Cosmic Commuter
A bus-like spacecraft picks up commuters in space.
Cosmic Commuter is a horizontally scrolling shooter for the Atari 2600, designed by John Van Ryzin and published by Activision in 1985. The player pilots a spacecraft that functions like a bus, picking up commuters while avoiding hazards and managing fuel. It was Van Ryzin's first project for Activision, but after play testers found it unenjoyable, he went on to create the more successful H.E.R.O.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Activision
- Designer
- John Van Ryzin
- Released
- 1985
- Platforms
- Atari 2600
Facts from the source article.
Gameplay
Set in the year 2075, the player pilots a spacecraft called the Astrobus. The player first lands the rocket module gently on the surface, then navigates the Astrobus across a horizontally scrolling screen. Commuters are picked up at bus stops by flying over them. Fuel can be collected and is depleted during the route. The Astrobus is equipped with a laser beam to shoot obstacles such as meteors, fireballs and space mines. A beep sounds when the route is completed, and the player must return to the rocket module landing pad if at least one commuter has been picked up. The ship then moves to another route with more difficult hazards.
Development
John Van Ryzin developed Cosmic Commuter for Activision. He had previously worked as an electrical engineer after meeting game developer Garry Kitchen while an intern at Wickstead Design. Kitchen offered him a contract with Hayden Publishing to program Apple II games, leading Van Ryzin to quit his job and develop games in Kitchen's basement. Three of his Apple II games were published in 1982: Kamikaze, Shuttle Intercept, and Bellhop (a collaboration with Kitchen). Kitchen joined Activision in June 1982, and a New Jersey satellite office was set up for him and a few others, including Van Ryzin. Cosmic Commuter was Van Ryzin's first project for Activision and took nine months to develop. He cited the Apple II game Choplifter as an influence. Although set in space, Van Ryzin said he was not a fan of space-themed games, joking that it meant he could have a black background. The landing sequence was complicated to code, and making the craft burst apart was even more complex. Early playtests deemed the game not fun, though it was considered technically well done. Van Ryzin was told to make another game that was more fun, leading to H.E.R.O. He later said he thought he would be fired after Cosmic Commuter.
Release and reception
Prototype cartridges of Cosmic Commuter circulated before its commercial release in 1985, a year after H.E.R.O. was released. The game was later included in the compilations Atari 2600 Action Pack (1995) and Activision Anthology (2002). Computer Entertainer described it as a highly simplified Defender-style game with mediocre graphics and did not recommend it. Scott Alan Marriott of AllGame wrote that while the controls were good, the game was very disappointing for not aspiring beyond existing titles like Defender and Chopper Command, calling it a black sheep among Activision's otherwise quality Atari 2600 games.
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