When I first heard about Missile Command Delta, turn-based gameplay was not what I expected. Changing the 1980 arcade classic’s concept from a never-ending real-time rocket strike to a more relaxing puzzle experience seemed quite the gamble, but a few minutes in the game’s tutorial room won me over.
But as I left that tutorial, I didn’t walk into the virtual arcade parlor I had hoped for. Although Missile Command Delta presented me with plenty more puzzles, they weren’t solely of the tactical missile-defending kind. Although the sheer brilliance of the reimagined arcade gameplay kept me going, dreams of an arcade-only mode have haunted me ever since.
Image: 13AM Games/Mighty Yell via Polygon
It’s no surprise to see the iconic red, blue, and yellow color scheme return, nor did I ever doubt the inclusion of different missile types — these things are a given if you decide to reimagine Missile Command. But to keep the suspense, despite the slower pace, that’s impressive.
In part, this effect can be attributed to the flickering lights combined with the eerie background music. Appearing as a warning sign, the blinking missile tracks constantly remind me that my cities are about to get bombed, either by this missile wave or the next. Make one error, and the next group of missiles will hit you with unpleasant feelings of “Oh no, what have I done?”
The constant need to optimize my defenses had me calculating rocket speed, frantically scrolling through my arsenal, and making tough decisions, such as waiting for the next turn in an attempt to destroy more bombs using the same missile. Especially during the “choose your arsenal” phase, before the real action kicks off, the uncertainty hits hard. This tactical freedom and pressure to find the optimal solution make for a highly compelling puzzle game, and I just don’t want to stop playing.
It’s too bad, then, that Missile Command Delta doesn’t indulge my longing for the next rocket storm. As Oli Welsh observed, a first-person narrative about some teens stuck in a bunker (don’t enter abandoned bunkers – mess around and find out, guys!) constantly interferes with the cool stuff. Undoubtedly, the intention was to turn this game into a thriller, but it already has a thriller in the form of tactical dread.
Image: 13AM Games/Mighty Yell via Polygon
A Missile Command Delta arcade mode, available from the start and accessible from the main menu, would be the dream. Just boot up the game, enter the arcade, and start an ongoing stream of Missile Command puzzles. I don’t expect an endless mode, but a large stack of handcrafted challenges would do.
Naturally, a bunch of different game modes would be magnificent. Imagine the Atari 50 arcade collection, but as a modern, missile-only edition. I can’t help but think of the possibilities: a 50-wave challenge, a short-range missiles-only mode, a randomized arsenal, perhaps even a bomb-’em-back variation (let’s see how they like it). That last one would have you firing back at the enemy — it breaks with the original Missile Command’s vow to never let the player become the aggressor, but you’ve got to admit, it would be fun.
I realize my Missile Command dreams are getting slightly out of hand at this point, imagine how lovely it’d be to see a few arcade machines in the middle of that dreary Missile Command Delta bunker. One filled with missile puzzles, and — I’m sure there’s room — a replica of the original machine from 1980. Retro artwork and cute buttons included.
Don’t get me wrong, I am willing to suffer angsty teens with terrible survival instincts for the sake of the brilliant tactical puzzle game that’s already core to this game, but Missile Command Delta has awakened a thirst for more Missile Command, which it doesn’t quite quench — yet. If Mighty Yell and 13AM Games ever decide to develop a Missile Command arcade collection with a variety of innovative spins on the existing concept, which they already proved to be capable of, I’ll be first in line to get bombed.