Save New York was released for the Commodore 64 by Creative Software in 1983. Exclusive games for the C64 weren’t all that common, not because there weren’t a lot of games released for it but because there was no exclusive licensing involved like there would later be for the NES. A popular game was likely to be released on many platforms. I’m not really sure what sales were for this game but as far as I can tell, it was only released on the Commodore 64.
This is an arcade action game in which you must save the city from invading aliens. At first glance, this would seem to be a Defender clone. However, the game play is actually significantly more complex. Like Defender, you must try to shoot invading aliens, in this case via an aircraft that you control but it doesn’t end there.
Unlike Defender, you must manage your fuel by collecting fuel canisters that are occasionally dropped. You also aren’t saving individual people but trying to protect the whole city. The aliens that are descending are giant spiders. If you don’t destroy them before they make to ground (or building) level, then they attach themselves to buildings and start eating them.
In addition, in later levels, these spider aliens will drop eggs. These eggs hatch underground and to destroy these aliens you must land and descend underground. You must also avoid subway trains zipping around.
Another strong point of this game is the multiplayer capability. Two players can play at once, controlling different colored planes. While simultaneous two player games were by no means rare on the C64, it would have been very easy to have made this a one player game or a game were players alternated turns. The two player simultaneous play adds greatly to the fun factor.
Reviews for this game were generally positive. While it would be easy to pass this game off as just another generic action game or arcade clone, it is really a step above that. It adds some unique twists to what could have been a very generic game. Unfortunately, I don’t know of any modern re-releases. Creative Software seems to have ceased operating in late 1985 or early 1986 and it is unclear who owns the rights to the games they released, including this one.
The ad above is from the May 1984 issue of Computer Fun.