Space Ace - Cinematronics

Developer:  Cinematronics

Year:  1984

Genre:  Adventure

Production:  5,000

This game uses a laserdisc, it's not your typical game that you move and fire in real-time but rather moving to where the character needs to go at a precise moment.  Watch for the flashes to help direct you through the levels. 

Game Play

Before you begin the game, you get to select a level of difficulty: Cadet (easy), Captain (medium) and Space Ace (hard).

The object of the game is not only to rescue Kimberly, but also help  Dexter regain his manhood by becoming Ace again, destroying the Infanto  Ray, defeating Borf and saving the Earth.

As you journey through outer space on this perilous quest, you will  encounter all kinds of dangers with enemy spaceships, alien creatures  and other nemesis.

You make all the decisions on the game as you direct either Dexter or  Ace with the joystick depending where you are at. The button does not  only make Dexter or Ace fire his blaster, but it can also transform  Dexter into Ace at certain parts of the game whenever the word  "Energize" appears on the screen, but that is only if you choose to do  so.

If you make it to the end of the game, Dexter will be Ace again for  good, he and Kimberly will be reunited, Borf will be turned into a baby  by his own weapon (now destroyed) and the Earth will be safe.  Afterwards, the game ends.

Contrary to popular belief, both Dragon's Lair and Space Ace did contain diagonal movements. In some cases, these movements were simply  the combination of two acceptable moves, while in other cases the  diagonal move was distinct (for example, during the whirlpool segment in  Dragon's Lair moving right or left is acceptable, moving  diagonal up-right or up-left is acceptable, but simply moving up results  in death). In all cases, the diagonal moves were optional, and there  was always a 4-way alternative. The '91 re-release of Space Ace contained some diagonal moves that were required.

Game Introduction

The score is displayed on a separate LED  score PCB and not on the screen. The monitor only displays Laser Disc  video and no RGB is sent from the Main PCB. Space Ace also has an  extra PCB called an Annunciator board. This board flashes the three LED  pushbuttons used to select skill level at the start of the game. The  three levels are Cadet, Captain, and Space Ace. This game came dedicated  in a cabinet different from Dragon's Lair that is similar to the SCION game by the same company and also in the exact cabinet as Dragon's Lair and as a Conversion kit for the Dragon's Lair game. The Pioneer PR-7820 laser disc player was also used.

In this animated laserdisc game, the player assumes the role of Space  Ace, a heroic space warrior, armed with a blaster, who must stop the  evil Commander Borf from conquering Earth with his Infanto Ray. As Ace  begins his mission, he is zapped by The Infanto Ray and turned into a  helpless little boy named Dexter and his beautiful girlfriend Kimberly  is kidnapped. So the player must help Dexter regain his manhood, destroy  The Infanto Ray and defeat Borf in order to rescue Kimberly and save  the Earth.

Throughout his quest, Dexter will fly through the galaxy in his  spaceship "Star Pac" battling enemy spaceships and manuevering his way  through obstacles and he will find his way through planets and space  stations while attempting to overcome obstacles as well as being  confronted by various robots, alien creatures and even his Dark Side.

The joystick is used to give Dexter or Ace directions and the button  is used to have Dexter or Ace fire his blaster and also occasionally  have Dexter transform into Ace if the word "Energize" appears on the  screen.

The game ends after Ace completes his mission when he rescues Kimberly and defeats Borf.