River Raid is a vertical scrolling top-down shooter released for the Atari in 1982. The game was designed and programmed by Carol Shaw (one of the first female designers/programmers in the industry). Over a million game cartridges of River Raid were sold. Activision would later port the game to the ColecoVision, Intellivision and the Commodore 64.
In River Raid the player is tasked with flying a jet over a seemingly endless river filled with enemy ships, jets, helicopters and bridges. The plane can move right to left and fire single bullets. The player can also accelerate/decelerate the speed of the aircraft by moving up and down on the joystick. Staying over the water is important in River Raid, as crashing into land will result in immediate death.
One of the most unique gameplay elements of River Raid is the fuel system. Throughout the game the player will encounter fuel tanks. Flying over these cells will replenish some of the aircraft’s fuel, tracked by the gauge at the bottom of the screen. The player can also shoot the fuel tanks. Running out of gas will result in the plane crashing. While this mechanic might seem simple by today’s gaming standards, it was groundbreaking back in 1982. The fuel system makes River Raid much more than a simple move and shoot game. It adds another level of dimension and urgency to the gameplay.
River Raid also features incredible level design. While the landscape is redundant, the gameplay always feels fresh. Navigating over the endless waterway (and not crashing into land) takes exceptional skill. The water paths widen and tighten constantly throughout the course of the game. Now throw in a bunch of enemies that move back and forth across the water (and fly across the screen). The player really has to be on their toes, shooting and utilizing the accelerate/decelerate controls to the best of their ability in order to stay alive.
River Raid is an all-time classic. The fuel mechanic and level design are really good (for a game released in the early 80s), adding a subtle level of depth to a deceivingly ‘simple’ game. Crashing happens constantly and this game is unforgiving, but you find yourself always coming back for more. There is just something hypnotic about the River Raid experience.
Hopefully you enjoyed our latest blog post. Let us know if you have any questions or comments. Sign up to our email list (below) for future updates. Thanks for reading!
Be sure to check out our latest game Martian Law on Steam (PC).