Neon Retro Arcade

Rampart

1990

Atari

Rampart is best described as a mix of Missile Command and Tetris. The original version is a 3-player cabinet featuring trackballs, which is really how this game was meant to be played. Atari also created a kit version of this game that was a 2-player game using joysticks. That kit version is still fun, but it cannot match the fun and challenge of the 3-player original. The frenetic action makes it a perfect party game to play against friends.

Story

Rampart is an awesome game whether you play alone or against friends. In multiplayer mode, you destroy enemies' castles with your cannons, and rebuild your castle walls in order to continue to the next battle. Rebuilding walls is challenging because the wall segments look like tetris pieces and must be placed appropriately. In single-player mode, you defend your castle from the onslaught of enemy ships who fire at your walls and eventually send land forces to take over your castle.

Tips & Strategies

You only get a certain number of shots depending on the number of cannons you have, so make sure to leave enough space to add cannons between rounds.

If rebuilding is hopeless in single-player mode, maybe try encircling a new castle entirely.

You may end up with an odd gap that is tough to fill, so you can make any weird wall perimeter you want as long as the castle is completely encircled once the 'repair' round is over.