Blue Max

Blue Max - the 1983 isometric shooter for Commodore 64 from Synapse Software.

Fly a World War I biplane over rivers and towns, strafe columns, and bomb
bridges and ships while flak and fighters push you to the limits. Meet your
quota and land on airstrips to refuel - repair - and advance the campaign.

Core loop
- sweep the diagonal landscape and destroy priority targets
- line up bomb runs using the plane’s shadow for precise drops
- hit the quota, then land on a runway to refuel and continue

Systems and items
- fuel - drains constantly; refuel on airstrips between sectors
- damage - hits degrade control until repaired on landing
- altitude - climb to clear bridges and flak; dive to strafe and bomb
- medals - score based awards culminating in the Blue Max

Level design and feel
Smooth diagonal scrolling with rivers, towns, forests, and air bases.
Busy ground fire and occasional dogfights keep pressure high. Clean,
punchy effects with no background music keep focus on positioning.

Why it is notable
- classic Synapse showcase of fast diagonal scrolling on C64
- shadow based bombing teaches tight spatial reading

Tips
- use your shadow to time bomb drops on bridges and ships
- make long, straight approaches when landing - keep wings level
- when flak is heavy, weave slightly and vary altitude to throw aim off

At a glance
Year - 1983
Developer - Synapse Software
Design and programming - Bob Polin
Publisher - Synapse Software
Genre - Isometric shooter
Players - 1
Controls - Joystick in port 2