DESCRIPTION

A straightforward adaptation of Williams' cult arcade classic, Atari's Moon Patrol for the Apple II is a somewhat stripped-down, no-frills experience which concentrates on the action of the game, rather than getting the visuals or the sound right.

The game offers either joystick or keyboard control (and fair warning: the keyboard control scheme is nearly impossible). Moon Patrol manages to give justice to most of the visuals, though some of the graphic nuances — the lunar cities in the background, the shading on the triple-sphere ships which lob crater-making bombs at you — is sacrificed, probably due to the Apple II hi-res mode's limited color range. Completely absent is that jaunty little tune which accompanied the arcade Moon Patrol and even home versions like Atari 2600. Somehow, despite the fact that most of the gameplay of the Apple II edition is well-balanced, the loss of the jazzy recurring theme music takes something away from the experience. Even without the music, Moon Patrol on the Apple II offers the fun of the coin-op version, minus some of the fine details that many gamers remember from the arcade. ~ Earl Green, All Game Guide