Bug Off!: Difference between revisions

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{{short description|1982 video game}}

{{AfC submission|t||ts=20210109135110|u=Griggorio2|ns=118|demo=}}<!-- Important, do not remove this line before article has been created. -->

{{Infobox video game

| title = Bug Off!

| image = Bug-off-atari-8-bit-front-cover-FAIR-USE.jpg

| caption=

| caption=[[Atari 8-bit family|Atari 8-bit]] front cover

| designer = Sparky Starks

| publisher = [[Adventure International]]<br>QuelleSoft<ref name=am_kampf/>

| engine =

| released = '''1982:''' Adventure International<br>'''1984:''' QuelleSoft

| genre = [[Shoot 'em up|Fixed shooter]]

| modes = [[Single-player video game|Single-player]]

| platforms = [[Atari 8-bit family|Atari 8-bit]]

}}

'''''Bug Off!''''' is s single screen [[shoot 'em up]] written by Sparky Starks and published by [[Adventure International]] for the [[Atari 8-bit family|Atari 8-bit]] systems<ref>[http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-bug-off_818.html http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-bug-off_818.html]</ref>.

'''''Bug Off!''''' is a single screen [[fixed shooter]] for [[Atari 8-bit computers]] written by Sparky Starks<ref name=giantlist/> and published by [[Adventure International]] in 1982.<ref name="atarimania"/> QuelleSoft released the game in Germany as '''''Kampf dem Ungeziefer''''' ("Fight the Bugs") in 1984.<ref name="am_kampf">{{cite web |title=Kampf dem Ungeziefer |url=http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-kampf-dem-ungeziefer_15743.html |website=Atari Mania}}</ref>

==Gameplay==

The object of ''Bug Off!'' is to control a variety of bugs that swarm out of a Florida sinkhole and endanger the player's garden.

In Bug Off!, your garden has fallen into a Florida sinkhole, and the insects within have mutated into beasts of destruction. Armed with only a sprayer can of DDT, you must defend yourself from these rampaging insects.

[[Image:Bug-off-atari-8-bit-screenshot.png|thumb|left|In-game screenshot (Atari 8-bit)]]

The player controls a chemical sprayer, which can be moved on all four outer edges of the gameplay window. The sprayer will always point towards the center of the screen, where your garden resides. Insects will randomly stream out of the garden, and you must kill them by spraying them with DDT. Every 3 rounds, night will fall, and the army will drop you two new cans of DDT. There are a variety of insects encountered. Moths are harmless, but will try to form cocoons on the edge of the screen, blocking your spraying. Cocoons can be destroyed, but not if they're formed in the corners of the map. Bees attack in force, and prevent your spray from reaching more deadly bugs. There are also insects that will inhabit the corners of the screen, and will destroy the player if they come in contact. At night, butterflies appear, which reward the player bonus points for every corner that has remained free.

When the player is hit, they will lose their current can of DDT from their sprayer, and a second can will be thrown to the center of the garden, destroying all bugs on the map. Although the player starts with 6 cans of DDT, they in reality have 3 lives. When all lives are lost, it's game over.

[[Image:Bug-off-atari-8-bit-screenshot-fair-use.png|thumb|left|In-A game screenshotin (Atariprogress. 8-bit)The DDT sprayer is in the lower left, pointing upward.]]

The player controls a chemical sprayer, which can be moved along the four outer edges of the gameplay window. The sprayer always points toward the opposite edge and sprays DDT bursts which reach halfway across the screen. A garden resides in the center. Only the wasps and spiders are dangerous to the player. They eat all the player's DDT supplies and thus end the game. The player tries to hold out until nightfall, when the butterflies appear, which reward the player bonus points for every corner that has remained free and also the army will drop in a new supply of the DDT.

When the player is hit, theyhe will lose theirhis current can of DDT from theirhis sprayer, and a second can will be thrown to the center of the garden, destroying all bugs on the map. Although the player starts with 6 cans of DDT, they in reality have 3 lives. When all lives are lost, it's game over.

==Reception==

''The [[Addison-Wesley]] Book of Atari Software 1984'' concluded: "The sound and graphics are poor in ''Bug Off!''; then again, it isn't the type of game that needed better graphics. Game play is instinctively reflex rather than strategy oriented. It is a lightening fast repetitive game, but that doesn't mean it leaves you with a feeling of accomplishment". Overall ''Bug Off!'' received a D+ review.<ref name=wesley/>

== References ==

{{Reflist|refs=

<!-- Inline citations added to your article will automatically display here. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WP:REFB for instructions on how to add citations. -->

<ref name=wesley>{{cite book |editor1-last=Wells |editor1-first=Robert P. |editor2-last=Rochowansky |editor2-first=Sandra |editor3-last=Mellin |editor3-first=Michael F. |editor4-last=Stanton |editor4-first=Jeffrey |date=1984|title=Addison Wesley Book Of Atari Software 1984 |publisher=[[Addison-Wesley]] |isbn=((0-201-16465-X)) |page=112 |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/addison-wesley-book-of-atari-software-1984/page/n111/mode/2up |chapter=Shoot 'Em-Up Arcade Games}}</ref>

{{reflist}}

<ref name="giantlist">{{cite web|title=The Giant List of Classic Game Programmers|url=https://dadgum.com/giantlist/#S |last1=Hague |first1=James}}</ref>

<ref name="atarimania">{{Cite web|title=Bug Off!|url=http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-bug-off_818.html|access-date=2021-01-22|website=Atari Mania}}</ref>

}}

==External links==

* {{Internet Archive game|id=a8b_Bug_Off_1982_Adventure_International_US}}

[[Category:1982 video games]]

[[Category:Atari 8-bit familycomputer games]]

[[Category:Atari 8-bit computer-only games]]

[[Category:Fixed shooters]]

[[Category:Video games about insects]]

[[Category:Video games about plants]]

[[Category:Video games developed in the United States]]

[[Category:Video games set in Florida]]

[[Category:Single-player video games]]