base and your ship continuously diminishes. When touching it, your spaceship gets destroyed.

After destroying the enemy’s base the next round starts with a bit more aggressive enemies. You get an additional spaceship with 10.000 points and at every further 20.000 points.

Design[edit | edit source]

... the enemies in attack waves 1-4 (Eagle and Pheonix) ...

... the end boss, the Emperor that still feels save in his base ...

Hints[edit | edit source]

Controls[edit | edit source]

in the title screen

F1 / F3 = 1 player keyboard / 2 players keyboard
F5 / F7 = 1 player joystick / 2 players joystick

in the game - keyboard (same keys for player 1 and 2)

Z / X = move spaceship to the left/right
Shift = shoot
Space = protective shield on

in the game - joystick (same joystick for player 1 and 2)

= move spaceship to the left/right
= shoot
= protective shield on

Protective shield[edit | edit source]

After using the protective shield four times shortly or once for a longer period (about 7 seconds) the energy has run out and you have to wait approx. 15 seconds until you can activate it again for a short time. While the protective shield is active the ship cannot be moved, but you can shoot.

Points and enemies[edit | edit source]

Display[edit | edit source]

upper left/right = player 1/2, current score
upper middle = current high-score
lower left = number of ships left for the player

Solution[edit | edit source]

Cheats[edit | edit source]

The version by "Remember" contains next to the manual also different trainers (unlimited lives, unlimited shield, indestructible spaceship, multishot always on, base in level 5 does not move down).

Voting[edit | edit source]

Voting of the C64-Wiki users (10=the best vote):
6.69 points at 13 votes (rank 561). You need to be logged in to cast a vote.
C64Games	7	8th September 2013 - "very good" - 21355 downs
Lemon64	7	8th September 2013 - "7,3" - 34 votes

Reviews[edit | edit source]

H.T.W: "Although the graphics are minimalistic and also the sound only consists of shooting, whistling and explosion sounds, this conversion can be played well. Also, the vertically scrolling starfield reminds of the original arcade machine that I have fed at that time with many coins. Altogether a good conversion and worth a game every now and then. Old, but good, pure nostalgia..."

TheRyk: "Many issues spoil the shooter's delight, especially enemy sprites deathlessly hiding in the border. This leads to tedious gaming, because you wait forever, until the coward alien eagles finally grow some balls and dare enter the screen so that you can finish the level. What is more, especially in higher levels this phenomenon even produces a lack of lucidity which can not be regarded as fair play. This could have easily been prevented by defining the screen as the only place where enemy sprites may move. Also the balancing is inadequate. The first boss fight is ridiculously easy, whereas in the second run the Emperor's ship's fire frequency is already at the brink of too hard. Bottom line: A playable but substandard Space Invaders clone, 4 points. I recommend Bandits to anyone who wants to know a proper realization of the game concept."

Robotron2084: "Relatively sluggishly sloppily done copy of an arcade machine superhit. This lacks the dynamic of the original and the almost total silence during the game hardly adds exhilaration. I did not quite like Eagle Empire in the old days with its clunky action and the chunky graphics. Even for 1984, there could have been more to it. 5 out of 10 points."