Deactivators
Deactivators | ||
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Designer(s)
| ||
Platform(s) | ||
Release | 6 October 1986 | |
Genre(s) | Puzzle | |
Mode(s) | Single-player |
Deactivators is a 1986
Deactivators received positive reviews from video game critics for its originality and graphics, and was later ranked by Your Sinclair as one of the best games for the ZX Spectrum. Despite the positive reception, the game was not commercially successful and Tigress Marketing closed shortly after its release.
Gameplay
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a4/Deactivators_gameplay.png/220px-Deactivators_gameplay.png)
Deactivators is an
Four commands can be used in the game: selecting deactivator droids to control, moving the droids, commanding the droids to throw, and scanning the rooms in the building.
Development
Deactivators was designed by David Bishop and Chris Palmer. Bishop was the co-founder of Tigress Marketing, the developers of the game; Palmer joined Tigress after leaving
Shortly after Deactivators's release, developer Tigress Marketing closed after Ariolasoft, the majority publisher for Tigress, left software publishing. David Bishop continued designing games, later working for
Reception
Publication | Score |
---|---|
Amstrad Action | 87%[5] |
Amtix | 81%[11] |
Crash | 85%[2] |
Computer and Video Games | 9/10 (C64) 8.5/10 (CPC/Spec)[3] |
Sinclair User | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Your Sinclair | 9/10[12] |
Zzap!64 | 82%[13] |
Publication | Award |
---|---|
Sinclair User | SU Classic |
Your Sinclair | Megagame |
Deactivators received generally positive reviews from video game critics. The ZX Spectrum version was ranked number 28 in the
The graphics received mostly positive reactions for each console. Crash and Your Sinclair wrote positively of the Spectrum's graphics. The Crash reviewer praised the details and animations of the droids, and the design of the rooms,[2] as did Gwyn from Your Sinclair, who described the graphics as "clean".[12] Andrew Wilton was disappointed that the game did not make the most of Amstrad's colour limitations.[5] The Commodore 64 graphics were also well received by Zzap!64, which called the game's monochromatic appearance to be "unusual, but effective".[13] The Computer and Video Games reviewer praised the Commodore 64 version for its sound in preference to the Amstrad and Spectrum versions.[3]
Despite being well received from critics, the game was not commercially successful. In an interview with Retro Gamer, Chris Palmer said there was a disconnect between the marketing for the game and what it was actually about.[8]
References
- ^ Deactivators instructions. Ariolasoft. 1986.
- ^ a b c d "Deactivators". Crash. No. 34. November 1986. p. 138.
- ^ a b c d e f Metcalfe, Tim (November 1986). "C+VG Nov Software Reviews – Deactivators". Computer and Video Games. No. 61. Future plc. p. 61.
- ^ "Preview". Crash. No. 32. September 1986. p. 92.
- ^ a b c d e Wilton, Andrew (November 1986). "Action Test". Amstrad Action. No. 14. Future plc. pp. 46–47.
- ^ a b c d Taylor, Graham (October 1986). "Arcade Review – Deactivators". Sinclair User. No. 55. p. 37. Archived from the original on 2016-06-08. Retrieved 2018-02-23.
- ^ "News". Computer and Video Games. No. 60. Future plc. October 1986. p. 13.
- ^ a b c d e Mason, Graeme (2013). "The Making of: Deactivators". Retro Gamer. No. 119. Imagine Publishing. pp. 46–47.
- ^ "Branching Out..." ZX Computing Monthly. No. 30. October 1986. p. 7.
- ^ "Droids are Deactivators". Sinclair User. No. 54. September 1986. p. 92. Archived from the original on 2016-06-07. Retrieved 2018-02-25.
- ^ Paddon, Lee; Eddy, Richard; Paul (November 1986). "Reviews". Amtix. No. 13. p. 27.
- ^ a b Gwyn (June 1987). "Screen Shots". Your Sinclair. No. 18. Dennis Publishing. p. 44. Archived from the original on 2017-07-16. Retrieved 2018-02-23.
- ^ a b c "Zzap Test – Deactivators". Zzap!64. No. 19. November 1986. pp. 116–117.
- ^ "Let the People Decide! The Results!". Your Sinclair. No. 93. Dennis Publishing. September 1993. p. 11. Archived from the original on 2016-03-21. Retrieved 2018-02-25.
External links
- Deactivators at SpectrumComputing.co.uk
- Deactivators at Lemon 64
- Deactivators can be played for free in the browser at the Internet Archive