Blitz (computer game)

Infobox VG
title= Blitz


caption=
developer= Peter Calver
publisher= Supersoft
distributor=
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platforms= Vic 20
media= Cassette
requirements=
input= Keyboard

Blitz is an arcade-style game for the VIC-20 personal computer.

The first game of this genre was written for the Commodore PET by Peter Calver and published under the name "Air Attack" by his company, Supersoft, in 1979. At that time it was common for computer magazines to publish games listings which readers could type into their own computer, and "Air Attack" was also published as a listing in the December 1979 issue of Personal Computer World.

For a short period a 4-coloured transparent overlay was available which simulated colour on the black-and-white screen of the PET computer (a similar technique had previously been used in some arcade machines, notably Breakout). However, when Commodore switched from black-and-white to green screens the effect was no longer as convincing, and the overlay was discontinued.

Although the game was inspired by a verbal description of the arcade game "Canyon Bomber" (Atari, 1977), it was not until many years later that Peter Calver saw the original game. The inspired change from a canyon filled with rock pillars to a city of skyscrapers was copied by all later clones including "Blitz", "City Bomber" and "City Lander" (for ZX Spectrum, C64 and ZX-81). 'Blitz' was published by Commodore themselves for the Vic-20, then Blitz-64 for the Commodore 64 and Blitz-16 for the Commodore-16. Blitz was taken by Commodore from 'Vic New York' written by Simon Taylor.

Game description

A plane moves across the screen at a steady speed. When the plane reaches the end of the screen it moves to the other side and drops down one line, with the speed increasing each time the place drops a line. Below is a cityscape composed of blocks. The player has to drop bombs from a plane, and each bomb which hits a building removes one or more blocks. As the plane descends it risks hitting any remaining blocks so priority has to be given to bombing the tallest "buildings". The level is completed when all blocks are removed and the plane has descended to the bottom of the screen.