- Release Date: 1995
- Genre: Shooter
- Style: Fixed Screen Shooter
- Similar Games: Apeiron (Macintosh), Space Crazed (Macintosh), Robotron: 2084: Williams Digital Arcade (Macintosh)
Game Description
This level-based game puts you in a small spaceship that goes around collecting crystals. Obstacles in your path include deadly mines and enemies that increase in speed and nastiness with each level. Goodies include smart bombs that destroy every enemy on the screen, flying prism crystals worth incredible amounts of points, and point bonuses.Action starts out slow, but quickly rackets upwards to become fast and furious, especially at higher levels. After all the crystals are retrieved, the barrier over the exit parts, allowing you to fly through to the next level. At levels past 25, the exit itself moves, adding to the difficulty yet again.
~ Lisa Karen Savignano, All Game Guide
Review: Overall
Crystal Quest is a game of the classic arcade type, featuring blistering action and incredibly exciting game play. You play a small, fragile spaceship collecting crystals in space, facing off hordes of enemies bent on annihilating you. Action starts off slow and quickly racks up to blazingly fast speeds.In addition to enemies, you must also avoid asteroids, mines laid by enemies, and collisions while steering toward the exit gate, all of which can destroy your spaceship in an instant.
Goodies that help you survive include cherry-shaped smart bombs that destroy every enemy on the screen (but not the enemy-laid mines), super-sized bonus crystals that are worth varying amounts of points and specials, numbers that boost your score by that amount of points.
The enemies are very distinctive, each having a look and a way of moving that sets it apart from the others. They also have distinctive weapons, and one enemy, the Trimpet, is indestructible. Having hordes of enemies coming after you can definitely set your pulse pounding!
As wonderful as this game is, it does have a drawback. With high numbers of enemies on the screen, the game tends to slow down and game play can become slow and choppy. This can be deadly at higher waves, disrupting the flow of the game and interrupting your concentration.
At the end of each wave, a bonus is added to your score based on the time it takes to finish that wave. This gives you a few seconds to rest your fingers and relax. Believe me, you'll need it!
And, if that wasn't enough, MacSoft includes the CritterEditor, an extra program that allows you to personalize your copy of crystal quest by changing the appearance and speed of the enemies you face.
~ Lisa Karen Savignano, All Game Guide
Review: Enjoyment
Extremely enjoyable. This one will really get your blood pumping.~ Lisa Karen Savignano, All Game Guide
Review: Graphics
Enemies, while distinctive are not really high-resolution. The graphics, while colorful, are equally simple, but crisp. This is not Myst.~ Lisa Karen Savignano, All Game Guide
Review: Sound
Limited sounds. Repetitive, but not occurring often enough to become tiresome.~ Lisa Karen Savignano, All Game Guide
Review: Replay Value
Incredibly addicting. The temptation to see if you can survive one more level can be irresistable.~ Lisa Karen Savignano, All Game Guide
Review: Documentation
Good Manual, mostly describing the features of the free "critter editor" included with the game.~ Lisa Karen Savignano, All Game Guide
