| Space Shuttle: A Journey into Space | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer | Activision |
| Publisher | Activision |
| Designer | Jessica Stevens |
| Programmers | Atari 2600 Jessica Stevens Atari 8-bit, 5200 Bob Henderson |
| Platforms | Atari 2600,Atari 8-bit,Atari 5200,ZX Spectrum,Amstrad CPC,Commodore 64,MSX |
| Release | 1983: 2600 1984: Atari 8-bit, 5200, C64, Spectrum 1985: Amstrad, MSX |
| Genre | Flight simulator |
| Mode | Single-player |
Space Shuttle: A Journey into Space is aspace flight simulator game designed by Jessica Stevens[Note 1] for theAtari 2600 and published byActivision in 1983.[1] It is one of the first realistic spacecraft simulations available for home systems.Space Shuttle was adapted to theAtari 8-bit computers andAtari 5200 by Bob Henderson (1984),[2][3] then ported to theZX Spectrum (1984),[4]Commodore 64 (1984),[5]Amstrad CPC (1986), andMSX (1986).[6] The 1984 Activision Software catalog also mentions anApple II version.[7]
The player controls the most critical flight phases of theSpace Shuttle such as launch, stabilizing orbit, docking, deorbit burn, reentry, and landing, each with its own set of instructions to follow.[1] The originalAtari 2600 version came with an overlay since it made use of all the switches.[8]
In an April 1984 review forVideo Games magazine, Dan Persons wrote:
Space Shuttle is not a game for everybody. It requires a considerable amount of patience and, perhaps not too surprisingly, a considerable amount of brainpower. Players who seek the visceral thrills of the standard shoot'em-up may ultimately find this simulation's complexity frustrating. But those of you who are ready for a richer, more sophisticated experience will probably recognizeSpace Shuttle for the monumental achievement it is.[9]