Tempest 4000 Will Arrive on Consoles Next Month and was Designed by Jeff Minter

Written by Brandon Hofer on June 29, 2018

News: Retro game fans rejoice as Tempest is coming back and will be available on Xbox One and PS4 in a few weeks.

Tempest 4000 is coming to the Xbox One and PS4 next month according to Atari and Nighthawk Interactive. Based on the classic arcade game, Tempest, Tempest 4000 is a challenging wave shooter wrapped in neon retro vibes. It will be available on July 17 for $29.99. Developed by legendary game designer Jeff Minter, Tempest 4000 remains faithful to the fast-paced gameplay of the arcade original, while adding brand new features and visually stunning graphics.

The original Tempest was one of the first video games to use 3D vector graphics, securing itself as one of Atari’s hallmark titles and one of the most popular arcade games of all time. It has been featured prominently across pop culture – including in Ernest Cline’s dystopian Ready Player One novel.

“Modern home consoles are the descendants of arcade gaming,” said Jeff Minter, Executive Producer of Tempest 4000 and founder of Llamasoft. “We wanted to bring the classic arcade experience into players’ homes, so both franchise legacy fans and new gamers can test their mettle.”

As in the original game, players are in control of the Claw, a powerful spacecraft equipped to destroy deadly creatures and other obstructions with rapid-fire shots on vibrant geometric prisms. With three game modes to choose from and 100 levels to conquer, players must eliminate all enemies as quickly as possible to survive, aiming for the coveted spot at the top of the leaderboards.

Additional Key Features Include:

Arcade Style Shooter: Hordes of enemies will test players’ reflexes in this fast-paced arcade style shoot ‘em up;

Visually Stunning Graphics: Revamping the look of the original arcade game, Tempest 4000 features vibrant graphics in sharp 4K resolution;

Level Up: With 100 unique geometric levels to progress through, players must equip themselves with various weapons and power-ups, earning upgrades through bonus rounds;

Global Leaderboards: Players can duke it out for the top spots on leaderboards for all three game modes in the quest to be recognized as number one;

Retro Techno Soundtrack: In true retro space shooter style, the game features a thumping soundtrack inspired by early 1990s techno;

Old School Gameplay: Nostalgia is here to stay with the traditional gameplay of the original Tempest with enhanced graphics on current generation consoles.

Multiple Game Modes: Three different game modes will push players’ skills to the limit, including Classic, Pure and Survival:

Classic: Equipped with three lives, players battle through enemies until all lives run out. Players can begin their next playthrough from the last completed stage with their previous high score.

Pure: The classic arcade mode, Pure gives players three lives to start from the beginning and progress as far as possible.

Survival: A brutal challenge, Survival gives players eight lives to survive as long as possible.

“Much of Atari’s legacy is tied to console games, and we want to continue this tradition with the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One launch of Tempest 4000,” said Todd Shallbetter, Chief Operating Officer of Atari. “The original Tempest is one of our most beloved titles, so it was only a matter of time before we brought this iconic arcade classic to modern consoles with today’s technology.”

Take a look at the trailer and tell us what you think. Are you interested in Tempest 4000?