Demon Attack and the Golden Era of Gaming

Hansel Thunberg

"S-so, first thing I am, uh, doing to say—this Krybor... why is it always an ice planet, huh? Like, can nobody maroon you on a tropical beach with da—uh, I mean—with da coconuts and trees?"

Hoggboy

"Because Hansel, a game set on a beach where you're sipping piña coladas probably wouldn't sell. Besides, it’s the 1980s—futuristic ice planets were all the rage."

Hansel Thunberg

"Yes, but it-is so cold! Who is fighting demons at minus sixty cold? That’s, uh, not possible! You would be frozen before you can even, even—ah—fire da laser. Poof! Frozen."

Hoggboy

"Alright, first off, there’s no logic here. It’s a video game. You’re on Krybor, surrounded by flying demons, and your biggest concern is... frostbite?"

Hansel Thunberg

"Of course, Hoggboy! Frost—frostbites is real. And how are these demons even flying? You said yourself, yes, air would be very thin on ice planets!"

Hoggboy

"Right, because sci-fi demons simply must obey the laws of atmospheric density."

Hansel Thunberg

"Ja, precisely. Danke for agreeing."

Hoggboy

"Uh, no, Hansel, that was sarcasm. Anyway, the creators weren’t going for realism. Krybor is your classic 8-bit playground—a blank slate for your imagination. And let’s not forget, back then, these games came with physical manuals and maybe some box art to fill in the storytelling gaps."

Hansel Thunberg

"Wait. Now you make me imagine a man in da basement... typing up da story for these demon fights. ‘Oh la la, let’s take flying demonic seagulls and put them on... ICE.’ Genius! Like, who thinks of these things?"

Hoggboy

"Someone with a twenty-four-hour deadline, probably. Remember, this was the era of simplicity. No elaborate cutscenes, just enough premise to make you press start. You’re there to blow things up. That’s it."

Hansel Thunberg

"Ahhhh, but this also makes me sad a little. No time for character. I mean, who is Krybor? What are her feelings?"

Hoggboy

"...Her feelings? Hansel, Krybor's a planet. Planets don’t even—oh, forget it."

Hansel Thunberg

"Okay, okay, fine. But one more thing. With all these, uh, hyper-realistic, uh, video games now—like da ones you play with goggles on your face—why have we not returned to this Krybor place, eh? Where is she?"

Hoggboy

"Well, we might not have Krybor anymore, but games today do worlds that are basically endless, Hansel. You can roam across planets, galaxies even! Back then, all you got was Krybor and demons trying to barbecue you. Simple, but effective."

Hansel Thunberg

"Ahhhh, ja ja, so Krybor is like, uh, how do you say—small sandbox. And now you’re in a... beach the size of Jupiter. That is very nice, but also... too many seagulls."

Hoggboy

"It’s always seagulls with you, isn’t it? Anyway, Krybor worked because it focused on fast-paced gameplay. It wasn’t about an immersive atmosphere—it was all about getting better scores, top speeds, bragging rights."

Hansel Thunberg

"So, Hoggboy, speaking of simple times... this Laser Cannon—unlimited firepower, really? That sounds, uh, very illegal."

Hoggboy

"Hansel, it’s a video game. There’s no Geneva Convention for pixelated demons."

Hansel Thunberg

"Ja, but if I am firing, and firing, and firing, surely the screen will—it will catch fire, yes? Or overheat?

Hoggboy

"No, it won’t. That’s the beauty of 8-bit design—there’s no overheating, no technical malfunctions. You can stand there like a lunatic holding down the button, and—well, that’s how you survive."

Hansel Thunberg

"Ah, so this must also be where da skill comes in. You dodge left, dodge right, pew pew... and then—the bunkers! Very, uh, fragile bunkers. Like made of paper."

Hoggboy

"Yes, the bunkers act as your lifeline. You start with three, earn more if you avoid damage entirely, but lose them when you take hits. Classic risk-versus-reward mechanics."

Hansel Thunberg

"Hmm. It is like trying to keep a stack of plates from falling. Or, uh, juggling cats."

Hoggboy

"Cats? That’s—alright, sure, let’s go with cats. Anyway, the real challenge ramps up in levels with tracer shots. That’s when the aliens' lasers track your movement, and suddenly, survival isn’t so straightforward."

Hansel Thunberg

"Tracer shots? Like, uh... they follow you, ja? Little heat-seeking bullets—but on ice? Again, how... how does this work?"

Hoggboy

"Hansel, how it works is you get immediately obliterated if you don’t start moving. They’re like guided missiles, forcing you to stay on your toes. It’s a clever way to make the game harder."

Hansel Thunberg

"Ohhhhhhh! So, in Game 7, you are sweating, dodging... probably smelling terrible, huh? Because it is panic."

Hoggboy

"Right, except this ‘smell’ is limited to your imagination, thank heavens. What the tracer shots do is introduce precision gameplay—you’re dodging strategically, rather than blindly spamming the fire button."

Hansel Thunberg

"Ah, ja ja, but this joystick thing. You push left to move right? No, left to go left...? Oh no—now I am dizzy."

Hoggboy

"It’s simple, Hansel. Joystick up is up, left is left—it’s intuitive! The biggest issue back then wasn’t confusion but getting the thing to actually respond to your movements."

Hansel Thunberg

"Does sound tricky. So if you sneeze, is your ship flying into the bunker and ka-boom! the end?"

Hoggboy

"Not quite that sensitive, but close. These early controls required pinpoint discipline. It’s nothing like the VR triggers and touchscreens we have today."

Hansel Thunberg

"Okay, now I imagine wearing goggles with this Demon Attack game. Are you spinning in circles? Falling off da couch? Demons flapping around you—aaaaa, whack them!"

Hoggboy

"Absolutely not. It’d be complete chaos. But maybe... just maybe, it’d actually be fun. They should consider remaking this. Imagine tracer shots in VR—terrifying, yet brilliant."

Hansel Thunberg

"Ah, Hoggboy, if tracer shots are bad, 84 waves of demons sounds... impossible! This is not a game. This is—how do you say—a punishment."

Hoggboy

"It’s a challenge, Hansel. The difficulty ramps up with every wave, and that’s exactly what hooked players back then—endurance, precision, and the eternal quest for high scores."

Hansel Thunberg

"Ja, but if da Laser Cannon never overheats, then how do you stop? You play, and play, and suddenly... you wake up three days later, yes? Very disoriented."

Hoggboy

"Pretty much. You’d find yourself staring at the screen, thinking, 'Just one more game,' and before you know it, it’s Sunday evening, and you’ve forgotten to do your homework. Total immersion, 80s style."

Hansel Thunberg

"Ah, but for all this effort, did you get a trophy? No, just a high score! And who even sees this score? Like, you can’t post it on da internet."

Hoggboy

"Oh, Hansel, bragging rights were the currency of the day. You’d call up your mates, invite them over, point at the screen, and say, 'That’s my score. Beat it if you can.'

Hansel Thunberg

"So, an early version of social media, huh? But no pictures, no likes... just, uh, yelling at each other."

Hoggboy

"Exactly. It was all about face-to-face competition. But if the game broke, you had that lovely two-year warranty to fall back on. Very generous, don’t you think?"

Hansel Thunberg

"Ja, very fancy! Two years—and what if da player says, 'Excuse me, my cartridge is overheated from too many tracer shots. Please replace.'?"

Hoggboy

"I’m pretty sure they’d just laugh and send you back home. Misuse of cartridge was strictly off the table."

Hansel Thunberg

"So you are saying, if da demons blow up the cartridge, no refund?"

Hoggboy

"Exactly. The demons take no responsibility for damages."

Hansel Thunberg

"Ahhh, ja, okay. Very sneaky, these demons. But this Rob Fulop... he was thinking ahead, no? Making something like Demon Attack, it-is—a how do you say—a leap of faith."

Hoggboy

"Oh, definitely. Rob Fulop was ahead of his time. After all, he also worked on Missile Command, which is another classic. These were games that didn’t just entertain—they defined an era."

Hansel Thunberg

"But did he know? Like, did Rob sit there and say, 'Yes, in forty years, people will still talk about my tracer shots'?"

Hoggboy

"Probably not, but I think developers of that time did understand they were creating something special. These games were simple yet addictive. They’ve got staying power because they tap into universal gameplay mechanics."

Hansel Thunberg

"Ahhhh, ja ja. And now, we are here, two men with microphones, still talking about da demons on ice. Truly, Rob Fulop is—how do you say—a legend."

Hoggboy

"Well said, Hansel. Demon Attack reminds us that great gameplay never goes out of style. And on that note, thanks for hanging with us through this retro journey."

Hansel Thunberg

"Ja ja, thank you! And remember, always keep your bunkers intact. Otherwise, demons win."

Hoggboy

"Indeed. We’ll see you all next time on ‘Hogging the Internet.’ Stay curious, folks."