Innovation of the Week: Intertia (Momentum)-Based Controls
by alianger
This groundbreaking innovation first saw use in SpaceWar!/Space War (PDP-1, 1962), but they have been used in several genres afterwards such as Racing, Platform, Sports and more. Shoot 'em ups that use them are sometimes called Thrust-likes, after the 1986 game, though that game is heavily based on Gravitar from 1982. A shout-out to some other early examples: Moonlander (1973) Springer (ARC, 19...
This groundbreaking innovation first saw use in SpaceWar!/Space War (PDP-1, 1962), but they have been used in several genres afterwards such as Racing, Platform, Sports and more. Shoot 'em ups that use them are sometimes called Thrust-likes, after the 1986 game, though that game is heavily based on Gravitar from 1982.
A shout-out to some other early examples:
Moonlander (1973)
Springer (ARC, 1982)(for the moving platforms)
Mario Bros. (ARC, 1983)
Pac-Land (1984)
Technically, it seems to me that momentum-based is actually more accurate but I went with the more commonly used word for the sake of nostalgia and of course the clicks.
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What are your thoughts on this approach to controls? Which game(s) with intertia-based controls is your favorite?