# Alien Gate

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Alien_Gate
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Alien_Gate.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien_Gate
> Source revision: 1340126598
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

1993 video game

1993 video game

Alien Gate European cover art Developer SPC Vision Publisher Philips Producers Franc Beernink Rob Hormann Programmers Stefan Posthuma Tim Moss Artist Niklas Malmqvist Platform CD-i Release 1993 Genre Fixed shooter Mode Single-player

***Alien Gate*** is a [fixed shooter](/source/Shoot_'em_up#Types) developed by [SPC Vision](/source/The_Vision_Factory) and published by [Philips](/source/Philips) for the [CD-i](/source/CD-i).

## Gameplay

*Alien Gate* is a [fixed shooter](/source/Shoot_'em_up#Types). Each stage consists of the player's ship facing off against a giant head that spawns several smaller enemies. Once all the required enemies are defeated, the player must defeat the head as a [boss](/source/Boss_(video_games)). The background gives the impression of a [vertically scrolling shooter](/source/Vertically_scrolling_video_game#Vertically_scrolling_shooters), but the attackers stay in position relative to the player's ship. There are 25 stages and 14 different enemy types.[1]

## Development

*Alien Gate* was developed by Dutch studio [SPC Vision](/source/The_Vision_Factory). It was co-designed and programmed by Stefan Posthuma and Tim Moss while Niklas Malmqvist provided the [graphics](/source/Computer_graphics).[2][3] The [code](/source/Source_code) and graphics were all written using the [Atari ST](/source/Atari_ST).[4] The project began as a [demo](/source/Game_demo) provided to publisher [Philips](/source/Philips) who were so impressed that they commissioned a full release as well as a five-game contract with the developer.[2][5] Moss had come to SPT from a British university as an intern. *Alien Gate* was put together during that six week period and Moss was asked to return for a permanent position.[6] The group disbanded upon the failure of the CD-i. Posthuma subsequently took a job at the Canadian developer [Gray Matter](/source/Gray_Matter_(company)) while Moss returned to England to work for [Argonaut Games](/source/Argonaut_Games).[2]

## Reception

Reception

Review scores Publication Score Joystick 53%[7] Next Generation [8] Power Unlimited 82%[9]

*[Next Generation](/source/Next_Generation_(magazine))* reviewed the CD-i version of the game, rating it one star out of five, and stated that "Those who actually want shooting action from their CD-i will do better to stick with games like *[Mystic Midway](/source/Mystic_Midway%3A_Rest_in_Pieces)* than to delve into this painfully deficient travesty."[8] *[Power Unlimited](/source/Power_Unlimited)* gave the game a score of 82% commenting: "*Alien Gate* is very difficult. You will have to practice for a long time, because if you don't know the levels by heart, you won't get very far. If you're a stickler this game will have a long shelf life."[9] Alfred Debels of another Dutch magazine, *Software Gids*, concurred about the game's difficulty. stating that despite the game cover's advertisement for children ages six and up that it would be challenging even for adults. He recommended using the mouse or joystick, finding the game unplayable with the standard CD-i controller.[1]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-SG_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-SG_1-1) Debels, Alfred (July–August 1993). ["*Alien Gate*"](https://archive.org/details/software-gids-nr.-20-jul-aug-1993/page/40/mode/1up). *Software Gids* (in Dutch). No. 20. Uitgeverij Herps. p. 40. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0926-0501](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0926-0501).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-ST-News_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-ST-News_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-ST-News_2-2) Karsmakers, Richard and Posthuma, Stefan (July 26, 1996). ["THE ULTIMATE "ST NEWS" REFERENCE GUIDE"](https://web.archive.org/web/20240121034050/https://st-news.com/issues/st-news-volume-11-issues-1-2/features/the-ultimate-st-news-reference-guide/part-1-1st-word-drinknuts). *ST NEWS Disk Magazine*. Vol. 11, no. 1–2. Archived from [the original](https://st-news.com/issues/st-news-volume-11-issues-1-2/features/the-ultimate-st-news-reference-guide/part-1-1st-word-drinknuts) on January 21, 2024.{{[cite magazine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_magazine)}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_multiple_names:_authors_list))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** *Software Gids* staff (November–December 1994). ["*Steel Machine*"](https://archive.org/details/software-gids-nr.-28-nov-dec-1994/page/44/mode/1up). *Software Gids* (in Dutch). Uitgeverij Herps. p. 44.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Karsmakers, Richard and Posthuma, Stefan (November 15, 1992). ["EDITORIAL"](https://web.archive.org/web/20230926133300/https://st-news.com/issues/st-news-volume-7-issue-3/regulars/editorial). *ST NEWS Disk Magazine*. Vol. 7, no. 13. Archived from [the original](https://st-news.com/issues/st-news-volume-7-issue-3/regulars/editorial/) on September 26, 2023.{{[cite magazine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_magazine)}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_multiple_names:_authors_list))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** *Retro Gamer* staff (January 2007). ["Retroinspection: CD-I"](https://archive.org/details/retro-gamer-raspberry-pi-buenos-aires/Retro%20Gamer%20032/page/44/mode/1up). *[Retro Gamer](/source/Retro_Gamer)*. No. 32. [Imagine Publishing](/source/Imagine_Publishing). p. 44. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1742-3155](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1742-3155).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Heiweg, Rom (October 1994). ["Tussen de asbakken en de f lessen limonade: Een kijkje in de keuken van de 'game boys'"](https://archive.org/details/CD_Interactief_Volume_01_Issue_01_1994-10_Haarlems_Uitgeef_Bedrijf_NL/page/n56/mode/1up) [Between the ashtrays and bottles of lemonade: A look into the kitchen of the 'game boys']. *CD Interactief* (in Dutch). No. 1. Haarlems Uitgeef Bedrijf.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-JS_7-0)** Lord Casque Noir (September 1993). ["CD Tests: *Alien Gate*"](https://archive.org/details/joystick041/page/n169/mode/1up). *[Joystick](/source/Joystick_(magazine))* (in French). No. 41. [Hachette Filipacchi Médias](/source/Hachette_Filipacchi_M%C3%A9dias). p. 170. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1145-4806](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1145-4806).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-NG_8-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-NG_8-1) *Next Generation* staff (February 1995). ["Finals"](https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_02/page/n94/mode/1up). *[Next Generation](/source/Next_Generation_(magazine))*. No. 2. [Imagine Media](/source/Future_US). p. 93. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1078-9693](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1078-9693).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-PU_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-PU_9-1) Bruinsma, Bjørn (July 1993). ["*Alien Gate*"](https://archive.org/details/005_20231030_20231030/001/page/n59/mode/2up). *[Power Unlimited](/source/Power_Unlimited)* (in Dutch). No. 1. [VNU Media](/source/Nielsen_Holdings#Verenigde_Nederlandse_Uitgeverijen). pp. 60–1. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0929-760X](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0929-760X). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20031022173402/http://www.powerweb.nl/database/img/index.php?page=database&&query%5border%5d=datum&ending=DESC&query%5bstart%5d=4000) from the original on October 22, 2003. Retrieved January 15, 2025.

## External links

- [*Alien Gate*](https://www.mobygames.com/game/39567/alien-gate/) at [MobyGames](/source/MobyGames)

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Alien Gate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien_Gate) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien_Gate?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.