Zaxxon (home computers)

For the original arcade version and console ports, see Zaxxon.

n/a

Zaxxon

System(s): Apple II, Atari 8-bit family, Commodore 64, IBM PC, MSX, TRS-80, TRS-80 Color Computer, ZX Spectrum

Publisher:

Sega Enterprises, Inc. (US; cartridge)

Datasoft (cassette/disk)

Philips (EU)

Pony (JP)

Radio Shack

U.S. Gold (UK)

Developer:

Synsoft

Distributor:

Canon (JP)

Callisto Computers (UK)

Radio Shack

Licensor:

Sega Enterprises, Inc.

Sega Enterprises, Ltd.

Genre: Shoot-'em-Up

Release	Date	RRP	Code
US	1984-03^[3]	$39.9539.95^[4]	008-05
UK (Disk)	1984	£14.9514.95^[2]
UK (Cassette)	1984	£9.959.95^[2]
UK (Cassette)	1985	£7.957.95^[6]^[7]
US	1983
JP	1985-09	¥4,8004,800	R48X5803
UK	1985	£11.9511.95^[5]
JP	198x
US	1983	$39.9539.95^[8]^[9]
US	1983		008-03
EU	1984
UK (Cassette)	1983	£14.9514.95^[1]
US	1983		26-1956
US	1983

Zaxxon (ザクソン) for home computers is a selection of Zaxxon ports to the Apple II, Atari 8-bit family, Commodore 64, IBM PC, MSX, TRS-80, TRS-80 CoCo and ZX Spectrum computers.

Versions

For a while, Datasoft had the rights to computer cassette and disk versions of the game in North America and Europe, producing ports to the Apple II, Atari 8-bit computer line, Commodore 64, TRS-80 and TRS-80 CoCo. Zaxxon was among the first licensed TRS-80 (and TRS-CoCo) video games to be released - up until this point few major video game developers supported either of Tandy's machines, so it was more common to see unofficial clones (and indeed many clones of Zaxxon would emerge in the following years, such as Zaksund and Z-89).

As well as Datasoft's version, another official port of Zaxxon produced for the Commodore 64 and released on cartridge. The cartridge version has more accurate visuals but is generally regarded as less playable. U.S. Gold also published versions of Zaxxon for the ZX Spectrum, while an MSX version was published by Pony Canyon (on cartridge) in Japan and by Philips (on cassette) in Europe. Also released was an IBM PC version in the "PC Booter" format, which is only optimised for the original 4.77MHz machine and so runs too fast on anything more modern.

Amsoft picked up the rights for an Amstrad CPC version of Zaxxon for release in 1986^[10]^[11], but no such port materialised.

Production credits

Apple II version

Game Programming by: John Garcia
Assisted by: Jim Ratcliff
Graphic Artist: Kelly Day
Documentation: Jean Stedman

Commodore 64 version

C64 Version by Peter Adams

Magazine articles

Main article: Zaxxon (home computers)/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Home versions US print advert
Apple II/Atari 8-bit family/TRS-80 CoCo US print advert
Home computers FR print advert
Commodore 64 US print advert

Atari 8-bit print advert in (UK) #31: "May 1984" (1984-04-16)
also published in:

(UK) #32: "June 1984" (1984-05-16)^[12]
(UK) #33: "July 1984" (1984-06-16)^[13]

Commodore 64 print advert in (UK) #35: "September 1984" (1984-08-16)
also published in:

(UK) #36: "October 1984" (1984-09-16)^[14]
(UK) #37: "November 1984" (1984-10-16)^[15]

Commodore 64 print advert in (UK) #35: "September 1984" (1984-08-16)
also published in:

(UK) #36: "October 1984" (1984-09-16)^[16]
(UK) #37: "November 1984" (1984-10-16)^[17]

Commodore 64 print advert in (UK) #38: "December 1984" (1984-11-16)
also published in:

(UK) #39: "January 1985" (1984-12-16)^[18]

Commodore 64 print advert in (UK) #40: "February 1985" (1985-01-16)
also published in:

(UK) #41: "March 1985" (1985-02-16)^[19]

Atari 8-bit/Commodore 64/ZX Spectrum print advert in (UK) #36: "October 1984" (1984-09-16)
also published in:

(UK) #37: "November 1984" (1984-10-16)^[20]

Commodore 64/ZX Spectrum print advert in (UK) #38: "December 1984" (1984-11-16)

Commodore 64/ZX Spectrum print advert in (UK) #38: "December 1984" (1984-11-16)
also published in:

(UK) #39: "January 1985" (1984-12-16)^[21]

Commodore 64/ZX Spectrum print advert in (UK) #39: "January 1985" (1984-12-16)

Commodore 64/ZX Spectrum print advert in (UK) #40: "February 1985" (1985-01-16)
also published in:

(UK) #41: "March 1985" (1985-02-16)^[22]
(UK) #42: "April 1985" (1985-03-16)^[23]
(UK) #43: "May 1985" (1985-04-16)^[24]

Commodore 64/ZX Spectrum print advert in (UK) #44: "June 1985" (1985-05-16)
also published in:

(UK) #45: "July 1985" (1985-06-16)^[25]

Atari/Commodore 64/ZX Spectrum print advert in (UK) #47: "September 1985" (1985-08-16)

ZX Spectrum print advert in (UK) #14: "March 1985" (1985-02-28)

Physical scans

Apple II version

Sega Retro Average

Publication

Version

Score

(FR)

60

^[26]

	60
Based on 1 review

Zaxxon (home computers)

Apple II, US
Cover
Manual

Apple II, US (alt)
Cover
Disk

Apple II, JP

Atari 8-bit Family version

Atari 8-bit family, US (cartridge)
Cover
Cart Manual

Atari 8-bit family, US (cassette)
Cover
Cassette

Atari 8-bit family, US (cassette) (alt)
Cover
Cassette

Atari 8-bit family, US (disk)
Cover
Disk

Atari 8-bit family, UK (cassette)
Cover

Atari 8-bit family, FR (cassette)
Cover

Commodore 64 version

Sega Retro Average

Publication

Version

Score

(UK)

70

^[27]

(UK)

87

^[28]

	78
Based on 2 reviews

Zaxxon (home computers)

Commodore 64, US (cartridge)
Cover
Cart

Commodore 64, US (disk)
Cover

Commodore 64, US (disk) (Thunder Mountain)
Cover

Commodore 64, UK (cassette)
Cover

Commodore 64, UK (disk)
Cover

IBM PC version

IBM PC, US

MSX version

Sega Retro Average

Publication

Version

Score

(UK)

98

^[5]

	98
Based on 1 review

Zaxxon (home computers)

MSX, EU
Cover
Cassette

MSX, JP
Cover

TRS-80 version

TRS-80, US (cassette)
Cover
Cassette

TRS-80, US (disk)
Cover
Disk

TRS-80 CoCo version

Sega Retro Average

Publication

Version

Score

(US)

80

^[29]

	80
Based on 1 review

Zaxxon (home computers)

TRS-80 CoCo, US
Cover
Cassette

ZX Spectrum version

Sega Retro Average

Publication

Version

Score

(UK)

58

^[30]

(FR)

60

^[31]

	59
Based on 2 reviews

Zaxxon (home computers)

ZX Spectrum, UK
Cover
Cassette

References

Zaxxon (home computers)
	Main page \| Comparisons \| Maps \| Magazine articles \| Reception No results

Games in the Zaxxon Series
Zaxxon (1981) (home computers) \| Super Zaxxon (1982) \| Zaxxon Super Game (1984) \| Zaxxon 3D (1987) \| Zaxxon's Motherbase 2000 (1995) \| Zaxxon Escape (2012)
Others
Zaxxon (LCD) (1982) \| FL Zaxxon (1982) \| Zaxxon (tabletop) (1982) \| Zaxxon (board game) (1982)
Zaxxon related media
	(1982)

[:File:CVG_UK_031.pdf_p42-1] Computer & Video Games, "May 1984" (UK; 1984-04-16), page 42

[:File:CVG_UK_035.pdf_p14-2] 2.0 ^2.1 Computer & Video Games, "September 1984" (UK; 1984-08-16), page 14

[:File:ComputerEntertainer_US_Vol.3_01.pdf_p16-3] Computer Entertainer, "April 1984" (US; 1984-04-xx), page 16

[:File:Zaxxon_C64_US_PrintAd.jpg_p-4] File:Zaxxon C64 US PrintAd.jpg

[:File:CVG_UK_044.pdf_p21-5] 5.0 ^5.1 Computer & Video Games, "June 1985" (UK; 1985-05-16), page 21

[:File:CVG_UK_036.pdf_p94-6] Computer & Video Games, "October 1984" (UK; 1984-09-16), page 94

[:File:CVG_UK_038.pdf_p105-7] Computer & Video Games, "December 1984" (UK; 1984-11-16), page 105

[:File:CGW_US_012.pdf_p7-8] Computer Gaming World, "October 1983" (US; 1983-xx-xx), page 7

[:File:HardcoreComputist_US_0303.pdf_p10-9] Hardcore Computist, "Volume 3, Number 3" (US; 1984-xx-xx), page 10

[:File:AmstradComputerUser_UK_32.pdf_p5-10] Amstrad Computer User, "July 1987" (UK; 1987-xx-xx), page 5

[:File:PCW_UK_6.27.pdf_p40-11] Popular Computing Weekly, "Vol. 6 No. 27" (UK; 1987-07-10), page 40

[:File:CVG_UK_032.pdf_p80-12] Computer & Video Games, "June 1984" (UK; 1984-05-16), page 80

[:File:CVG_UK_033.pdf_p53-13] Computer & Video Games, "July 1984" (UK; 1984-06-16), page 53

[:File:CVG_UK_036.pdf_p113-14] Computer & Video Games, "October 1984" (UK; 1984-09-16), page 113

[:File:CVG_UK_037.pdf_p76-15] Computer & Video Games, "November 1984" (UK; 1984-10-16), page 76

[:File:CVG_UK_036.pdf_p2-16] Computer & Video Games, "October 1984" (UK; 1984-09-16), page 2

[:File:CVG_UK_037.pdf_p16-17] Computer & Video Games, "November 1984" (UK; 1984-10-16), page 16

[:File:CVG_UK_039.pdf_p65-18] Computer & Video Games, "January 1985" (UK; 1984-12-16), page 65

[:File:CVG_UK_041.pdf_p96-19] Computer & Video Games, "March 1985" (UK; 1985-02-16), page 96

[:File:CVG_UK_037.pdf_p197-20] Computer & Video Games, "November 1984" (UK; 1984-10-16), page 197

[:File:CVG_UK_039.pdf_p48-21] Computer & Video Games, "January 1985" (UK; 1984-12-16), page 48

[:File:CVG_UK_041.pdf_p44-22] Computer & Video Games, "March 1985" (UK; 1985-02-16), page 44

[:File:CVG_UK_042.pdf_p56-23] Computer & Video Games, "April 1985" (UK; 1985-03-16), page 56

[:File:CVG_UK_043.pdf_p87-24] Computer & Video Games, "May 1985" (UK; 1985-04-16), page 87

[:File:CVG_UK_045.pdf_p34-25] Computer & Video Games, "July 1985" (UK; 1985-06-16), page 34

[:File:Tilt_FR_010.pdf_p29-26] Tilt, "Mars 1984" (FR; 1984-xx-xx), page 29

[:File:CommodoreUser_UK_15.pdf_p67-27] Commodore User, "December 1984" (UK; 1984-1x-xx), page 67

[:File:CVG_UK_033.pdf_p50-28] Computer & Video Games, "July 1984" (UK; 1984-06-16), page 50

[29] K-Power, "February 1984" (US; 1984-xx-xx), page 21

[:File:Crash_UK_14.pdf_p30-30] Crash, "March 1985" (UK; 1985-02-28), page 30

[31] Tilt, "Juillet/Août 1985" (FR; 1985-xx-xx), page 61

[3]

[4]

[2]

[6]

[7]

[5]

[8]

[9]

[1]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]

[21]

[22]

[23]

[24]

[25]

[26]

[27]

[28]

[29]

[30]

[31]

Zaxxon (home computers)

From Sega Retro

Contents

Versions

Production credits

Apple II version

Commodore 64 version

Magazine articles

Promotional material

Physical scans

Apple II version

Atari 8-bit Family version

Commodore 64 version

IBM PC version

MSX version

TRS-80 version

TRS-80 CoCo version

ZX Spectrum version

References