Battle Sphere  | |
 | Background: Represent one of 7 races in the section of space known as the Battle Sphere. The winning race will get to colonize the remaining inhabitable worlds. This game allows for multiple console networking and a host of single player modes. The single modes include ‘Free For All’, where the you must be the first to destroy a specified number of ships, ‘Gauntlet’, where you must defend multiple starbases against wave after wave of attack, ‘Pilot Training’, including 20 progressively challenging levels, and ‘Alone Against the Empire.’ ‘A.A.T.E.’ requires the greatest amount of strategy. In it you must defend multiple starbases against enemy forces with the use of a sector map, hyperdrive, and friendly forces which you control. There is also a two player option in which the second player becomes the gunner while you pilot and control the weapons as well. Game Play: Simply put, Battle Sphere is a must have for every gaming fan. The beauty of this game is the unique mix of simplicity and skill. The basic piloting skills required for all modes of play can be easily learned in the first few levels of ‘Pilot Training’. However, to advance in any game mode you must continually develop new strategies to deal with the increasingly challenging enemies. The graphics are excellent and compare well with any Jaguar game. The sound effects and music are exceptional. I particularly like the rush of the engines as you increase speed and the accompanying music. The Heads Up Display is informative and easy to use. It includes both a front and rear radar, velocity, thrust, energy, shields, and weapons displays. The controls are also very intuitive and easy to use in a pinch. I really enjoyed the two player option. This option, along with networking and the many different ship types, really increases the depth of the game. ‘Pilot Training’ is easy for the first few levels (as it should be) and then becomes very challenging. I found that it trains you well for the other play modes. ‘Free for All’ is perfect for the quick battle to polish up your skills. The game really shines when you see multiple ships firing at one another just as you fly into the melee. ‘Gauntlet’ complicates matters by requiring you to defend starbases for continual waves. Thankfully the game will save your progress every five levels – and more often on the later levels. Finally, ‘A.A.T.E.’ is Star Raiders Deluxe and you get a sector map and hyperdrive. The ability to control friendly forces is a very nice addition. It is unfortunate that multiple players can not control different ships without networking several jaguars and hard to get copies of the game. This is through no fault of the game developers. If Atari had survived, Battle Sphere would have been more available. Also, splitting up the screen for multiple player views would have detracted from game play. Quite simply this may just be the best Jaguar Game ever. For sure, it is one of the best and will keep you entertained for years to come with the varied game modes. Pros: control, game play, multiple game modes, music, sound effects, graphics, game depth |
 | Preview One of the most anticipated games for the Atari Jaguar. And the one with the most controversy because of the problems of securing encryption with Hasbro (check out the news section for details). This game is a Star Raiders remake and looks great. It uses the Jag linking ability which allows several Jaguars to be hooked up so that several players can go head to head. Check out the details at the Official Battle Sphere Site (where these images came from). The story of the game is that the races of the universe have set aside a section of space where the best warriors will fight and the winning race shall have the rest of the Galaxy. Can’t wait for this one! |
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 By: 4-Play     Checkout these places for more info: | Preview from Area 64: The Jagzone, Heath AndersonStory: 800 years in the future, the galaxy is in turmoil. Each of the seven known races has exploited and polluted its own homeworld until the colonization of new planets has become a necessity rather than a choice.Where borders meet, conflict erupts. No race is completely blameless as the warring escalates to culminate in the destruction of a million worlds and the slaughter of a billion sentient beings.Habitable planets are rare, however, and the leaders of the races realize that if hostilities continue, it will be impossible to survive on any world.Sheer panic motivates a quick solution: No longer will the seven races wreak unbridled destruction throughout the galaxy; instead, all hostilities will be confined to the Battle Sphere, a small, closed region of space to which each race will send its finest warriors. The triumphant race will be allowed to colonize freely; each of the remaining races will be confined to its original, dying homeworld forevermore…
BATTLE SPHERE RULES ! |
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 A wide selection of game modes |  Each scenario has many different ships |
 |  ‘Free for All’ is a descriptive title |
 Each ship has a different look and feel |  |
 Alone Against the Empires Sector Map |
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