Fire Power (video Game)
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''Fire Power'' (also ''Firepower'') is a military tank
action game An action game is a video game genre that emphasizes physical challenges, including hand–eye coordination and reaction time. The genre includes a large variety of sub-genres, such as fighting games, beat 'em ups, shooter games, rhythm games and ...
developed by Silent Software for the
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. It was released in
1987 Events January * January 1 – Bolivia reintroduces the Boliviano currency. * January 2 – Chadian–Libyan conflict – Battle of Fada: The Military of Chad, Chadian army destroys a Libyan armoured brigade. * January 3 – Afghan leader ...
and published by
MicroIllusions MicroIllusions was a computer game developer and publisher of the home computer era (late 1980s to early 1990s). Based in Granada Hills, California, the company was a strong supporter of the Amiga and typically released titles on that platform bef ...
and
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. Ports were released for the
Apple IIGS The Apple IIGS (styled as II) is a 16-bit personal computer produced by Apple Inc., Apple Computer beginning in September 1986. It is the fifth and most powerful model of the Apple II family. The "GS" in the name stands for "Graphics and Sound" ...
, the
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and for
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in 1988. An
Atari Lynx The Atari Lynx is a Fourth generation of video game consoles, fourth-generation handheld game console, hand-held game console released by Atari Corporation in September 1989 in North America and 1990 in Europe and Japan. It was the first handhe ...
version was planned but development never started due to internal conflict with
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.


Summary

The gameplay consists of controlling a tank through an expansive, outdoor landscape. Each map has at least two bases - one for the green team, and one for the yellow (red in the PC version) team. Initially, the base locations were hidden from the players, so an extensive search of the landscape had to be conducted first. Nonetheless, many players chose to rampage around the map, simply blasting away. Obstacles included enemy
turret Turret may refer to: * Turret (architecture), a small tower that projects above the wall of a building * Gun turret, a mechanism of a projectile-firing weapon * Optical microscope#Objective turret (revolver or revolving nose piece), Objective turre ...
s spread around the map, various fortifications and destructible buildings. If the player stood still for too long (to set up an ambush, for instance), a series of enemy helicopters would appear from off screen and attack. The helicopters could be shot down with the tank's main weapon.


Bases and tanks

Each base has several different types of buildings, such as armories, barracks, and bio-domes. The objective is to capture the flag from inside the enemy base by blasting through walls and destroying any defenses. You could also rescue
prisoners of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of war for a ...
by destroying the POW camps that were scattered throughout the enemy base. Destroying the camps would allow the captives to hop in your tank for a ride back to your base. An extra tank life is rewarded for each fifteen POWs rescued. Three different tanks are available: one is fast and fragile, one is slow but strong, and the third is rated in between the two. Each tank could carry a different amount of POWs. To capture the enemy flag, you had to carefully maneuver your tank into the flag building and drive over the enemy flag to pick it up. Your weapons could not destroy garages.


Features

The game includes the ability to run over enemy soldiers, crushing them with an accompanying "squish" sound effect and a bloody "splat" that remains on the battlefield for several minutes. A map editor allows creation of custom multiplayer experiences. ''Fire Power'' can be played alone, against a human opponent on a split screen, or over a
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, which allowed players to chat with each other while playing.


Reception

Roy Wagner reviewed the game for ''
Computer Gaming World ''Computer Gaming World'' (CGW) was an American Video game journalism, computer game magazine that was published between 1981 and 2006. One of the few magazines of the era to survive the video game crash of 1983, it was sold to Ziff Davis in 199 ...
'', and stated that "I find Fire Power to be a fair priced design with exceptional presentation. In other words, it is a great shoot 'em up arcade wargame."


Reviews

*''
Computer and Video Games ''Computer and Video Games'' (also known as ''CVG'', ''Computer & Video Games'', ''C&VG'', ''Computer + Video Games'', or ''C+VG'') is a British-based video game magazine, published in its original form between 1981 and 2004. Its offshoot web ...
'' (Jun, 1988) *''
ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment) ''ACE'' (''Advanced Computer Entertainment'') is a discontinued multi-format computer and video game magazine, first published in the United Kingdom by Future Publishing and later acquired by EMAP. History ACE launched in October 1987, roughly ...
'' (Oct, 1989) *''
ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment) ''ACE'' (''Advanced Computer Entertainment'') is a discontinued multi-format computer and video game magazine, first published in the United Kingdom by Future Publishing and later acquired by EMAP. History ACE launched in October 1987, roughly ...
'' (Jul, 1988) *''
Info Info is shorthand for "information Information is an Abstraction, abstract concept that refers to something which has the power Communication, to inform. At the most fundamental level, it pertains to the Interpretation (philosophy), interpr ...
'' (Nov, 1987) *''
The Games Machine ''The Games Machine'' was a video game magazine that was published from 1987 until 1990 in the United Kingdom by Newsfield, which also published '' CRASH'', ''Zzap!64'', '' Amtix!'' and other magazines. History ''The Games Machine'' ran head ...
'' (Jun, 1988) *''
Commodore User ''Commodore User'', (also referred to as ''CU'') later renamed to ''CU Amiga'', is a British magazine initially published by Paradox Group before being acquired by EMAP. Timeline ''Commodore User'' was launched in October 1983 with an initial pr ...
'' (Jun, 1988) *''
Games-X ''Games-X'' was a multi-format weekly computer and video game magazine published in the United Kingdom. It was launched in May 1991. The publisher was Europress. Editor Hugh Gollner later described it "a big mistake" in terms of finances. See al ...
'' (Aug 08, 1991) *''
Commodore Format ''Commodore Format'' was a British magazine for users of the Commodore 64 home computer. It was published on the third Thursday of every month. All 61 issues were produced by Future plc. These came towards the end of the machine's commercial li ...
'' (Jun, 1991) *'' ST/Amiga Format'' (Jul, 1988) *''
Commodore User ''Commodore User'', (also referred to as ''CU'') later renamed to ''CU Amiga'', is a British magazine initially published by Paradox Group before being acquired by EMAP. Timeline ''Commodore User'' was launched in October 1983 with an initial pr ...
'' (Oct, 1989) *''
The Games Machine ''The Games Machine'' was a video game magazine that was published from 1987 until 1990 in the United Kingdom by Newsfield, which also published '' CRASH'', ''Zzap!64'', '' Amtix!'' and other magazines. History ''The Games Machine'' ran head ...
'' (Nov, 1989) *''Australian Commodore and Amiga Review'' (Apr, 1990) *''Your Amiga'' (Jun, 1988)


Legacy

''Fire Power'' spawned two sequels, '' Return Fire'' and '' Return Fire 2''.


References


External links

* * * {{Authority control 1987 video games Action games Amiga games Apple IIGS games Cancelled Atari Lynx games Commodore 64 games DOS games MicroIllusions games Multiplayer and single-player video games Silent Software games Tank simulation video games Video games developed in the United States