Alien Typhoon
Name: Alien Typhoon
Programmer(s): Tony Suzuki
Publisher: Star Craft (Japan) Brøderbund (USA)
Year: 1981
Description: Alien Rain is a 2d space shooter which closely resembles Galaxian from the arcade. The premis of the game is simple. The player is given 3 ships in which to do battle against a barrage of dive bombing aliens. The aliens when shot are worth different points depending on thier color. One special alien of which there are two in the top most row of aliens is worth varing amounts of points depending on where the player shoots them.
Of all the Galaxian clones that were avaialbe for the Apple ][ system Alien Rain was the best and closest to the original.
See Also: Alien Rain
Alien Typhoon was released in 1982 by Star Craft as a follow-up to their successful game Star Thief. The game represents an evolution in shoot-em-up gameplay for the Apple II platform, featuring faster action and more complex enemy patterns than its predecessor.
Players control a spaceship that moves vertically along the bottom of the screen while shooting upward at waves of alien ships. The game's distinctive feature is its "typhoon" mechanic, where enemy ships swirl in circular patterns that become increasingly complex as players advance through the 32 levels.
The control scheme uses the standard Apple II keyboard, with left/right arrow keys for movement and the space bar for firing. Players must manage their limited ammunition while dealing with the constant threat of enemy fire and collisions. Power-ups appear randomly, offering temporary weapon upgrades or shield protection.
Graphics utilize the Apple II's high-resolution mode, with simple but effective ship designs and smooth animation for the era. The game runs at a consistent frame rate, which was a technical achievement for the Apple II's limited processing power. Sound effects are basic but functional, using the computer's built-in speaker for explosion and shooting effects.
Each level introduces new enemy types and attack patterns. Early stages feature predictable movement patterns, while later levels combine multiple enemy types and more erratic movements. This progressive difficulty keeps players engaged while teaching them the skills needed for harder challenges.
The game includes a high score table that saves the top ten scores, creating competition among players. This feature was standard for arcade games but less common in home computer games of the period.
Alien Typhoon's influence can be seen in later Apple II shooters, particularly in its use of complex enemy movement patterns and power-up systems. While not as well-known as some contemporaries like Star Blazer or Ceiling Zero, it represents an important step in the evolution of computer gaming shoot-em-ups.
The game requires a 48K Apple II with DOS 3.3 and plays smoothly on all Apple II models up to the Apple IIe. No official ports to other platforms were ever released.