Atari 2600 Game
Produced by: Milton Bradley
Model Number: n/a
Rarity: 4 Uncommon+
Year of Release: 1983
Programmer: Uncredited
Strap yourself in and prepare for a dogfight. Enemy planes are coming in waves, while you also face danger from cannons and tanks on the ground. Can you survive long enough to complete your mission? Its Spitfire Attack for the Atari 2600!
In Spitfire Attack you control an airplane from a first person perspective. The Pseudo-3D graphics are quite good for a 2600 game. You can fly in any direction, but where you fly seems to matter very little. Tanks and turrets are ground targets, making for an easy score since they don't fire back. However, you face danger from enemy planes that attack constantly from the front, one at a time. They are fairly easy to take out as long as you get them early. If they get too close you will lose one of your six lives every time.
Holding down the game select button on you Atari VCS will cause your plane to fly forward quickly, with no danger from enemies. Your plane will also continue to fly forward unharmed after you run out of lives, however you can no longer fire or control your aircraft. This seems to be a programming shortcut. As the ever forward moving ground scrolls smoothly at all times, from before you play, to after you die, and even when you start a new game. It never resets itself.
Collectors Information
Some copies of this game shipped with no label on the end. Both versions are equally common, the version with the end label appears to be the collector's choice. Packed in this game was a large flight yoke controller that was called the "Flight Commander". It looks similar to a gun mount on a WWII fighter plane. This controller is worth a lot more than the cartridge is, though it is functionally identical to the standard 2600 joystick.
This game is valued at around $10
USD. As always, games with boxes and manuals are worth more.