Buyers Workshop: Starfighter 3000 The Next Generation

Dafyd McFlanders takes a look at a new version of Fednet’s RISC OS classic

We’ve all seen it before. Stafighter 3000 is perhaps one of the best known games upon the RISC OS platform. Written by Tim Parry and Andrew Hutchins (who brought us Chocks Away and Stunt Racer 2000), Starfighter 3000 brings a new angle to flying games.

For the first part it’s set in space. Given that the name of the game is, after all, Starfighter that should come as no major surprise.

Secondly it’s very, very addictive and in its original form had graphics and sound that competed well with everything else available.

Looks good.. sounds good.. plays great!

Come 2008, when APDL released - through RISC World magazine - a new version of Starfighter 3000, dubbed The Next Generation.

The storyline is still the same: “The year is 3037, and peak-time TV has acquired its most successful audience participation show ever. A result of the intensified battle for advertising revenue and military hardware between the two rival broadcasting companies, Fednet and TrashTV, lucky viewers were selected from thousands of applicants to take part in the Star Fighter UEP (Ultimate Expansion Programme).

The idea was simple ... Assemble an enormous military attack force around progressively difficult strategic locations (mostly belonging to TrashTV), invite viewers to take part in the ensuing battle, and broadcast the results ...unfortunately, the battle soon escalated into a universal conflict. TrashTV quickly made a number of allies, (mainly on the promise of cheap advertising), each being a powerful military force in the galaxy.

It’s your job to eliminate the opposition, and everybody else that stands in the way of Fednet’s rightful position as the only purveyor of quality entertainment through the known universe. Destroy their buildings, Exterminate their armies, Grind them into the dust, all for points and prizes. “

What’s different is the presentation. The game has had a complete redesign from the ground up. Graphically speaking, the game would not look out of place on the Playstation, PC or Sega Saturn (being the main games consoles available at the original time of its release).

There are lucious texture-mapped object that move around the screen at a good speed; with a lack of noticable flickering; alongside a stunning stereo sound backdrop.

The in-game music is superb; setting the atmosphere very well for the action going on in-game. The map, previously 2D, is now 3D and everything you’d expect from the original game is here in a new and improved form.

Concluding
The original game, released in 1995, is starting to show its age - despite the many improvements available courtesy of Chris Bazley - and in Starfighter 3000 - the next generation it’s been given a complete makeover.

It’s difficult to be critical of this - if you have a native RISC OS machine, there is no better action game for your computer.

To locate this on eBay, look for Starfighter or RISC World. You'll find the original PC / Mac version of Starfighter from 3DO looks very similar to this; and will also be available through eBay. To buy the RISC OS version directly, call APDL on 020 8778 2659.