{{Short description|1979 video game}} {{Infobox video game |title = Cosmic Guerilla |image = Cosmic Guerilla Videogame (flyer).jpg |caption = German flyer |developer = Universal (Arcade)<br>Crystal Computing (Spectrum) |released = '''1979:''' Arcade<br>'''1983:''' ZX Spectrum |genre= Fixed shooter |modes = Single-player, multiplayer |platforms = Arcade, ZX Spectrum }}
'''''Cosmic Guerilla''''' is a fixed shooter arcade video game developed by Universal and released in 1979. A ZX Spectrum port was published by Crystal Computing in 1983.
==Gameplay== thumb|200px|left|The aliens steal shields protecting the player's stock of lives.
''Cosmic Guerilla'' is a two-dimensional fixed shooter game. The player takes control of a laser cannon at the bottom of the screen whose movement is limited to left and right, and must fire at the aliens above.<ref name="zxcomp"/> In contrast to ''Space Invaders'' the aliens are arranged in a single vertical line on each side of the screen,<ref name="sincuser"/> with their movement being towards the centre, one or more at a time, in an attempt to capture and remove the player's shields.<ref name="homecomp"/> The aliens cannot be hit by the player's shots until they begin to move, and the player may only fire one projectile at a time.<ref name="crash"/> Once a row of shields has been removed, one of the player's "lives", is exposed and able to be captured.<ref name="homecomp"/> Occasionally a very fast "mothership" will appear and traverse the screen just above the player dropping bombs.<ref name="crash"/>
There are six levels of difficulty<ref name="crash"/> along with four game modes<ref name="homecomp"/> allowing combinations of the regular game, bonus enemies, and faster aliens. There is also a two player mode where players take alternative turns.<ref name="homecomp"/>
==Reception== ''Cosmic Guerilla'' was invariably compared to ''Space Invaders'', though ''Sinclair User'' described it as the "next step up", with its different scenarios and object arrangement.<ref name="sincuser">''Cosmic Guerilla'' review, ''Sinclair User'', issue 17 (p.32), ECC Publications, August 1983</ref> ''Home Computing Weekly'', ''Sinclair User'' and ''ZX Computing'' all praised the game's smooth graphics,<ref name="zxcomp">''Cosmic Guerilla'' review, ''ZX Computing'', issue August/September 1983 (p.107), Argus Specialist Publications</ref><ref name="sincuser"/> though ''HCU'' felt that better use could have been made of the sound.<ref name="homecomp">''Cosmic Guerilla'' review, ''Home Computing Weekly'', issue 36 (p.17), Argus Specialist Publications, November 1983</ref> The game was generally well received, and described variously as "incredibly addictive" and "very playable",<ref name="sincuser"/> and "highly recommended".<ref name="zxcomp"/><ref name="crash">''Cosmic Guerilla'' review, ''CRASH'', issue 1 (p.46), Newsfield Publications, February 1984</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links == *{{KLOV_game|id=7402}} *{{WoS_game|id=0001082}}
{{Crystal Computing series}}
Category:1979 video games Category:Video games about alien invasions Category:Arcade video games Category:Crystal Computing games Category:Fixed shooters Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games Category:Universal Entertainment games Category:Video games developed in Japan Category:ZX Spectrum games