Star Castle – Nostalgia Central

Star Castle – a  1980 classic from vector graphics pioneers Cinematronics – envisioned future castles as rotating rings of energy.

Your mission was to pilot a wedge-shaped spaceship and destroy the formidable Star Castle at its centre. It required precise control, quick shooting, and perfect timing – space siege warfare was no easy feat.

The game featured three rotating rings, each with 12 segments, with plastic overlays adding colour.

The counter-rotating rings had to be penetrated a segment at a time, giving your ship a clear shot at the enemy inside.

However, opening the path also gave the enemy a clear shot, as its massive cannon was fast and deadly.

Threatening you further were three sparks circling the rings. As you destroyed segments, these sparks broke free and pursued you, making it harder to target the main foe.

When you shot out all twelve segments, an extra ring appeared, restarting the challenge. Defeating each Star Castle made the next one spin faster with walls that rotated even more quickly.

Using just left/right rotation, fire, and thrust, the game was simple to learn but challenging to master.

Its addictive, straightforward gameplay exemplifies the charm of early video games and remains beloved by many old-school gamers today.