Tempest

About

This update to Atari's Tempest offers players an emulated version of the original arcade graphics, as well as "Evolved" graphics with particle effects, lighting, and shading. Both games feature a classic mode, and a speed-increased "Throttle Monkey" mode. Players must guide their horseshoe-shaped craft around the edges of 3-D geometric shapes. Enemies at the far end of the playing field move toward the player, and must be shot before they reach the edge. Players can also deploy their "Super-Zapper" once per level to clear the screen of enemies. Each level is a different shape, and progressive levels add new enemy types and more of them, requiring ever-faster reflexes. The game only offers online play, but two players can control two separate craft and play cooperatively. Players try for their highest score, which is then uploaded and tracked on the game's online leaderboards.