After I first heard about Missile Command Delta, turn-based gameplay was not what I anticipated. Altering the 1980 arcade traditional’s idea from a unending real-time rocket strike to a extra enjoyable puzzle expertise appeared fairly the gamble, however a couple of minutes within the recreation’s tutorial room gained me over.
However as I left that tutorial, I didn’t stroll into the digital arcade parlor I had hoped for. Though Missile Command Delta offered me with lots extra puzzles, they weren’t solely of the tactical missile-defending sort. Though the sheer brilliance of the reimagined arcade gameplay saved me going, desires of an arcade-only mode have haunted me ever since.

Picture: 13AM Video games/Mighty Yell by way of gamexplore
It’s no shock to see the long-lasting crimson, blue, and yellow colour scheme return, nor did I ever doubt the inclusion of various missile sorts — these items are a given if you happen to resolve to reimagine Missile Command. However to maintain the suspense, regardless of the slower tempo, that’s spectacular.
Partially, this impact will be attributed to the flickering lights mixed with the eerie background music. Showing as a warning signal, the blinking missile tracks always remind me that my cities are about to get bombed, both by this missile wave or the following. Make one error, and the following group of missiles will hit you with disagreeable emotions of “Oh no, what have I achieved?”
The fixed have to optimize my defenses had me calculating rocket pace, frantically scrolling via my arsenal, and making robust selections, akin to ready for the following flip in an try and destroy extra bombs utilizing the identical missile. Particularly through the “select your arsenal” section, earlier than the true motion kicks off, the uncertainty hits onerous. This tactical freedom and stress to seek out the optimum resolution make for a extremely compelling puzzle recreation, and I simply don’t wish to cease enjoying.
It’s too dangerous, then, that Missile Command Delta doesn’t indulge my eager for the following rocket storm. As Oli Welsh noticed, a first-person narrative about some teenagers caught in a bunker (don’t enter deserted bunkers – fiddle and discover out, guys!) always interferes with the cool stuff. Undoubtedly, the intention was to show this recreation right into a thriller, nevertheless it already has a thriller within the type of tactical dread.

Picture: 13AM Video games/Mighty Yell by way of gamexplore
A Missile Command Delta arcade mode, out there from the beginning and accessible from the principle menu, could be the dream. Simply boot up the sport, enter the arcade, and begin an ongoing stream of Missile Command puzzles. I don’t anticipate an countless mode, however a big stack of handcrafted challenges would do.
Naturally, a bunch of various recreation modes could be magnificent. Think about the Atari 50 arcade assortment, however as a contemporary, missile-only version. I can’t assist however consider the probabilities: a 50-wave problem, a short-range missiles-only mode, a randomized arsenal, even perhaps a bomb-’em-back variation (let’s see how they prefer it). That final one would have you ever firing again on the enemy — it breaks with the unique Missile Command’s vow to by no means let the participant turn out to be the aggressor, however you’ve acquired to confess, it will be enjoyable.
I notice my Missile Command desires are getting barely out of hand at this level, think about how beautiful it’d be to see a number of arcade machines in the midst of that dreary Missile Command Delta bunker. One stuffed with missile puzzles, and — I’m positive there’s room — a reproduction of the unique machine from 1980. Retro art work and cute buttons included.
Don’t get me fallacious, I am keen to undergo angsty teenagers with horrible survival instincts for the sake of the sensible tactical puzzle recreation that’s already core to this recreation, however Missile Command Delta has woke up a thirst for extra Missile Command, which it doesn’t fairly quench — but. If Mighty Yell and 13AM Video games ever resolve to develop a Missile Command arcade assortment with quite a lot of progressive spins on the prevailing idea, which they already proved to be able to, I’ll be first in line to get bombed.