''Spy vs. Spy'' is a video game written by Michael Riedel for the

Commodore 64 The Commodore 64, also known as the C64, is an 8-bit computing, 8-bit home computer introduced in January 1982 by Commodore International (first shown at the Consumer Electronics Show, January 7–10, 1982, in Las Vegas). It has been listed in ...

and published by

First Star Software First Star Software, Inc. was a Chappaqua, New York based video game development, publishing and licensing company, founded by Richard Spitalny (who remains the company's president), Billy Blake, Peter Jablon, and Fernando Herrera in 1982. It is ...

in 1984. A port for 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 ...

was released simultaneously. It is a two-player, split-screen game, based on '' Mad'' magazine's long-running cartoon strip '' Spy vs. Spy'', about the

slapstick Slapstick is a style of humor involving exaggerated physical activity that exceeds the boundaries of normal physical comedy. Slapstick may involve both intentional violence and violence by mishap, often resulting from inept use of props such as ...

antics of two spies trying to kill each other with improbably elaborate traps and weapons. It was ported to 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 ...

, ZX Spectrum, Acorn Electron, Atari ST, BBC Micro, Commodore 16, Amstrad CPC, Amiga, Master System, Game Boy family, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Nintendo Entertainment System. A 3D remake/remaster Spy vs. Spy (2005 video game), of the same name was released for the

Xbox Xbox is a video gaming brand that consists of four main home video game console lines, as well as application software, applications (games), the streaming media, streaming service Xbox Cloud Gaming, and online services such as the Xbox networ ...

and

PlayStation 2 The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October, in Europe on 24 Novembe ...

in 2005.

Gameplay

The object of the game is to collect various secret items in a briefcase and exit the building through a door to the airport, either before the opposing player exits or before the timer runs out. While searching for the items, traps can be laid to take out the opponent (or the player himself, if careless). Each spy has a personal countdown timer which depletes by 30 seconds upon each death. The arena is an

embassy A diplomatic mission or foreign mission is a group of people from a Sovereign state, state or organization present in another state to represent the sending state or organization officially in the receiving or host state. In practice, the phrase ...

, constructed from a series of interconnected rooms laid out on a grid pattern. Higher levels have more rooms and therefore a larger play area. The spies can engage in hand-to-hand combat (achieved by wiggling the

joystick A joystick, sometimes called a flight stick, is an input device consisting of a stick that pivots on a base and reports its angle or direction to the device it is controlling. Also known as the control column, it is the principal control devic ...

directional pad The D-pad (short for directional pad) is a compact input method developed for video games, designed to translate thumb movement into directional control through a flat, cross-shaped surface that rests on four internal switches. Each switch corres ...

left and right or up and down when the spies are in proximity to each other) as well as place traps on the furniture and doors which occupy the playing area. These traps are triggered when a spy searches a piece of furniture or opens a booby trapped door, resulting in a cartoon-style animation showing the subject being shot, blown up, etc., and floating up to heaven as an angel. Strategy is introduced by limiting the numbers of each trap a spy can use and by allowing the traps to be triggered by either spy. Some pieces of furniture also contain 'remedies' which match up to specific traps; these allow a trap to be defused, but can only be fetched one at a time.

Reception

Video Video is an Electronics, electronic medium for the recording, copying, playback, broadcasting, and display of moving picture, moving image, visual Media (communication), media. Video was first developed for mechanical television systems, whi ...

'' magazine described it as "a rousing action-strategy contest" and praised the game's "excellent" graphics as "befit

ing Ing, ING or ing may refer to: Art and media * '' ...ing'', a 2003 Korean film * i.n.g, a Taiwanese girl group * The Ing, a race of dark creatures in the 2004 video game '' Metroid Prime 2: Echoes'' * "Ing", the first song on The Roches' 199 ...

a game so rooted in a visual medium." The reviewer also noted that "no one has more successfully captured the original feel of the source nor offered a more satisfying result". ''

Ahoy! ''Ahoy!'' was a computer magazine published between January 1984 and January 1989 in the US, covering on all Commodore color computers, primarily Commodore 64 and Amiga. History The first issue of ''Ahoy!'' was published in January 1984. The ...

'' agreed in the Commodore 64 version's faithfulness to the original, and praised both the simultaneous two-player and one-player options. The magazine later praised the game's graphics, theme song, and humorous fatalities. ''

Antic Alphanumeric Television Interface Controller (ANTIC) is an LSI ASIC dedicated to generating 2D computer graphics to be shown on a television screen or computer display. Under the direction of Jay Miner, the chip was designed in 1977–1978 b ...

'' called it "one of the most original and clever games for the Atari computers yet". The magazine praised the simultaneous two-player display and concluded, "I cannot recommend this game highly enough." The ZX Spectrum version was rated number 20 in the ''

Your Sinclair ''Your Sinclair'', originally ''Your Spectrum'' or ''YS'', is a discontinued British computer magazine for the Sinclair range of computers, mainly the ZX Spectrum. It was commercially published between 1984 and 1993. History The magazine was la ...

Official Top 100 Games of All Time'', and awarded a ''Crash Smash'' in the August 1985 issue. ''

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 ...

'' scored the Master System version 90% in 1989 and 88% in 1990. The NES version sold 300,000 units in North America.

Legacy

Two sequels to the original 1984 game were produced: '' Spy vs. Spy II: The Island Caper'' and '' Spy vs. Spy III: Arctic Antics''. The third game was also released for the

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 ...

. These kept the basic gameplay while tweaking some core features. A remake, including the original version, was released for iOS in 2012, but is no longer available.

References

External links

* * *
Video from the C64 version
on archive.org {{Authority control 1984 video games Amiga games Amstrad CPC games Apple II games Atari 8-bit computer games Atari ST games BBC Micro and Acorn Electron games Commodore 16 and Plus/4 games Commodore 64 games First Star Software games Game Boy Color games Game Boy games IOS games Kemco games Master System games Multiplayer and single-player video games NEC PC-8801 games Nintendo Entertainment System games PlayStation 2 games Sharp X1 games Split-screen multiplayer games Video games based on Spy vs. Spy Video games developed in the United States ZX Spectrum games Tynesoft games fr:Spy vs. Spy