Missile Command Delta: Everything We Know

If “Missile Command Delta” rings a bell, you must be part of the crew that overindulged in Atari games at the arcade or home video consoles. Since Atari began bringing back cult classics from the Atari 2600 to the Atari Jaguar era, we’ve enjoyed swimming in nostalgia. 

Atari is doing a great job revisiting the past with a modern touch. So far, they have launched the 50th-anniversary collection that has over 90 classic games and remasters. Meanwhile, they added six new games to the collection, which are essentially modern remakes of games like SwordQuest: AirWorld but rebuilt from the ground up. 

Digital Eclipse has been spearheading this new venture, with 2015’s Mega Man Legacy Collection and 2018’s Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection already under their belt. And now, we have Missile Command Delta underway. 

The trailer for the upcoming Missile Command Delta has been a little vague. However, we’ve managed to compile everything we know about Missile Command Delta so far below.

What is Missile Command Delta?

Missile Command Delta is an upcoming tactical, turn-based game. It plans to feature the high-tension few seconds between a disaster happening and you potentially stopping it with the press of a button. 

As much as you’ll be unleashing missiles to protect your base, you’ll also be under heavy fire from the enemy. You’ll, thus, need to strategically manage your resources to avoid a potentially catastrophic event. 

In all of the high-stakes missions you’ll play, a hidden mystery will also be unraveling in the background. Solving the mystery, though, is under a ticking clock. Can you solve the mystery in time?

Story

The story in Missile Command Delta suggests that an impending doom will be underway. Missiles will be incoming, creating a high-tension scenario where you have to make the split decision to fire back. 

You’re the only person that can stop the destruction. So, you will have no choice but to fire missiles strategically to win the war. 

Gameplay

Steam suggests that Missile Command Delta is a remaster of Atari’s iconic title by the same name. However, the developers intend to change the gameplay into a tactical, turn-based game. 

Your role will be to manage the resources at your disposal. With the incoming missiles being multiple ones and descending in waves, you’ll often have to make hard choices between conserving ammo and defending your base. 

Ultimately, the goal is to survive the waves of incoming missiles. According to Steam, “Missile Command Delta approaches gameplay in a completely new way.” However, the new game will remain highly tense, plunging you into suspense as the original arcade version. 

Planning your next move will be crucial since even a slight mistake can foil your strategy. Moreover, the turn-based gameplay will unravel in tandem with a twisted thriller narrative. The narrative will have a hidden mystery that you must unravel to play the game to completion. 

Meanwhile, you’ll also explore a mysterious bunker while solving puzzles. Whenever you don’t see any incoming missile alerts, you’ll be investigating the bunker for clues, accessing locked rooms to uncover secrets. You’ll also need to unlock more powerful gear, all a ticking clock.

Key Features

In summary, the key features you can look forward to in the final game include:

• Turn-based strategy – The more you explore the mysterious bunker, the more missiles and enemy types you’ll unlock, creating a unique strategy playthrough.
• Planning your defense – With every turn, you must carefully execute the best defense, like taking out several missiles in one shot to help conserve ammo.
• Solving a high-stakes mystery – The mystery will unravel like a puzzle that has a ticking clock counting down the time you spend reading documents and searching for clues. 
• Exploring the Cold War era – Missile Command Delta will take place in a “claustrophobic retro-future aesthetic,” where supercomputers and dusty command centers pay homage to the Cold War setting.

Development

Developers 13 AM Games and Mighty Yell are partnering with Atari to launch Missile Command Delta sometime soon. The developers aren’t just slapping a fresh coat of paint on the old arcade game. They are re-envisioning the gameplay into a strategic, turn-based playthrough. 

So far, the developing team has revealed screenshots of the upcoming game. It’s retro, alright, showcasing the bunker and command center. While the visuals look clean, they still maintain that sweet, retro look.  

It’ll be interesting to see how the studios implement the puzzle. Since the incoming missiles will strike within a set time limit, you’ll possibly need to figure out the solution under pressure. It’ll likely increase the difficulty of the puzzles. 

Meanwhile, there’s the strategy element that could complicate things further. You have to manage your resources. You can’t just fire missiles every time there’s an impending attack. Rather, think about whether you can conserve ammo. 

When you consider the hidden mystery, which Steam hints will be unraveled via a narrative thriller, 13 AM Games and Mighty Yell could have something truly exciting cooking for us.

Trailer

Missile Command Delta’s official announcement trailer is out now. It’s relatively brief, illustrating the controls players, taking the role of a Missile Commander, will be using. You’ll be exploring what the trailer descriptions say are mysterious bunkers. 

You’ll also build an assortment of powerful missiles that help you defend your base against waves of enemies. For gamers who played the original game, you might notice the gameplay seems to take a different turn. 

Above all, the gameplay looks fresh and modern. While the trailer hardly delves into the story and gameplay, it shows enough to excite fans of another Atari retro remastered just right.

Release Date, Platforms, & Editions

Unfortunately, Atari has yet to confirm an exact release date for the upcoming Missile Command Delta. They have, however, opened up wishlists via Steam or PlayStation stores. That way, you can receive a notification when the game drops.

Alongside PC and PlayStation 5, you can play the upcoming game on Nintendo Switch. If there are any editions, they are currently unknown. For the information still in the wind, you can join the official Discord channel or follow Atari on X.