View source for Llamatron

{{Short description|1991 video game}}
{{good article}}
{{Infobox video game
|title = Llamatron
|image = Llamatron - title screen.jpg
|caption = [[MS-DOS]] title screen
|publisher = Llamasoft
|designer = [[Jeff Minter]]
|released = '''Amiga, Atari ST'''{{vgrelease|NA|1991}} '''MS-DOS'''{{vgrelease|NA|1992}}
|genre = [[Multidirectional shooter]]
|modes = [[Single-player video game|Single-player]], [[Multiplayer video game|multiplayer]]
|platforms = [[Atari ST]], [[Amiga]], [[MS-DOS]]
}}
'''''Llamatron''''' (stylized '''''Llamatron: 2112''''' on the title screen) is a [[multidirectional shooter]] [[video game]] programmed by [[Jeff Minter]] of Llamasoft and released in 1991 for the [[Atari ST]] and [[Amiga]] and in 1992 for [[MS-DOS]]. Based on ''[[Robotron: 2084]]'', players of ''Llamatron'' control the eponymous creature in an attempt to stop an alien invasion of Earth and rescue animals—referred to as "Beasties"—for points. Players advance by destroying all of the enemies on each level using a laser that fires automatically in the direction that the Llamatron is moving. Various power-ups exist to aid the player in defeating the wide variety of enemies and obstacles they face along the way.

Released in the later years of the Atari ST and Amiga, ''Llamatron'' was distributed as [[shareware]], containing the full game and a request to register the program for £5 if the user enjoyed the game. As of March 1992, at least 800 people had registered the game, making it unusually successful for shareware distributed without locked features or other purchase incentives. Reviews of both the Atari ST and Amiga versions praised its addictive gameplay, sound effects, and value for the registration price. Minter released a commercial remake of the game for [[iOS]], ''[[Minotron: 2112]]'', in 2011.

==Gameplay==
''Llamatron'' is a [[multidirectional shooter]] where the objective is to stop an invasion of Earth that is being launched by alien mutants known as the Zyaxxians.<ref name="AmigaFormat">{{cite journal|last = Evans|first = Maff|title = Llamatron 2112|journal = [[Amiga Format]]|issue = 26|page = 66|publisher = [[Future plc]]|date = September 1991}}</ref> The player's character—the eponymous Llamatron—is placed in the center of a black screen, with enemies—labelled in-game as "Grunts"—scattered across the playing area. Once the level begins, the enemies move towards the player and, if any of the enemies come into contact with the [[llama]], the player loses a life. The player's goal is to destroy every enemy on the screen with the llama's laser, which fires automatically in the direction that the llama is facing.<ref name="AmigaComputing">{{cite journal|title = Llamas with lazers|journal = [[Amiga Computing]]|issue = 41|pages = 32–34|publisher = [[Europress]]|date = October 1991}}</ref> Players can also use a second joystick to control the direction of fire or hold the firing button down to lock the firing direction regardless of movement. The keyboard can also be used instead of a joystick.<ref name="Zero">{{cite journal|title = Llamatron|journal = [[Zero (video game magazine)|Zero]]|issue = 27|page = 8|publisher = [[Dennis Publishing]]|date = January 1992}}</ref> The game includes modes that allow a second player, or an indestructible computer-controlled "droid", to assist the Llamatron.<ref name="AmigaComputing"/>

The player gains points by destroying enemies and collecting llamas, sheep, goats, and camels—known collectively as "Beasties"—that are placed on the screen at the start of the level. Upon destroying all of the enemies on a screen, the player advances to the next level.<ref name="AmigaComputing"/> Some levels, known as "Herd Waves", also require the player to collect all of the "Beasties". "Grunts" take a variety of forms, including [[Coca-Cola]] cans, kitchen utensils, cherries, [[Space Invaders]], [[Eye of Providence|Eyes of Providence]], televisions, fire hydrants, [[Zippy the Pinhead]], marijuana plants, and [[Rizla]] rolling papers. Blue brains chase after the "Beasties" and transform them into "Zombeasts", who then attempt to rush and kill the player.<ref name="AmigaComputing"/><ref name="Guardian">{{cite news|title = Llamatron|newspaper = [[The Guardian]]|page = 31|date = 11 July 1991|url = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/19696878/llamatron/|via = [[Newspapers.com]]|access-date = 1 May 2018|url-status = live|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180503015115/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/19696878/llamatron/|archive-date = 3 May 2018}} {{free access}}</ref><ref name="Inquirer">{{cite news|last = Demerjian|first = Charlie|title = The Jeff Minter library has emerged|newspaper = [[The Inquirer]]|publisher = [[Incisive Media]]|date = 5 March 2007|url = https://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1028222/the-jeff-minter-library-emerged|access-date = 1 May 2018|url-status = unfit|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120925201858/http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1028222/the-jeff-minter-library-emerged|archive-date = 25 September 2012}}</ref><ref name="STNews">{{cite journal|last = Karsmakers|first = Richard|title = Software Review: Llamatron by Llamasoft|journal = ST News|volume = 6|issue = 2|date = 18 August 1991|url = http://st-news.com/issues/st-news-volume-6-issue-2/reviews/llamatron/|access-date = 1 May 2018|url-status = live|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160806120044/http://st-news.com/issues/st-news-volume-6-issue-2/reviews/llamatron/|archive-date = 6 August 2016}}</ref> Other enemies include indestructible devices that shoot screen-wide lasers, 16-ton weights that attempt to crush the player, [[hedgehog]]s that explode into spikes when destroyed, [[Mandelbrot set]]s that shoot projectiles and scream when hit, and a large [[toilet]] that throws rolls of toilet paper at the player.<ref name="AmigaFormat"/><ref name="Inquirer"/><ref name="STNews"/> The game contains 100 levels,<ref name="AmigaFormat"/> in addition to a tutorial and a high-score table.<ref name="STNews"/>

The player can collect power-ups to assist them in their task, such as smart bombs that damage all of the enemies, extra lives, invincibility, and hearts that attract the "Beasties" to the player. There are also items that allow shots to bounce off of walls, split into three, and become "hot bullets", which deal extra damage. "Warps" add 50,000 points and immediately move the player ahead five levels. The "Floyd bonus" grants extra points and is shaped like the artwork from [[Pink Floyd|Pink Floyd's]] ''[[The Dark Side of the Moon]]'' album.<ref name="AmigaFormat"/> In two-player mode, each player shares the score and the power-ups, but both players lose a life if one player dies.<ref name="AmigaComputing"/>

==Development and release==
[[Image:llamatron.png|thumb|left|Amiga gameplay]]

''Llamatron'' was developed and programmed by [[Jeff Minter]] of Llamasoft software. It was intended to be an updated version of the [[WMS Industries|Williams Electronics]] title ''[[Robotron: 2084]]''<ref name="Guardian"/> with expanded and refined features.<ref name="STNews"/> ''Llamatron'' was released in 1991, first for the [[Atari ST]], and then for [[Amiga]] computers.<ref name="AmigaPower">{{cite journal|title = Llamatron|journal = [[Amiga Power]]|issue = 4|publisher = [[Future plc]]|date = August 1991}}</ref> A version for [[MS-DOS]] came out in 1992.<ref name="Choicest">{{cite web|url = https://www.choicestgames.com/2015/07/where-are-they-now-jeff-minter.html|title = Where are they now? – Jeff Minter|last = Goninon|first = Mark|date = 8 July 2015|publisher = Choicest Games|access-date = 1 May 2018|url-status = live|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180503015115/https://www.choicestgames.com/2015/07/where-are-they-now-jeff-minter.html|archive-date = 3 May 2018}}</ref> The [[Atari ST]] and [[Amiga]] releases contain numerous sound effects, but no background music.<ref name="AmigaFormat"/><ref name="STNews"/> The program was distributed as [[shareware]], with the full game being available for free to try, but requesting that players register the game for £5 if they enjoyed it. At the time of its release for Amiga computers, people who registered would receive another game from Llamasoft, a poster, and a newsletter.<ref name="AmigaComputing"/> Its release was described as an "experiment", in that it neither required the player to buy the full game at a cost of £25, as was common for most commercially-distributed titles,<ref name="Guardian"/> nor was it [[crippleware]] that disabled certain features until the game was registered.<ref name="Inquirer"/>

==Reception==
''Llamatron'' received positive reviews upon its initial Amiga release. ''[[Amiga Computing]]'' featured ''Llamatron'' as the [[Covermount|cover disk]] for its October 1991 issue, summarizing their positive review by saying "All in all, the most apt comment one can make about Llamatron is that Mr Minter makes exceedingly good shoot-'em-ups."<ref name="AmigaComputing"/> ''[[Amiga Format]]'' reviewed the game in their September 1991 issue, giving it a score of 89% and highlighting its "simple gameplay [that] is fast and massively addictive."<ref name="AmigaFormat"/> The review did mention several sound and graphical glitches, as well as occasional problems with [[collision detection]], but overall recommended it as having "superb value".<ref name="AmigaFormat"/> ''[[Amiga Power]]'', reviewing the game in August 1991, gave it four stars out five, criticizing the graphics as having a "slightly cluttered and unclear look", but praising it overall as "[a]n excellent game that deserves to be supported by anyone who's ever paid out £25 for crap and been cheesed off about it."<ref name="AmigaPower"/> ''[[Zero (video game magazine)|Zero Magazine]]'' recommended it as "a no-nonsense megablast" in its January 1992 issue.<ref name="Zero"/>

''Llamatron'' also received positive reviews for the Atari ST version. Writing for ST News, Richard Karsmakers called the game "brilliant" for its "sheer playability, playing fun and other things that really count. I mean functional graphics that are fun to see, I mean good sonix that fit the game, and I mean oodles and oodles of gameplay."<ref name="STNews"/> Out of 10, Karsmakers gave ''Llamatron'' 7 for graphics, 8.5 for sound, 9 for hookability and playability, and 10 for value, with a concluding remark of "Wonderful! Unbelievable! Playable!".<ref name="STNews"/> A retroactive review of the Amiga ST version by ''[[The Inquirer]]'' in March 2007 said that ''Llamatron'' "without any question [...] is, was, and will always be a great game."<ref name="Inquirer"/> ''The A–Z of Atari ST Games'' by Kieren Hawken gave ''Llamatron'' 10/10, claiming that "[t]he graphics in ''Llamatron'' are great but the biggest props have to go the amazing [sic] digitised sounds [...] [i]t's rare that you will hear sound effects this good in an Atari ST game."<ref name="AtoZ">{{cite book|last = Hawken|first = Kieren|title = The A–Z of Atari ST Games|publisher = Andrews UK Limited|volume = 1|date = 6 June 2017|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=CtEnDwAAQBAJ&q=Llamatron&pg=PT90|isbn = 978-1785387012|url-status = live|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180503015115/https://books.google.com/books?id=CtEnDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT90&dq=Llamatron&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi5hJXnwuTaAhUCfywKHf4dDzcQ6AEILTAB#v=onepage&q=Llamatron&f=false|archive-date = 3 May 2018}}</ref> In 1996, [[GamesMaster (magazine)|GamesMaster]] ranked Llamatron 93rd in their "Top 100 Games of All Time."<ref>{{Cite journal|date = July 1996|title = Top 100 Games of All Time|url = https://retrocdn.net/images/c/cf/GamesMaster_UK_044.pdf|journal = [[GamesMaster (magazine)|GamesMaster]]|issue = 44|page = 74|publisher = [[Summit Media]]|accessdate = 24 July 2022}}</ref>

By March 1992, Minter had collected 800 registrations, which had earned him £4000. With registrations "still arriving" and the Amiga release "just out", he estimated that he would make £10,000, "not as much as a conventional release, but more than a budget game would generate."<ref name="Sales">{{cite news|last = Gerrard|first = Mike|title = Caring about sharing ware|newspaper = [[The Guardian]]|page = 33|date = 26 March 1992|url = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/19696976/llamatron_sales/|via = [[Newspapers.com]]|access-date = 1 May 2018|url-status = live|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180503015116/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/19696976/llamatron_sales/|archive-date = 3 May 2018}} {{free access}}</ref> His success was seen as unusual in the shareware market and due in large part to the fact that ''Amiga Computing'' featured ''Llamatron'' as its cover disk. Additionally, Minter was already popular due to Llamasoft's previous games. One critic of the concept, however, noted that "if you compare the response of a few hundred to the tens of thousands of people who have probably played the game, then it works out that quite a low percentage of people have actually sent him money."<ref name="Sales"/>

==Legacy==
In 2011, Minter and Llamasoft released a remake of ''Llamatron'' for the [[iPhone]] and [[iPad]] [[iOS]] called ''[[Minotron: 2112]]''. The game is similar in execution and presentation to ''Llamatron'', although this time the player controls a [[Minotaur]].<ref name="TouchArcade">{{cite web|url = http://toucharcade.com/2011/02/11/a-preview-of-jeff-minters-minotron-2112-llamatron-redux/|title = A Preview of Jeff Minter's 'Minotron: 2112' – Llamatron Redux|last = Patterson|first = Blake|date = 11 February 2011|publisher = [[TouchArcade]]|access-date = 1 May 2018|url-status = live|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170930114056/http://toucharcade.com/2011/02/11/a-preview-of-jeff-minters-minotron-2112-llamatron-redux/|archive-date = 30 September 2017}}</ref> Andrew Bailey of ''[[The Register]]'' wrote that ''Minotron: 2112'' "delivers an authentic 8-bit trip down memory lane" and "may feel like {{sic|a unpolished|hide=yes}} blast from the past, but it is also, happily, just a blast."<ref name="Register">{{cite web|url = https://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/04/20/review_igamer_llamasoft_minotaur_2112/|title = Minotron: 2112 on iOS 4 – Blast from the past|last = Bailey|first = Andrew|date = 20 April 2011|publisher = [[The Register]]|access-date = 1 May 2018|url-status = live|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180501225815/https://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/04/20/review_igamer_llamasoft_minotaur_2112/|archive-date = 1 May 2018}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{abime|id=4970}}
*{{Internet Archive game | id= msdos_Llamatron-2112_shareware | platform=MS-DOS | title= Llamatron: 2112 }}

{{Jeff Minter}}
{{Robotron: 2084}}

[[Category:1991 video games]]
[[Category:Amiga games]]
[[Category:Atari ST games]]
[[Category:DOS games]]
[[Category:Llamasoft games]]
[[Category:Multidirectional shooters]]
[[Category:Video games developed in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games]]