A.E. (video game)

A.E.
Developer(s)Programmers-3
Publisher(s)Broderbund
Designer(s)Jun Wada
Makoto Horai[1]
Platform(s)Apple II, Atari 8-bit, VIC-20, MSX
Release1982: Apple, Atari
1983: VIC-20
1984: MSX
Genre(s)Fixed shooter
Mode(s)Single-player

A.E. (sometimes shown unpunctuated as AE) is a fixed shooter written by Jun Wada and Makoto Horai for the Apple II and Atari 8-bit computers and published by Broderbund in 1982. Versions followed for the VIC-20 (1983) and MSX (1984). Unlike most earlier shooters which have a solid color or starfield as a background, the action in A.E. takes place in front of science fiction scenes. Attacking creatures emerge from points in the image, often appearing to come from behind objects. Combined with a slight scaling as they advance, there is the impression of depth.

According to the back of the box, "A.E. is the Japanese word for 'ray' as in Manta Ray or Sting Ray",[2] robotic versions of which are enemies in the game.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference giantlist was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference bbox was invoked but never defined (see the help page).