Tempest 2000

Moby ID: 927
Jaguar Specs
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Description official descriptions

Tempest 2000 is a remake/upgrade of the popular Atari vector graphics-based shooter.

Blast your way through over 100+ levels, shooting the creatures that come out from the other side of the web to drag you in. Collect power-ups (jump, AI robots and more) to trippy graphics and colorful explosions as a thumping techno-house soundtrack blasts in the background.

Collect enough bonuses, and be subjected to two different types of bonus rounds as you navigate through rings, or try to ride a spiral tube.

Also included in the gameplay is an intense two-player mode to team up with or go head to head against another player, or even play a version of the original arcade game. There are four modes of gameplay in all: Traditional Tempest, Tempest Duel, Tempest Plus and Tempest 2000.

Face the web....

Spellings

  • テンペスト2000 - Japanese spelling

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Credits (Jaguar version)

17 People

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Reviews

Critics

Average score: 82% (based on 42 ratings)

Players

Average score: 3.7 out of 5 (based on 85 ratings with 5 reviews)

Television Is The Representative Of The Mind's Eye.

The Good
Tempest the arcade game is a great game. Tempest 2000 is a great game of virtual acid. If there was ever a game that drew me in solely on graphics and audio, this is the one.

As mentioned above, the original Tempest was fast-paced, interesting and addicting. This is the proper way to upgrade a classic game: Retain all of the gameplay and the elements that made the original so popular, then crank it up to give the player more.

The graphics are fascinating, and showed such promise for what the Jaguar could do. Bright and colorful with things going on in the background, it kept the rapid-action of the game flowing smoothly. Coupled with all of the particle explosions, and the trippy bonus rounds, and it was an experience onto itself.

Sound-wise, it still remains as one of my favorite game soundtracks. It fit the action so well with its house-techno beats and sound samples. All of this being blended with the sound effects of the original game. The pseudo-orgasmic "yes" commentary for passing through bonus round rings was funny, and a little disturbing all at once.

Gameplay-wise, if you like Tempest, it's just that, but better. The newer power-ups rock, and add more depth to gameplay. There's even a two-player mode, which handles well.

The Bad
The initial bonus rounds are a little confusing since the control is so vastly different from the rest of the gameplay. One can't feel prepared for what's going on at first, but it's able to be overcome.

The particle effects, as pretty as they are, can be a distraction when you start destroying everything on screen at once. The action gets to a point where it moves so fast that you feel like you can't keep up at times. But it offers a save feature and continues.

The Bottom Line
I will praise the audio and visuals of this game until people run away in fear of my rantings. I love the soundtrack to this game. So much so, that I ordered a copy of it from Atari (And still play at times to this day).

I wrote a review for Alien Vs. Predator, saying that it is THE Jaguar game to have. On that note, this is the OTHER Jaguar game to have. Those two titles were such a strong lead-in to the system, one can't help but wonder what happened.

But Tempest 2000 still remains one of my personal favorites. It's not so much a classic arcade upgrade as it is an experience. This should be a blueprint for all game designers on how to do an arcade remake properly. As a gamer, find a way to play this game. It's still a remarkable title, and highly recommended.

Jaguar · by Guy Chapman (1748) · 2004

A half-hearted attempt to bring back a classic.

The Good
Quite frankly, Tempest 2000 could have used a bit more work.

The only nice thing about it was really the music and the powerups. But then the same 2 were part of it's downfall (more on that later).

The Bad
OK, It's later. There were a lot of problem with this game that just completely detracted from the gameplay.

The Graphics were... blah. They could have done a lot better considering the state of computers in this day and age.

The Control is lousy. You can either use a joystick or the keyboard. No Mouse options. I would have loved to play the game with the mouse. When playing with the keyboard it is EXTREMELY difficult to control.

The sound is adequate, although the background music gets extremely annoying after a while.

But out of all the different problems, The gameplay in general is the worst. OK, flashback to the original game. The enemies come up from the center of the screen and you shot towards them. The same happens here, but the problem is increased when you get power-ups. The programmers must have thought it would be "cool" if the name of the power up appeared... guess where.... in the MIDDLE of the screen! So the powerups which are supposed to help you win the game end up hindering your progress because they block the view of the enemies as they advance.

The Bottom Line
If you are into Retro-gaming, by all means pick it up for the fact that it's Tempest. But if you are looking for a shooter, by all means there are better ones out there.

Windows · by Chris Martin (1155) · 2000

Overall, a good update of a classic arcade game.

The Good
One word sums up this game well: intense. But you probably want more than one word, huh? Okay.

There are numerous enemies, both old and new. The game starts out slowly, but quickly builds so that there's a constant stream of enemies is coming at you. It'll take all your skill and reflexes to keep them from overwhelming you.

Also, the graphics still have a vector graphic style to them, but with added affects like fill effects on the "webs" of each level. There are also several options that allow you to customize the graphics to your taste.

Then there's the powerups. These go against the pure simplicity of the original game, but some of them are just too cool! In particular, there's the ability to jump OFF THE BOARD! This lets you avoid the enemies that you didn't manage to stop and gives you a fighting chance (assuming you've earned this powerup on the current level). The AI Droid is also particularly helpful, basically letting you be in two places at once.

The Bad
Well first of all, Tempest just isn't Tempest without a spinner control. In Tempest 2000, you're forced to use the keyboard or a joystick. With some practice, I've managed to do quite well with the keyboard.

The other problem is they decided to have text messages come towards you from a point in the center of the screen. This can obscure the gameplay and is very distracting. You get used to it with time, but it's a very questionable decision.

The Bottom Line
If you like intense action or are a fan of the original game, check this one out. I never really cared greatly for the original Tempest, but this game I like!

DOS · by Lee Seitz (711) · 2000

[ View all 5 player reviews ]

Trivia

1001 Video Games

The Jaguar version of Tempest 2000 appears in the book 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die by General Editor Tony Mott.

Soundtrack

At the time of its release, the music to Tempest 2000 was so popular, that gamers could purchase the CD soundtrack directly from Atari.

Tempest X3

Tempest 2000 developer Jeff Minter reviewed the PlayStation port (he didn't do it) on his website. (see the Jan. 12, 1997 posting)

Awards

  • Electronic Gaming Monthly
    • April 1994 (Issue 57) - Game of the Month
    • 1995 Buyer's Guide - Jaguar Game of the Year
  • GameFan Magazine
    • 1994 (Vol 3, Iss. 1) - named the Best Jaguar Arcade Game of the Year (Megawards)
  • Game Informer Magazine
    • August 2001 (Issue 100) - voted #56 in the Top 100 Games of All Time poll
  • VideoGames Magazine
    • March 1995 - Best Music for a Cartridge Game (Jaguar version)
    • March 1995 - Best Shooter (Jaguar version)

Information also contributed by Big John WV, Guy Chapman, and PCGamer77

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Contributors to this Entry

Game added by Chris Martin.

SEGA Saturn added by Nate Trost. Jaguar added by Satoshi Kunsai. Macintosh added by Scaryfun.

Additional contributors: Satoshi Kunsai, Guy Chapman, Alaka, LepricahnsGold, Ms. Tea, DreinIX, FatherJack.

Game added February 28, 2000. Last modified March 14, 2024.