Survival

Rock-Ola’s Survival, released in 1982, is a unique two-player shooter that presents players with an unusual objective: delivering medicine to viruses within a series of cellular mazes. Using an eight-way joystick and a single button, each player controls a blue cell tasked with navigating rectangular veins and thin membranes to eliminate the viruses through firing. Successfully destroying all veins, membranes, and viruses in a maze progresses the game forward. A key mechanic involves color synchronization – the first virus eliminated dictates the color of subsequent viruses, which eventually prevents them from being shot if they share the same hue. Players can also collect Aid Stations that appear briefly after clearing a maze, earning extra shots and ultimately accumulating white cells to gain additional lives. Survival's vertical screen displays action at a resolution of 208 x 256 pixels, powered by an 8085A processor and General Instrument AY8910 sound chip. The game’s unusual premise and distinctive visuals set it apart within the shooter genre.