{{Short description|1997 video game}} {{Infobox video game |title = TerraFire |collapsible = |state = |image = Terrafire title.png |caption = |developer = ORT Software |publisher = ORT Software |designer = Owen Thomas |series = |engine = |released ='''MS-DOS'''<br>{{Video game release|WW|October 1, 1997}}'''Windows'''<br>{{Video game release|WW|March 23, 2000}} |genre = Multidirectional shooter |modes = Single-player |platforms = MS-DOS, Windows |alt = }} '''''TerraFire''''' is a multidirectional shooter for MS-DOS. It was originally released on October 1, 1997<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110613163354/http://pc.ign.com/objects/749/749410.html IGN page]</ref> as shareware with a demo limiting the player to only the first eight levels. In 2005, ''TerraFire'' was re-released as freeware.
The game is best called a shoot 'em up, but unlike most games of this genre, the player is free to move in any direction, with physics similar to the 1979 arcade game ''Asteroids''. Bullet patterns from enemies and obstacles are also far more sparse and predictable, and there are no bosses. The full version of the game has a total of 27 levels, where every fourth level is a bonus level which is a clone of the aforementioned ''Asteroids''. The normal levels, which scroll both horizontally and vertically and wrap horizontally, have gravity and are completed by finding a nuke and dragging it out of the top of the level.
''TerraFire'' uses pre-rendered 3D graphics and animation.
==Reception== ''Mikrobitti'' named ''TerraFire'' game of the month in their June/July 1998 issue. They called the game a ''Thrust'' clone and said the gameplay is splendid despite the game's simple appearance.<ref name="Mikrobitti">{{cite magazine |last1=Kauppinen |first1=Jukka O. |author1-link=:fi:Jukka O. Kauppinen |title=MBnet - Kuukauden peli - Terrafire v1.0 |journal=Mikrobitti |date=June 1998 |issue=6-7/98 |page=100 |url=https://archive.org/details/mblehdet94-00/MB_1998/page/n501/mode/2up |publisher=Helsinki Media Erikoislehdet |language=Finnish |issn=0781-2078}}</ref> ''ZDNet'' gave the game a score of five out of five and wrote: "''TerraFire'' is a graphically pleasing, challenging arcade game in the ''Super R Type'' vein [...]".<ref name="ZDNet">{{cite web |title=TerraFire v2.01d |url=http://www.zdnet.com/downloads/stories/info/0,,000ID5,.html |website=ZDNet |access-date=28 March 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000829083713/http://www.zdnet.com/downloads/stories/info/0,,000ID5,.html |archive-date=29 August 2000 |date=20 April 2000 |url-status=dead}}</ref> ''Computer Gaming World'' gave ''TerraFire'' the award for the best action/adventure game at ZDNet's 7th Annual Shareware Awards. They called it "a graphically pleasing, challenging arcade game".<ref name="CGW">{{cite web |title=Shareware Awards - Computer Gaming World - Action/Adventure Games |url=http://www.zdnet.com/downloads/zdawards/00/action00.html |website=ZDNet |access-date=28 March 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000816033411/http://www.zdnet.com/downloads/zdawards/00/action00.html |archive-date=16 August 2000 |url-status=dead}}</ref> In a retrospective review, ''Rock Paper Shotgun'' called the game a "''Gravitar'' homage with lovely parallax backgrounds and handsome faux-3D sprites".<ref name="RPS">{{cite web |last1=Stone |first1=Tim |title=TerraFire is still terrific |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/terrafire-is-still-terrific |website=Rock Paper Shotgun |publisher=Gamer Network |access-date=28 March 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210417223456/https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/terrafire-is-still-terrific |archive-date=17 April 2021 |date=8 September 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * [http://www.ortsoftware.com/tf.html Official site] * {{moby game|id=/6752}}
Category:1997 video games Category:DOS games Category:Multidirectional shooters Category:ORT Software games Category:Single-player video games Category:Video games developed in the United Kingdom Category:Windows games
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