Game Information

Original Release Date: May 08, 1982

Platforms: Apple II, Arcade, Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Atari 8-bit, Atari ST/STE, Commodore C64/128/MAX, Commodore VIC-20, DOS, MSX, Texas Instruments TI-99

Involved Companies: Atarisoft, General Computer Corporation (GCC), Andromeda Software, Williams Electronics, Dempa Shimbunsha, Irem, Atari

Genres: Shooter, Arcade

Summary: Moon Patrol is an arcade game originally released in 1982 by Irem and later licensed for release in North America by Williams (Midway). It is a side-scrolling shooter that puts players at the controls of a six-wheeled moon rover that can jump and shoot. The goal is to move through the entire course as quickly as possible while shooting enemies for additional points. Cannons are mounted on the front and top of the vehicle, and both fire simultaneously when the fire button is pressed. Rocks, mines, and pits in the course prevent you from just holding to the right for maximum speed. Rocks and mines can be shot, but pits must be jumped. Some enemies fire shots that create new pits in the course, forcing players to react quickly.