Classification:	Game / Arcade Shooter	vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
Publisher:	Loadstar (Softdisk, Inc)
Programmer:	Sean D. Wagle
Music/Sound:	Sean D. Wagle
Year:	1986
Rating:	★★★☆
Disk:	Arachnia.d64
This game is compatible with the Comet64. more info...

Arachnia 64 is a fast-paced arcade shooter for your C64. It was written by Sean D. Wagle and published in issue 22 of Loadstar. You find yourself in the center of a electronic spider-web and must control your “base” with the joystick, protecting your web from the “tracer” Arachnian's, which are set on destroying it.

The “tracers” travel along the spokes of the web, heading for the center, while the other Arachnians travel horizontally across the screen. Although blasting all of the invading Arachnians gives you points, it's the “tracer” which you need to focus on. If one of the reaches the center of the web, they destroy a spoke of the web. Allow four consecutive spokes to be destroyed, and it's game over.

You are given three bases to defend your web. If you come in contact with any of the Arachnians or move off the web, you lose a base. As the levels progress, the action gets faster and more frantic. If it all gets to be overwhelming for you, you can press the fire button, once per level, to instantly destroy all the Arachnians on the screen; but you won't get any points added to your score.

Arachnia 64 reminds me very much of the game, Tempest, but in revers. In Tempest, you travel the outer rim of the game area, trying to prevent the enemies from traveling from the center of the screen and reaching the rim. In Arachnia 64, the goal is the opposite; the sound effects are very reminiscent of Tempest, as well.

The premise of Arachnia 64 is pretty straight forward, along with the controls, but it holds some value in its replay-ability. It also gets to be quite a challenge to play, but not so hard that you feel like shutting the computer off and moving on. It's simple, but fun. I would say that it would be even more enjoyable if the game had some variations to it as you moved up the levels.

★★★☆ - It's a simple enough game to pick up and just play, clear objectives and a good amount of action and challenge. I'd say a pretty solid arcade shooter that is fun enough to return for a quick play every once in a while.

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