Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom

From Sega Retro

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Buckrogers Title.png

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:
Distributor:
TI-99/4a
Parco Electrics (UK)
Genre: Shooting

















Release Date RRP Code
ColecoVision
US		 1983 $? ?
Commodore 64
US
Commodore 64
EU
Commodore 64
UK
(Cassette) 		£9.959.95
ZX Spectrum
EU
IBM PC compatibles
US
MSX
UK 		£11.9511.95[1]
Apple II
US
Atari 8-bit Family
US
VIC-20
US

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

Magazine articles

Main article: Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

  • VCO Object US flyer

  • Home versions US print advert

Logo-pdf.svg
Commodore 64/ZX Spectrum print advert in Computer & Video Games (UK) #38: "December 1984" (1984-11-16)
also published in:
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Commodore 64/ZX Spectrum print advert in Computer & Video Games (UK) #40: "February 1985" (1985-01-16)
also published in:
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Commodore 64/ZX Spectrum print advert in Computer & Video Games (UK) #44: "June 1985" (1985-05-16)
also published in:
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Atari/Commodore 64/ZX Spectrum print advert in Computer & Video Games (UK) #47: "September 1985" (1985-08-16)
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
ZX Spectrum print advert in Crash (UK) #14: "March 1985" (1985-02-28)
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in TeleMatch (DE) #9: "Februar 1984" (1984-xx-xx)
Logo-pdf.svg

Physical scans

VCO Object version

VCO Object, US
BuckRogers VCOObject US Marquee.jpg
BuckRogers VCOObject US Manual.pdf
Manual

Apple II version

Apple II, US
BuckRogers AppleII US Box Back.jpgNospine.pngBuckRogers AppleII US Box Front.jpg
Cover

Atari 2600 version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
50 №9, p31[8]
Atari 2600
 50
Based on
1 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
TeleMatch (DE)
40
[8]
Tilt (FR)
80
[9]
Atari 2600
 60
Based on
2 reviews

Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom

Atari 2600, US
Buckrogers Atari2600 US Box Back.jpgNospine.pngBuckrogers Atari2600 US Box Front.jpg
Cover
Buckrogers Atari2600 US Cart.jpg
Cart
Buck Rogers Planet of Zoom Atari 2600 US Manual.pdf
Manual
Atari 2600, EU

Buckrogers Atari2600 EU Cart.jpg
Cart
Atari 2600, BR
Buckrogers Atari2600 BR Intellivision Box.jpg
Cover
Buckrogers Atari2600 BR Intellivision Cassette.jpg
Cassette

Atari 5200 version

Atari 5200, US
Buckrogers Atari5200 US Box Back.jpgNospine.pngBuckrogers Atari5200 US Box Front.jpg
Cover
Buckrogers Atari5200 US Cart.jpg
Cart
BuckRogers5200USManual.pdf
Manual

Atari 8-bit Family version

Atari 8-bit family, US
Buckrogers Atari8bit US Box Back.jpgNospine.pngBuckrogers Atari8bit US Box Front.jpg
Cover
BuckRogers Atari8bit US Cart.jpg
Cart

ColecoVision version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
55 №31, p44[10]
ColecoVision
 55
Based on
1 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Complete Guide to Consoles (UK)
72
[11]
ColecoVision
 72
Based on
1 review

Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom

ColecoVision, US
BuckRogers ColecoVision US Box Front.jpg
Cover
BuckRogers ColecoVision US Cart.jpg
Cart
ColecoVision, EU
BuckRogers ColecoVision EU Box Front.jpg
Cover

Commodore 64 version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
38 №1, p58/59[12]
Commodore 64
 38
Based on
1 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Zzap!64 (UK)
45
[12]
Commodore 64
 45
Based on
1 review

Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom

Commodore 64, US
BuckRogers C64 US Box Back.jpgNospine.pngBuckRogers C64 US Box Front.jpg
Cover
BuckRogers C64 US Cart.jpg
Cart
BuckRogers C64 US Manual.pdf
Manual
Commodore 64, UK
BuckRogers C64 EU Box.jpg
Cover
BuckRogers C64 EU Cassette.jpg
Cassette
BuckRogers C64 EU Manual.pdf
Manual

MSX version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
92 №44, p118[1]
MSX
 92
Based on
1 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Computer & Video Games (UK)
93
[1]
MSX
 93
Based on
1 review

Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom

MSX, EU
Buckrogers MSX EU Box.jpg
Cover
BuckRogers MSX EU Cassette Back.jpgBuckRogers MSX EU Cassette Front.jpg
Cassette

PC Booter version

DOS, US

TI-99/4A version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
90 №36, p34-35[2]
TI-99/4a
 90
Based on
1 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Computer & Video Games (UK)
90
[2]
TI-99/4a
 90
Based on
1 review

Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom

TI-99/4A, US
BuckRogers TI994A US Box Front.jpg
Cover

VIC-20 version

VIC-20, US
BuckRogers VIC20 US Box Front.jpg
Cover

ZX Spectrum version

ZX Spectrum, UK
Buckrogers Spectrum EU Box.jpg
Cover
BuckRogers Spectrum UK Cassette.jpg
Cassette

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 File:CVG UK 044.pdf, page 118 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:CVG UK 044.pdf_p118" defined multiple times with different content
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 File:CVG UK 036.pdf, page 34 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:CVG UK 036.pdf_p34" defined multiple times with different content
  3. ↑ Computer & Video Games, "January 1985" (UK; 1984-12-16), page 48
  4. ↑ Computer & Video Games, "March 1985" (UK; 1985-02-16), page 44
  5. ↑ Computer & Video Games, "April 1985" (UK; 1985-03-16), page 56
  6. ↑ Computer & Video Games, "May 1985" (UK; 1985-04-16), page 87
  7. ↑ Computer & Video Games, "July 1985" (UK; 1985-06-16), page 34
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 File:TeleMatch DE 09.pdf, page 31 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:TeleMatch DE 09.pdf_p31" defined multiple times with different content
  9. ↑ Tilt, "Mars 1984" (FR; 1984-xx-xx), page 40
  10. ↑ File:CVG UK 031.pdf, page 44
  11. ↑ Complete Guide to Consoles, "" (UK; 1989-10-16), page 50
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 File:Zzap64 UK 001.pdf, page 58 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:Zzap64 UK 001.pdf_p58" defined multiple times with different content
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