The Video Game Project
A Closer Look At The Prototypes That Became Your Favourite Games!
Killer Bees Magnavox Odyssey 2 Prototype
Killer Bees was released for the Magnavox Odyssey 2 in 1983. It was both designed and programmed by Robert S. Harris (RoSHa) who had relatively recently graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics in 1979.
The games plot tell us that the Beebots from the insect civilization of BEM are invading the Earth, protected by swarms of Killer Bees, and it's up to a swarm of white bees to stop them. You the player must control the white bees swarm, trying to kill the Beebots by flying over them and stinging them. The longer the swarm flies over a Beebot, the slower it moves, until it finally stops and dies. When a Beebot dies, a grave marker will be raised in its place, making the movement of the remaining Beebots more difficult. Red Beebots move clockwise, while the blue ones move counterclockwise.
The Beebots are protected by swarms of Killer Bees. If a swarm of Killer Bees attacks the player's swarm, it will lose its bees gradually, until none are left and the game is over. Not only that but, the longer the Killer Bees stay on screen, the stronger they get. They also change their colors gradually, from green (the least harmful), to blue and then finally to red (the most dangerous).
The only defense the player has against the Killer Bees is the bug-zapping RoSHa Ray, released by pressing the action button. It is recharged each time a Beebot is killed, and it follows the white bees swarm vertical movement. Once all Beebots are killed, the round ends, and a new one starts with a new level of difficulty. There are 26 levels in total.
You the player can score one point per sting, ten points per zapped swarm and 100 points per Beebot killed. At the end of each round, a bonus is also given which consists of ten points per each survivor bee, multiplied by the number of the round you completed.
