Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom

n/a

Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom
System(s): VCO Object, Apple II, Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Atari 8-bit, ColecoVision, Commodore 64, MSX, PC Booter, TI-99/4A, VIC-20, ZX Spectrum
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Sega
Distributor: Parco Electrics (UK)
Genre: Shooting
Release Date RRP Code US 1983 $? ? US 1983 EU 1983 UK (Cassette) 1983 £9.959.95 EU 1985 US 1984 EU 1983 US 1983 US 1983 US 1983

Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom is an early arcade game developed by Sega for VCO Object hardware. It uses the Buck Rogers comic book/television license, and stands as one of Sega's first licensed video games, along with Star Trek: Strategic Operations Simulator, both debuting in 1982. The game is adapted from the earlier Zoom 909, a largely identical game seen predominantly in Japan.

Gameplay

Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom is one of the earliest examples of a "rail" shoot-'em-up game. Gameplay is played in a pseudo-3D third-person perspective, with enemies and obstacles moving towards the camera. 2D sprites are scaled in real-time to give an illusion of depth - technology which would serve as a basis for a plethora of arcade games produced by Sega in the 1980s.

History

Legacy

Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom was brought to a wide variety of home consoles and computers between 1982 and 1985, including the Apple II, Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Atari 8-bit family, ColecoVision, Commodore 64, IBM PC (as a PC booter), TI-99/4A, VIC-20 and ZX Spectrum, each suffering slightly due to weaker hardware. Due to odd circumstances, the MSX received two ports of the game by different developers and publishers, one under the Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom name, and another as Zoom 909.

Gallery

• 

  Sit-down cabinet

• 

  Upright cabinet

Promotional material

• 

  VCO Object US flyer

• 

  Home versions US print advert

• SegaArcadeGames DE PrintAdvert.jpg

  Home versions DE print advert

• SegaTheArcadeWinnersVarious C64Spectrum UK PrintAd.jpg

  Commodore 64/ZX Spectrum versions UK print advert

Physical scans

VCO Object version

VCO Object, US
Manual

Apple II version

Apple II, US
Cover

Atari 2600 version

Atari 2600, US
Cover
Cart

Atari 2600, EU
Cart

Atari 2600, BR
Cover
Cassette

Atari 5200 version

Atari 5200, US
Cover
Cart Manual

Atari 8-bit Family version

Atari 8-bit family, US
Cover
Cart

ColecoVision version

ColecoVision, US
Cover
Cart

ColecoVision, EU
Cover

Commodore 64 version

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source Zzap!64 (UK) 38 №1

	38
Based on 1 review

Sega Retro Average
Publication Version Score Zzap!64 (UK) 45

	45
Based on 1 review

Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom

Commodore 64, US
Cover
Cart Manual

Commodore 64, UK
Cover
Cassette Manual

MSX version

MSX, EU
Cover

PC Booter version

DOS, US

TI-99/4A version

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source Computer & Video Games (UK) 90 №36, p34-35

	90
Based on 1 review

Sega Retro Average
Publication Version Score Computer & Video Games (UK) 90

	90
Based on 1 review

Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom

TI-99/4A, US
Cover

VIC-20 version

VIC-20, US
Cover

ZX Spectrum version

ZX Spectrum, UK
Cover