Lunar Leepers

Name: Lunar Leepers
Programmer(s): Chuck "Chuckles" Bueche
Publisher: Sierra On-Line
Year: 1981

Description:

Lunar Leepers is a thrilling side-scrolling adventure that puts you in command of a UFO on the ultimate rescue mission. Your goal is to swoop down and collect stranded humans from the treacherous lunar surface, then race them back to safety at your home base while managing your limited fuel supply. But this isn't your typical space shooter, as the real danger lurks at the bottom of the screen where crafty Leepers crouch in wait, ready to spring into action and munch on your precious spacecraft the moment you venture too close to their domain.

What makes this 1982 Sierra On-Line masterpiece truly special is its ingenious physics system that captures the moon's low gravity perfectly. Both your space explorer and the bizarre round Leepers with their stretchy, compressing legs bounce and float through the stark alien landscape in mesmerizing arcs. You'll need to master the art of timing your jumps between floating platforms while carefully managing your jetpack's precious fuel reserves. The Leepers themselves follow predictable bouncing patterns as they patrol their territory, creating a deadly dance that requires split-second timing and nerves of steel to navigate successfully.

The game's visual design makes brilliant use of the Apple II's capabilities, creating a colorful yet haunting alien world filled with solid-colored platforms suspended above the lunar wasteland. Each level cranks up the intensity by throwing more Leepers into the mix and arranging platforms in increasingly diabolical configurations that will test your piloting skills to the limit. With points awarded for each successful rescue and bonus rewards for lightning-fast extractions, this endlessly challenging adventure keeps pushing you forward through wave after wave of bouncing alien mayhem until your lives run out. Sierra On-Line struck gold with this unique blend of action, timing, and resource management that helped cement their reputation as masters of computer game innovation.