Drive a heavily armed lunar rover across treacherous terrain in Moon Patrol, a classic 1982 side-scrolling action shooter from Irem for the Atari 2600. Tasked with defending Sector Nine from alien threats, you must carefully control your buggy's speed while simultaneously dodging craters and fending off aerial assaults. It is a test of split-second timing that successfully brings the frantic multi-tasking of the arcade original to the home console.
How to play
Your objective is to survive each patrol route by reaching the next checkpoint. The screen scrolls automatically, but you can accelerate or decelerate to maneuver around hazards. Press Up (Up arrow key) to jump over craters, rocks, and landmines, and use Left and Right arrows to adjust your speed. Press the Spacebar to fire your dual cannons, which shoot both forward at ground obstacles and upward at attacking UFOs.
Tips
- Manage your speed: Driving faster awards more points, but gives you less time to react to suddenly appearing craters or dropping bombs.
- Watch the shadows: UFOs drop bombs that fall straight down. Keep an eye on their trajectories and adjust your buggy's speed so the bombs land harmlessly in front of or behind you.
- Shoot ground obstacles early: Rocks can be jumped over, but destroying them with your forward cannon is often safer and clears your path.
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