Phantoms Five

Name: Phantoms Five
Programmer(s): Nasir Gebelli
Publisher: Sirius
Year: 1980

Description: [[Category:Shoot-em-up] Phantoms Five, released in 1979 by Sirius Software, was one of the earliest 3D flight combat games for the Apple II computer. Created by programmer Nasir Gebelli, the game put players in control of a fighter jet viewed from a first-person cockpit perspective.

The game's graphics pushed the Apple II's capabilities by creating the illusion of 3D space using simple vector-like graphics. Players viewed the action through a cockpit window, with enemy planes appearing as basic shapes that grew larger as they approached. A radar display at the bottom of the screen helped track incoming threats.

Gameplay focused on dogfighting enemy aircraft and bombing ground targets. Players controlled their plane's speed and direction while managing limited fuel and ammunition. The control scheme used the Apple II keyboard, with different keys controlling altitude, direction, weapons, and thrust. Success required mastering both air-to-air combat and precise bombing runs.

Phantoms Five stood out from other Apple II games of its era through its smooth animation and innovative 3D perspective. While simple by today's standards, the game created a convincing sense of flight that was rare in 1979. The game ran in the Apple II's high-resolution graphics mode and used minimal sound effects due to the computer's limited audio capabilities.

The game helped establish Nasir Gebelli as one of the most skilled Apple II programmers. His programming techniques for creating 3D movement influenced many later games. Phantoms Five demonstrated that the Apple II could handle action games requiring fast graphics updates, despite its hardware limitations.

The game sold well enough to help launch Sirius Software as a major game publisher. While not as well-remembered as later flight simulators, Phantoms Five showed what skilled programmers could achieve on early home computers. It represents an important step in the evolution of 3D gaming and flight combat games.