''Apple Panic'' is a game for the

Apple II Apple II ("apple Roman numerals, two", stylized as Apple ][) is a series of microcomputers manufactured by Apple Computer, Inc. from 1977 to 1993. The Apple II (original), original Apple II model, which gave the series its name, was designed ...

programmed by Ben Serki and published by Broderbund Software in 1981. ''Apple Panic'' is an Copyright infringement, unauthorized version of the 1980 arcade game ''Space Panic'', the first game with ladders and platforms. While the arcade original remained obscure, ''Apple Panic'' became a top seller for home computers. It was ported to the

Atari 8-bit computers The Atari 8-bit computers, formally launched as the Atari Home Computer System, are a series of home computers introduced by Atari, Inc., in 1979 with the Atari 400 and Atari 800. The architecture is designed around the 8-bit MOS Technology 650 ...

VIC-20 The VIC-20 (known as the VC-20 in Germany and the VIC-1001 in Japan) is an 8-bit entry level home computer that was sold by Commodore International, Commodore Business Machines. The VIC-20 was announced in 1980, roughly three years after Commod ...

IBM PC The IBM Personal Computer (model 5150, commonly known as the IBM PC) is the first microcomputer released in the List of IBM Personal Computer models, IBM PC model line and the basis for the IBM PC compatible ''de facto'' standard. Released on ...

(as a

self-booting disk A self-booting disk is a floppy disk for home computers or personal computers that loads directly into a standalone application when the system is turned on, bypassing the operating system. This was common, standard, on some computers in the lat ...

), and

TRS-80 The TRS-80 Micro Computer System (TRS-80, later renamed the Model I to distinguish it from successors) is a desktop microcomputer developed by American company Tandy Corporation and sold through their Radio Shack stores. Launched in 1977, it is ...

Gameplay

The player controls a character that walks left and right along platforms made of green brick and climbs up and down ladders between them. The player can use a shovel to dig holes through the platforms, into which enemies will fall and become trapped. Once an enemy is stuck in a hole, the player must strike it repeatedly with the shovel until it falls through and hits the level below. This must be done quickly, because after about 17 seconds an enemy will be able to free itself, filling in the hole in the process. The player can also refill holes they've dug, or drop through them. There are three types of enemy in the game, the first and most numerous being the "apples". An apple will die if it falls at a single level. As the player advances, green and blue enemies will start to appear, which must be dropped through at least two or three levels, respectively. This is accomplished by digging a series of holes, one directly below another, and trapping the enemy in the uppermost hole. The player earns extra points if they drop one monster on top of another (killing them both). On each level, the player has only a limited time to dispatch all the enemies, tracked by a bar at the bottom of the screen. There are four distinct configurations of platforms and ladders through which the game cycles, but in every one there will always be five platforms in which the player can dig.

Ports

Ports for the

and

(as a

) were done by Olaf Lubeck, who also wrote '' Cannonball Blitz'' for the Apple II. A

version was programmed by Yves Lempereur and published by Funsoft.

Reception

In contrast to ''Space Panic''s lack of success in the arcades, ''Apple Panic'' was popular on home computers. Debuting in July 1981, the game sold 15,000 copies by June 1982, appearing on ''

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 ...

''s list of top sellers. '' Softline'' reported in 1983 that it was among the top 30 best-selling Apple software for almost two years, in contrast to the "two to four month life span" of the typical arcade game. ''

Electronic Games ''Electronic Games'' was the first dedicated video game magazine published in the United States and ran from October 15, 1981, to 1997 under different titles. It was co-founded by Bill Kunkel, Joyce Worley, and Arnie Katz. History The h ...

'' described ''Apple Panic'' in 1983 as "deliciously true to" the gameplay of ''Space Panic''. Dick McGrath reviewed the game for ''

'', and decided that the game gets a 4 on a scale of 1 to 10, and stated that "After playing ''Time Runner'', ''Apple Panic'' creates a deja-vu, I've-been-here-before." ''

Byte The byte is a unit of digital information that most commonly consists of eight bits. Historically, the byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the smallest addressable un ...

'' in 1982 called it "one of the most creative and novel games to be invented for a microcomputer". ''

PC Magazine ''PC Magazine'' (shortened as ''PCMag'') is an American computer magazine published by Ziff Davis. A print edition was published from 1982 to January 2009. Publication of online editions started in late 1994 and continues . Overview ''PC Mag ...

'' in 1983 stated "Yes, ''Apple Panic'' is a pretty dumb game. It's also fun to play and pretty to watch ... a welcome change from the endless stream of shoot-em-ups in space". Owen Linzmayer reviewing the TRS-80 version for ''

Creative Computing ''Creative Computing'' was one of the earliest magazines covering the microcomputer revolution. Published from October 1974 until December 1985, the magazine covered the spectrum of hobbyist/home/personal computing in a more accessible format t ...

'' wrote, "The ''Apple Panic'' packaging promises voice and sound effects. This is a bit misleading. The only time the computer speaks (through the AUX port), is when it displays the banner page. At this time, it says only two words, 'Apple Panic'." He concluded, "''Apple Panic'' from Funsoft may be well on its way to the top of the charts." ''Computer Games'' magazine gave the VIC-20 version a B rating, noting that it is "a slightly revised version" of ''Space Panic'' and stating that it is "better than the Apple game."

References

External links

* {{atarimania, id=297
Clone
written in the

Seed7 Seed7 is an extensible general-purpose programming language designed by Thomas Mertes. It is syntactically similar to Pascal and Ada. Along with many other features, it provides an extension mechanism. Daniel Zingaro"Modern Extensible Languag ...

programming language. 1981 video games Apple II games Atari 8-bit computer games Broderbund games Funsoft, Inc. games VIC-20 games Unauthorized video games Platformers Video game clones Video games developed in the United States Single-player video games