Uridium

Not to be confused with Iridium.
Uridium
Developer(s)Graftgold[2]
Publisher(s)Hewson Consultants
Designer(s)Andrew Braybrook
Programmer(s)Andrew Braybrook (C64)[2]
Dominic Robinson (Spectrum)
Nick Eastridge (NES)
Composer(s)Steve Turner (C64)
Rich Shemaria (NES)
Platform(s)C64 (original)
Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, BBC Micro, DOS, NES, Virtual Console, ZX Spectrum
Release28 February 1986[1]
Genre(s)Scrolling shooter
Mode(s)Single-player

Uridium (released on the NES as The Last Starfighter)[3] is a science fiction side-scrolling shoot 'em up initially designed by Andrew Braybrook for the Commodore 64, and later ported to other 8-bit machines. It consists of fifteen levels,[4] each named after a metal element, with the last level being called Uridium (a fictional metallic element, not to be confused with the real metallic element iridium). The manual quotes Robert Orchard, who invented the name as saying "I really thought it existed".[5]

Uridium was later released for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1990. Mindscape purchased a license to release a game based on the film The Last Starfighter.[3] Rather than program a new game, however, Mindscape decided to take an easier route by recycling an older, relatively obscure game. The title screen, sprites, and soundtrack were modified, but the levels and gameplay were identical. In 2003, it was re-released on the C64 Direct-to-TV.

In 2008, the C64 version was a title on the Wii Virtual Console,[6] released on 28 March for the Virtual Console in Europe, costing 500 Wii Points.[4]

  1. ^ Hewson, Andrew (2016). Hints and Tips for Videogame Pioneers. Lulu. p. 103. ISBN 9781844991365.
  2. ^ a b "The Making of Uridium". Retro Gamer. No. 106. Imagine. 16 August 2012. pp. 34–39.
  3. ^ a b "The Making Of Uridium | Retro Gamer". www.retrogamer.net. 10 October 2014. Archived from the original on 2019-07-18. Retrieved 2018-05-04.
  4. ^ a b "Review: Uridium (Virtual Console / Commodore 64)". Nintendo Life. March 29, 2008. Archived from the original on March 4, 2021. Retrieved October 28, 2021.
  5. ^ "Uridium". TEMPE. Archived from the original on 2001-08-17. Retrieved 2007-04-04.
  6. ^ "Commodore 64 coming to Virtual Console". Nintendo Life. February 21, 2008. Archived from the original on January 20, 2021. Retrieved October 28, 2021.