Rocket Lander

Rocket Lander for the IBM PC

Rocket Lander is a Lunar Lander style action/strategy game released in 1982. The goal of the game is to successfully land a rocket on the landing pad. Players can adjust the rockets thrust to increase or decrease the rate of fall and can tilt the rocket left or right to adjust its trajectory. To land safely, the rocket must be over the landing pad and the fall rate must be low enough on touchdown or the rocket will be destroyed. Players must also avoid crashing into the mountainous landscape; landing anywhere other than the landing pad is fatal. Fuel is limited; the greater the amount of thrust being used, the faster fuel is consumed. If fuel runs out the rocket will not be able to be controlled and will free-fall into the landscape. Points are awarded for successful landings, and after 100 points are earned the game enters advanced mode. In the advanced mode, there are two stages; first, the player will see a dotted line above the landing pad which needs to be crossed at a slow fall rate. After crossing the line the screen zooms in and players will then need to land the rocket on the pad. The game allows players to choose between a digital or analog guage display, and the background music can optionally be turned off.