There are so many Missile Command remakes out there that it’s impossible to list them all.
Whether on your old arcade machine, PlayStation or computer – this simple game concept is easy to learn and fun to play. Let me first talk about some of the similarities between Missile Shield and Missile Command. There are six skyscrapers that need to be protected from atomic missile just like in the original.
These atomic missiles fall down on you from the sky menacing to destroy your city. As soon as a skyscraper is hit, it is immediately destroyed. Your job is to prevent enemy missiles from reaching their targets in time. You do so by shooting defence missiles into the sky that explode leaving behind a shrinking explosion cloud.
Enemy missiles get destroyed as soon as they come in contact with this explosion cloud, which sets off another smaller explosion. With a bit of luck it is entirely possible to produce a chain explosion and spare yourself a lot of ammunition. Keep in mind that you are limited to 30 defence missiles per level.
The most difficult aspect is obviously the timing. The higher the level, the faster the atomic missiles fly. You have to estimate their trajectory and speed correctly in order to shoot them down. To make things more difficult, planes and satellites fly across the screen from time to time while dropping bombs along the way, some of which split into smaller unites. It is therefore really important to eliminate planes and satellites before they get the chance to unload their bombs.
Now let me mention some of the differences between the remake and the original. In Missile Command there are three defence missile silos containing 10 missiles located in every level. These can be destroyed by enemy rockets. In Missile Shield, on the other hand, there is only a single missile silo, which cannot be destroyed. The goal of the game is straight-forward: you have to prevent your six skyscrapers from getting destroyed for as long as humanly possible. Since there isn’t an end to this game, it’s all about getting the highest score possible. There are also bonus points for every unused rocket and intact building.
Missile Shield would be even more interesting if they had implemented the game concept of the original in full, including the three missile silos. With just one invincible missile silo it’s really easy to survive for a really long time by concentrating exclusively on protecting the city below.
The high score list is displayed at the start of every game. Pressing the touch screen launches a new round of play. During game play, there are two symbols displayed on the screen: a sound switch and a letter “i” for game instructions. Pressing the menu button during the game directs you to the game menu, which contains just two options: Continue Game or Main Menu.
Although the sound effects are retro enough, they tend to get annoying and repetitive very quickly.
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