{{short description|1986 video game}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox video game | title = Laser Hawk | collapsible = | state = | image = Laser Hawk Cover Art.jpg | caption = | developer = Andrew Bradfield<ref name=giantlist/> | artist = Harvey A. Kong Tin | publisher = Red Rat Software | series = | engine = | platforms = Atari 8-bit | released = 1986 | genre = Scrolling shooter | modes = |alt = }}
'''''Laser Hawk''''' is a horizontally scrolling shooter for Atari 8-bit computers published by UK-based Red Rat Software. It was created in Dunedin, New Zealand by programmer Andrew Bradfield<ref name="giantlist">{{cite web|title=The Giant List of Classic Game Programmers|url=https://dadgum.com/giantlist/ |last1=Hague |first1=James}}</ref> and artist Harvey A. Kong Tin.
A sequel, ''HawkQuest'', also from Bradfield and Kong Tin, was released in 1989. Andrew Bradfield died in 2001 at age 35.<ref name=atimes/>
==Development== left|thumb|Action in level 5
Work on ''Laser Hawk'' started in 1985 and took about a year to complete.<ref name="atimes">{{cite web|last1=Kong Tin |first1=Harvey A. |title=Thanks Andy, for Laser Hawk |url=http://www.ataritimes.com:80/8-bit/features/laserhawk.html |website=The Atari Times |url-status=unfit |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050404001241/http://www.ataritimes.com/8-bit/features/laserhawk.html |archivedate=4 April 2005 }}</ref> ''Laser Hawk'' was originally called ''Hot Copter'' by Bradfield. Red Rat Software came up with the name ''Laser Hawk.''<ref name="atimes"/>
==Reception== A review of ''Laser Hawk'' in the January 1987 issue of ''Atari User'' concluded, "While the game concept is perhaps getting a little long in the tooth, Red Rat has tweaked it nicely, treating it in a thoughtful and refreshing way. What it may lack in originality it makes up for in finesse." The overall score was 8 out of 10.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Reynolds|first1=Niels|title=Rat's Flying High|journal=Atari User|date=January 1987|url=https://archive.org/stream/atari-user-uk-magazine-21/Atari_User_UK_21#page/n21/mode/2up|issue=21|page=22}}</ref>
==Legacy== ''Laser Hawk'' was later included in the ''4 Star Compilation, Volume 1'' published by Red Rat, along with ''Escape from Doomworld'', ''Domain of the Undead'', and ''Panic Express''.{{Citation needed|date=November 2025}}
The same team created the sequel, ''HawkQuest'', released in 1989.{{Citation needed|date=November 2025}} Harvey Kong Tin was responsible for the overall design.<ref name="tin">{{cite web|title=Harvey Kong Tin|url=http://www.page6.org/people/harveyk/harveyk.htm|website=page6.org}}</ref> Development started in 1986 with the finished game using four floppy disk sides at 90K apiece.<ref name="atimes"/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://hawkquest.tripod.com/lh.htm ''Laser Hawk''] and [http://hawkquest.tripod.com/hq.htm ''HawkQuest''] at Harvey Kong Tin's site
Category:1986 video games Category:Atari 8-bit computer games Category:Atari 8-bit computer-only games Category:Horizontally scrolling shooters Category:Red Rat Software games Category:Video games developed in New Zealand
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