Impossible Mission II Overview
Super High•Impossible Mission II is a platform-puzzle video game developed by Novotrade and published by Epyx in 1988. As a direct sequel to the 1984's Impossible Mission, the game expanded upon its predecessor's foundation while introducing new gameplay elements and challenges.
Development Background
Unlike many computer game sequels of its era, Impossible Mission II was built entirely from scratch, using no code from the original game. The development team used a bitmap animation tool called Film Director to create the graphics. The game was initially developed for the Atari ST, which served as the lead platform, before being ported to other systems.
Platform Availability
The game was released across multiple platforms including:
Commodore 64
ZX Spectrum
Amstrad CPC
Enterprise 128
Nintendo Entertainment System
MS-DOS
Atari ST
Apple II (128K minimum)
Apple IIGS
Amiga
Gameplay Features
Setting and Structure
The game takes place in Elvin Atombender's fortress
Consists of nine towers (eight outer towers and one central tower)
Each outer tower has a unique theme (computers, automobiles, furniture, etc.)
Towers are connected by vertical and horizontal corridors with elevator systems
Core Mechanics
Tower Navigation
Rooms are connected by two vertical corridors with elevators
Horizontal corridors link different towers
Locked corridors require solving numerical puzzles to access
Password System
Each outer tower contains a musical piece locked in a safe
The final password consists of six distinct musical pieces
Players must manage duplicate pieces by recording over them
Robot Enemies The game features various types of enemy robots:
Security bot (standard patrol robot)
Shovel bot (pushes player off platforms)
Suicide bot (similar to shovel bot but self-destructs)
Mine bot (places land mines)
Pest bot (harmless but disrupts lift usage)
Squat bot (launches player upward or crushes them)
Player Tools
Snoozes (temporarily freeze robots)
Lift resets
Bombs (timed explosives)
Mines (contact-triggered explosives)
Legacy
Impossible Mission II's influence extended beyond its initial release:
Included in the C64 Direct-to-TV (2004)
Featured in the C64 Mini console
Led to the development of Impossible Mission 2025 (Amiga exclusive)
Reception
The game received mixed to positive reviews from critics, with scores ranging from 46% to 96%. Notable praise was given to:
Challenging puzzles
Impressive character animations
Tension-filled gameplay
Won "Best Platform Game" from German magazine PowerPlay in 1988
Common criticisms included:
Similarity to the original game
Limited sound design
Lack of significant improvements over its predecessor
This ambitious sequel represented a significant attempt to expand upon the original Impossible Mission's formula while maintaining the core elements that made the first game successful.
refer：
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impossible_Mission_II
