Dark Star is an original 3D space arcade game originally developed for the Dragon. As with some other Rainbow Software titles, it was developed on an OS-9/6809 host system (in this case, a Microbox 2, which was a single board 6809 based machine that ran Flex or OS-9, and had quite advanced video for a 6809 system using a NEC 7220 graphics controller, capable of 108x24 text display and up to 768x576 graphics). The game is a 3D space shoot 'em up, and features a lot of game play (and game control) customization options. In it, you have to go through 256 sectors (set up as as 16x16 grid), trying to destroy all of the Evil Lord's bases, while also flying through hyperspace tunnels (which you have to guide yourself through, once you find one), destroying enemy spaceports & planetary bases, and collect energy dumps. You also have attacking aliens (if you are in space, versus a planets surface), and you have map views both of the entire galaxy, and of each planet. There is also an Angle arrow on the bottom right, so that you can orient yourself as to which direction you are flying on the planetary maps.
This game was cross platform, also being released on the Amstrad CPC and ZX Spectrum computers, in the UK.
NOTE: In the options screenshots above, the highlight bar (in white) is off a bit. This is due to the fact that the program is using timing tricks to switch color sets on the fly, and they are based on the UK/Europe 50Hz PAL standard, rather than NTSC at 60Hz.
Title: Dark Star
Author: Ian Wareing (from original game by Simon Brattel)
Publisher: Rainbow Software
Released: 1985
Requires: Color Computer 1/2/3, 32K RAM, cassette or disk, joystick optional.