The Spy Strikes Back

Name: The Spy Strikes Back
Programmer(s): Robert Hardy & Mark Pelczarski
Publisher: Pengiun
Year: 1983

Description:

The Apple II game Spy's Demise was released in 1982 by Penguin Software. In this challenging action game, you control a spy who must climb a skyscraper by riding elevators while avoiding enemy agents. The goal is to reach the top floor and steal secret documents.

Players navigate their spy character through a multi-story office building displayed in simple but effective 2D graphics. Each floor features elevators constantly moving up and down. Timing is critical as players must hop between elevators while dodging patrolling guards. One wrong move means instant death and starting over.

The game utilizes the Apple II's high-resolution graphics mode to create a scrolling vertical playfield. The building's floors are marked by different colors, helping players track their progress. Audio effects are minimal but include basic sound cues for movement and collisions.

Spy's Demise stands out for its innovative vertical scrolling and timing-based gameplay, which was relatively uncommon for Apple II games of the era. The difficulty increases as players progress higher in the building, with faster elevators and more aggressive guard patterns. Later levels require precise timing and quick reflexes.

The control scheme is straightforward, using just the left and right arrow keys to move and the spacebar to jump. This simplicity makes the game accessible but mastering the precise timing needed for higher levels provides a significant challenge.

While not as well-known as contemporaries like Lode Runner or Choplifter, Spy's Demise earned praise for its addictive gameplay and clever level design. The game demonstrates the growing sophistication of Apple II action games in the early 1980s, moving beyond simple clones of arcade hits to create original gameplay concepts.

The game influenced later titles featuring vertical scrolling and timing-based platforming elements. Its focus on stealth and avoiding enemies rather than combat also predated many later espionage-themed games.