Your ship blasts into the void—rocks split, saucers hunt, and hyperspace tempts fate.
In the wake of Atari's 1979 arcade juggernaut Asteroids, the Apple II scene exploded with clones. But amid the BASIC knockoffs and pixelated pretenders, Quality Software's Asteroids in Space stood tall as a faithful, paddle-controlled tribute that captured the vector thrills on raster hardware.
Release Date & Platform
- Release Year: 1980
- Developer: Bruce Wallace (hi-res graphics wizard, ex-mainframe coder)
- Publisher: Quality Software (also handled development/distribution)
- Platform: Apple II family (II, II+, IIe, IIc, IIgs compatible)
- System Requirements: 32K RAM minimum, 5.25" floppy (13-sector DOS 3.3), game paddles recommended (keyboard fallback), hi-res graphics page
One of the era's top sellers, it cracked Softalk's "Most Popular Software of 1978–80" list.
From Arcade Coins to Floppy Disks: The Clone That Delivered
Atari's Asteroids devoured quarters with its inertia physics, splitting rocks, and deadly saucers. Quality Software nailed the home port:
| Feature | Arcade Original | Apple II Asteroids in Space |
|---|---|---|
| Graphics | Vector lines | Hi-res dithered rocks + particle blasts |
| Controls | 5 buttons | Paddles for rotate/thrust/fire (smooth 360°!); hyperspace via key |
| Sound | Analog thwops | Apple speaker beeps (thrust thrum, laser pew-pew) |
| Options | None | Speed select: Normal/Fast lasers & asteroids |
| Lives/Scoring | 3 ships | 5 lives; extra at 10,000 pts |
Screen wraps around, rocks shatter into tinier threats, and saucers spawn post-clearance—just like the cab. No disk high scores, but endless replay value in ~20 FPS glory.
Gameplay: Survive the Belt, One Split at a Time
- Core Loop: Pilot your triangle ship amid drifting asteroids. Shoot to split 'em (big → medium → small → dust).
- Thrust & Rotate: Momentum carries you—master inertia or drift to doom.
- Saucers: Rare invaders with deadly aim; dodge or vaporize.
- Hyperspace: Blink to random spot (risky!).
- Win Condition: Clear waves; speed ramps up eternally.
Pro Tip: Paddles make it feel arcadey. Keyboard? Practice those pinky rolls!
Cultural Impact: A Softalk Star in the Clone Wars
- Sales Smash: One of Apple II's best-sellers; top-10 in Softalk polls amid VisiCalc's rise.
- Clone Context: Beat out rivals like Apple-Oids (apple-shaped rocks) and The Asteroid Field in popularity.
- Legacy: Fueled the 1980 "Asteroids craze" on home micros; pirated on countless swap disks. Later rebranded? Meteoroids in Space in some refs.
It proved Apple II could arcade-punch, inspiring coders to poke hi-res limits.
Final Thoughts: Rocks Never Felt So Good on Raster
Asteroids in Space wasn't official—but it was essential. Bruce Wallace crammed arcade purity into 32K, paddles in hand, for late-night sessions that hooked a generation. Amid 1980's clone flood, it shone brightest.
Dust off your //e. Slot the disk. Paddle up. Thrust. Fire.
The belt awaits.
Clear the Field. Rack the Score.
