Zaxxon (home computers)

From Sega Retro

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

n/a

Zaxxon Spectrum Title.png

Zaxxon
System(s): Apple II, Atari 8-bit family, Commodore 64, Dragon 32, IBM PC, MSX, TRS-80, TRS-80 CoCo, ZX Spectrum
Publisher:
Atari 8-bit Family
Commodore 64
Sega (US; cartridge)
Apple II
Atari 8-bit Family
TRS-80 Color Computer
Datasoft (cassette/disk)
MSX
Philips (EU)
MSX
Pony Canyon (JP)

Template:TRS80 Radio Shack

Commodore 64
ZX Spectrum
U.S. Gold (UK)
Developer:
Distributor:
Atari 8-bit Family
Callisto Computers (UK)
Genre: Shoot-'em-Up

















Release Date RRP Code
Commodore 64
US
$39.9539.95[3]
Commodore 64
UK
(Disk)
£14.9514.95[2]
Commodore 64
UK
(Cassette)
£9.959.95[2]
ZX Spectrum
UK
(Cassette)
£7.957.95[5][6]
IBM PC compatibles
US
MSX
JP
¥4,8004,800
MSX
UK
£11.9511.95[4]
Apple II
US
$39.9539.95[7][8]
Atari 8-bit Family
US
Atari 8-bit Family
EU
Atari 8-bit Family
UK
(Cassette)
£14.9514.95[1]
Dragon 32
EU
TRS-80
US
26-1956
TRS-80 Color Computer
US

Zaxxon (ザクソン) for home computers is a selection of Zaxxon ports to the Apple II, Atari 8-bit family, Commodore 64, Dragon 32, 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 Dragon 32, 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[9], 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

Logo-pdf.svg
Atari 8-bit print advert in Computer & Video Games (UK) #31: "May 1984" (1984-04-16)
also published in:
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Commodore 64 print advert in Computer & Video Games (UK) #35: "September 1984" (1984-08-16)
also published in:
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Commodore 64 print advert in Computer & Video Games (UK) #35: "September 1984" (1984-08-16)
also published in:
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Commodore 64 print advert in Computer & Video Games (UK) #38: "December 1984" (1984-11-16)
also published in:
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Commodore 64 print advert in Computer & Video Games (UK) #40: "February 1985" (1985-01-16)
also published in:
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Atari 8-bit/Commodore 64/ZX Spectrum print advert in Computer & Video Games (UK) #36: "October 1984" (1984-09-16)
also published in:
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Commodore 64/ZX Spectrum print advert in Computer & Video Games (UK) #38: "December 1984" (1984-11-16)
Logo-pdf.svg
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) #39: "January 1985" (1984-12-16)
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
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ZX Spectrum print advert in Crash (UK) #14: "March 1985" (1985-02-28)
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Physical scans

Apple II version

Apple II, US
Zaxxon AppleII US Box Back.jpgNospine.pngZaxxon AppleII US Box Front.jpg
Cover
Zaxxon AppleII US Manual.pdf
Manual
Apple II, US (alt)
Zaxxon AppleII US Box Front Alt.jpg
Cover

Atari 8-bit Family version

Atari 8-bit family, US (cartridge)
Zaxxon A8B US Box Front.jpg
Cover
Zaxxon Atari8bit US Cart.jpg
Cart
Atari 8-bit family, US (cassette)
Zaxxon Atari8bit US Datasoft Cassette Box Back.jpgNospine.pngZaxxon Atari8bit US Datasoft Cassette Box Front.jpg
Cover
Zaxxon Atari8bit US Datasoft Cassette.jpg
Cassette
Atari 8-bit family, US (cassette) (alt)
Zaxxon Atari8bit US Datasoft Alt Casette Box Back.jpgNospine.pngZaxxon Atari8bit US Datasoft Alt Cassette Box Front.jpg
Cover
Zaxxon Atari8bit US Datasoft Cassette.jpg
Cassette
Atari 8-bit family, US (disk)
Zaxxon A8B US Box Front Disk.jpg
Cover
Zaxxon A8B US Disk.jpg
Disk
Atari 8-bit family, UK (cassette)
Zaxxon Atari8bit UK Datasoft Box Back.jpgZaxxon Atari8bit UK Datasoft Box Front.jpg
Cover
Atari 8-bit family, FR (cassette)
Zaxxon A8B FR Box Cassette.jpg
Cover

Commodore 64 version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
80 [24]
87 [25]
Commodore 64
84
Based on
2 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Commodore User (UK)
70
[24]
Computer & Video Games (UK)
87
[25]
Commodore 64
78
Based on
2 reviews

Zaxxon (home computers)

Commodore 64, US (cartridge)
Zaxxon C64 US Box Back.jpgNospine.pngZaxxon C64 US Box Front.jpg
Cover
Zaxxon C64 US Cart.jpg
Cart
Commodore 64, US (disk)
Zaxxon C64 US Box Back Disk.jpgNospine.pngZaxxon C64 US Box Front Disk.jpg
Cover
Commodore 64, US
(disk) (Thunder Mountain)
Zaxxon C64 US Box Back Disk TM.jpgNospine.pngZaxxon C64 US Box Front Disk TM.jpg
Cover
Commodore 64, UK (cassette)
Zaxxon C64 EU Box.jpg
Cover
Commodore 64, UK (disk)
Zaxxon C64 EU Box Back Disk.jpgNospine.pngZaxxon C64 EU Box Front Disk.jpg
Cover

Dragon 32 version

Dragon 32, EU

IBM PC version

IBM PC, US

MSX version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
{{{{{icon}}}|L}} Division by zero.
Based on
0 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Computer & Video Games (UK)
98
[4]
MSX
98
Based on
1 review

Zaxxon (home computers)

MSX, EU
Zaxxon MSX EU Box Back.jpgNospine.pngZaxxon MSX Box.jpg
Cover
Zaxxon MSX EU Tape.jpg
Cassette
MSX, JP
Zaxxon MSX JP Box Back.jpgNospine.pngZaxxon MSX JP Box Front Cart.jpg
Cover

TRS-80 version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
80 №1, p59-60
TRS-80
80
Based on
1 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
TRS-80
N/A
Based on
0 reviews

Zaxxon (home computers)

TRS-80, US (cassette)
Zaxxon TRS80 US Box Cassette.jpg
Cover
Zaxxon TRS80 US Cassette Back.jpgZaxxon TRS80 US Cassette Front.jpg
Cassette
TRS-80, US (disk)
Zaxxon TRS80 US Box Back.jpgNospine.pngZaxxon TRS80 US Box.jpg
Cover
Zaxxon TRS80 US Disk.jpg
Disk

TRS-80 CoCo version

TRS-80 CoCo, US
Zaxxon TRS80CoCo US Box.jpg
Cover
Zaxxon TRSCoCo US Cassette.jpg
Cassette

ZX Spectrum version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
58 №14, p30[26]
80 №23, p61, [1]
ZX Spectrum
69
Based on
2 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Crash (UK)
58
[26]
Tilt (FR)
60
[27]
ZX Spectrum
59
Based on
2 reviews

Zaxxon (home computers)

ZX Spectrum, UK
Zaxxon Spectrum EU Box.jpg
Cover
Zaxxon Spectrum UK Cassette.jpg
Cassette

References

  1. Computer & Video Games, "May 1984" (UK; 1984-04-16), page 42
  2. 2.0 2.1 Computer & Video Games, "September 1984" (UK; 1984-08-16), page 14
  3. File:Zaxxon C64 US PrintAd.jpg
  4. 4.0 4.1 Computer & Video Games, "June 1985" (UK; 1985-05-16), page 21
  5. Computer & Video Games, "October 1984" (UK; 1984-09-16), page 94
  6. Computer & Video Games, "December 1984" (UK; 1984-11-16), page 105
  7. Computer Gaming World, "October 1983" (US; 1983-xx-xx), page 7
  8. Hardcore Computist, "Volume 3, Number 3" (US; 1984-xx-xx), page 10
  9. Amstrad Computer User, "July 1987" (UK; 1987-xx-xx), page 5
  10. Computer & Video Games, "June 1984" (UK; 1984-05-16), page 80
  11. Computer & Video Games, "July 1984" (UK; 1984-06-16), page 53
  12. Computer & Video Games, "October 1984" (UK; 1984-09-16), page 113
  13. Computer & Video Games, "November 1984" (UK; 1984-10-16), page 76
  14. Computer & Video Games, "October 1984" (UK; 1984-09-16), page 2
  15. Computer & Video Games, "November 1984" (UK; 1984-10-16), page 16
  16. Computer & Video Games, "January 1985" (UK; 1984-12-16), page 65
  17. Computer & Video Games, "March 1985" (UK; 1985-02-16), page 96
  18. Computer & Video Games, "November 1984" (UK; 1984-10-16), page 197
  19. Computer & Video Games, "January 1985" (UK; 1984-12-16), page 48
  20. Computer & Video Games, "March 1985" (UK; 1985-02-16), page 44
  21. Computer & Video Games, "April 1985" (UK; 1985-03-16), page 56
  22. Computer & Video Games, "May 1985" (UK; 1985-04-16), page 87
  23. Computer & Video Games, "July 1985" (UK; 1985-06-16), page 34
  24. 24.0 24.1 Commodore User, "December 1984" (UK; 1984-1x-xx), page 67
  25. 25.0 25.1 Computer & Video Games, "July 1984" (UK; 1984-06-16), page 50
  26. 26.0 26.1 File:Crash UK 14.pdf, page 30 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:Crash UK 14.pdf_p30" defined multiple times with different content
  27. Tilt, "Juillet/Août 1985" (FR; 1985-xx-xx), page 61


Zaxxon (home computers)

Zaxxon Spectrum Title.png

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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
Book
The Official How to Win at Zaxxon (1982)