H.E.R.O. (video game)
1984 video game / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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H.E.R.O. (standing for Helicopter Emergency Rescue Operation)[1] is a video game designed by John Van Ryzin and published by Activision for the Atari 2600 in March 1984. The game has players control Roderick Hero who traverses a mineshaft avoiding enemies and hazards to rescue trapped miners. He travels through the mines equipped with a hoverpack that allows him to traverse the game levels as well as bombs and laser that let him destroy walls and defeat enemies respectively.
H.E.R.O. | |
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![]() Atari 2600 cover art | |
Developer(s) | Activision |
Publisher(s) | Activision |
Designer(s) | John Van Ryzin |
Platform(s) | Atari 2600, Apple II, Atari 5200, Atari 8-bit, ColecoVision, Commodore 64, MSX, SG-1000, ZX Spectrum |
Release | March 30, 1984
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Genre(s) | Platformer |
Van Ryzin initially began working at Activision at their New Jersey offices to make a game titled Cosmic Commuter. Initial tests of the game had playtesters comment it was not fun enough, leading Van Ryzin to develop a new game influenced by comic book superheroes that would become H.E.R.O.. Following its release in March 1984, the game was ported to several other consoles such as the Atari 5200, Colecovision, SG-1000 and home computers such as the Apple II, Atari 8-bit computers, Commodore 64, MSX, and ZX Spectrum.
The game received positive reviews from publications such as The Video Game Update, Zzap!64 and Retro Gamer. Jeremy Parish said the game was an important game in the development of the platformer game genre as it allowed players to move freely in all directions instead of being forced into climbing ladders or jumping over obstacles which would be seen in later games like Bionic Commando (1988) and Bangai-O (1999).