''Marsport'' is a

science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...

computer game A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual feedback from a display device, mo ...

that was released for the

ZX Spectrum The ZX Spectrum () is an 8-bit computing, 8-bit home computer developed and marketed by Sinclair Research. One of the most influential computers ever made and one of the all-time bestselling British computers, over five million units were sold. ...

and

Amstrad CPC The Amstrad CPC (short for "Colour Personal Computer") is a series of 8-bit home computers produced by Amstrad between 1984 and 1990. It was designed to compete in the mid-1980s home computer market dominated by the Commodore 64 and the ZX Spec ...

home computer Home computers were a class of microcomputers that entered the market in 1977 and became common during the 1980s. They were marketed to consumers as affordable and accessible computers that, for the first time, were intended for the use of a s ...

s in 1985. It was published by

Gargoyle Games Gargoyle Games was a British software company founded in 1983 by Roy Carter and Greg Follis in order to publish their first game, ''Ad Astra''. They generally specialized in games for the ZX Spectrum even though the company was originally named w ...

in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

and Dro Soft in

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

. ''Marsport'' was intended to be the first part of a trilogy called "The Siege of Earth" but parts two and three (''Fornax'' and ''Gath'') were not forthcoming. Because of this, it is often regarded as being part of an unofficial trilogy alongside '' Tir Na Nog'' and ''

Dun Darach ''Dun Darach'' is an action-adventure game developed and published in 1985 by Gargoyle Games for the ZX Spectrum and Amstrad CPC computers. It is a prequel to the 1984 game '' Tir Na Nog''. The plot has Celtic hero Cuchulainn on a search to f ...

'' (both of which are part of the same official series) due to its having very similar gameplay to these titles. ''Marsport'' also has similarities to the later Gargoyle game '' Heavy on the Magick''.

Story

The year is 2494. For seventy years, the Earth has been under siege by the insectoid Sept. Since the siege began, the Sept have been kept at bay by a huge Force Sphere which surrounds the Earth and the Moon. However, the Sept are on the verge of discovering how to breach the Sphere unless it can be strengthened according to the formulae contained in the original plans. Unfortunately, these plans are concealed somewhere in the Martian city of Marsport, now Sept-occupied and booby-trapped by the city's M-Central computer. One man, Commander John Marsh, has been sent to retrieve the plans in the belief that a determined man can sometimes achieve more than an army.

Gameplay

Development

''Marsport'' was developed and published by

. It was planned to be the first of the "Siege of Earth" trilogy, with its sequels "Fornax" and "Gath" were set for release in January and April 1986.

Reception

''Marsport'' received positive reviews on release.

References

External links

* *{{WoS game, id=0003040 1985 video games Amstrad CPC games Gargoyle Games games Science fiction video games Single-player video games Video games developed in the United Kingdom ZX Spectrum games Action-adventure games