Mad Bomber

Name: Mad Bomber
Programmer(s): Rodney McAuley
Publisher: Creative Computing
Year: 1981

Description:

Mad Bomber was a fast-paced action game released for the Apple II computer in 1981 by Creative Software. The game challenged players to catch bombs dropped by a criminal known as the Mad Bomber before they hit the ground and exploded.

In Mad Bomber, you controlled three buckets of water stacked vertically on the screen. Using the paddle controller or keyboard, you moved these buckets left and right to catch falling bombs. The Mad Bomber appeared at the top of the screen, moving back and forth while dropping bombs at increasing speeds. Each bomb you missed cost you one bucket. Lose all three buckets and the game ended.

The gameplay started simple but quickly became frantic. In early levels, bombs fell slowly and predictably. As you progressed, the Mad Bomber moved faster and dropped bombs more erratically. The game tracked your score based on how many bombs you caught. Every 1,000 points earned you an extra bucket, giving skilled players a chance to extend their games.

Mad Bomber used the Apple II's basic graphics capabilities effectively. The Mad Bomber himself was a simple stick figure wearing a hat, while the bombs were small black squares. Your water buckets appeared as rectangular containers. Despite the simple visuals, the game created tension through its increasing speed and the satisfying splash effect when you caught a bomb.

The game drew inspiration from the Atari 2600 game Kaboom!, which had similar mechanics. However, Mad Bomber added its own touches, including different difficulty settings and slightly modified scoring. The Apple II version used the computer's built-in speaker to create simple beeping sounds when bombs fell and explosion noises when you missed.

Mad Bomber succeeded because of its straightforward concept and addictive gameplay. Players could understand the rules instantly but mastering the game required quick reflexes and pattern recognition. The game became popular in schools and homes where Apple II computers were common.

Creative Software released Mad Bomber during the early years of Apple II gaming when developers were still learning what worked on the platform. The game proved that simple concepts executed well could compete with more complex titles. Its success helped establish action games as a viable genre on the Apple II, which was often seen as better suited for educational software.

Mad Bomber remained a favorite among Apple II users throughout the 1980s. While it never achieved the fame of games like Lode Runner or Castle Wolfenstein, it demonstrated that engaging gameplay mattered more than fancy graphics. The game's influence can be seen in later Apple II action titles that emphasized quick reflexes and increasing difficulty curves.