View source for TxK

{{about|the video game|other uses|TXK (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox video game
| title         = TxK
| image         = TxK cover.png
| caption       =
| designer      = [[Jeff Minter]]
| developer     = Llamasoft
| publisher     = Llamasoft
| series        =
| engine        =
| platforms     = [[PlayStation Vita]]
| released      = {{Video game release|NA|February 11, 2014|EU|February 12, 2014}}
| genre         = [[Tube shooter]]
| modes         = [[Single-player video game|Single-player]]
}}
'''''TxK''''' is an action video game developed by [[Llamasoft]] and designed by [[Jeff Minter]]. The game was released on the [[PlayStation Vita]] on February 11, 2014.<ref>{{cite news|title=TxK Review|url=http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/02/19/txk-review|first=Scott|last=Butterworth|date=Feb 19, 2014|work=[[IGN]]|access-date=Apr 4, 2014}}</ref> The game was planned for release on [[Personal computer|PC]], [[PlayStation 4]], and [[Android (operating system)|Android]] platforms until [[Atari]] made legal threats against Llamasoft, citing similarities between ''TxK'' and ''[[Tempest 2000]]''.
It is a tube shooter based on the classic arcade game ''[[Tempest (video game)|Tempest]]''.  The gameplay expands upon that of the original by including power-ups which grant the player additional abilities.  The option is available to play without power-ups, however.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/02/19/txk-review |title=TxK Review |publisher=IGN |date=2014-02-19 |access-date=2016-09-24}}</ref>
==Reception==
The game received positive reviews upon release, garnering a score of 84 out of 100 on the review aggregation website [[Metacritic]].<ref>{{cite web|title=TxK reviews|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/txk/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-vita|work=[[Metacritic]]|access-date=Apr 4, 2014}}</ref>
IGN found the updated art style "overwhelming at times" but appreciated the "winning soundtrack and forgiving save system".  They said "In the end, I simply couldn't put it down."<ref name="autogenerated1"/>  The game was also praised by ''[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]]'' magazine who noted the "wonderfully crisp" presentation and declared it to be "[[Twitch gameplay|twitch gaming]] at its finest." They concluded by stating "Dynamic, thrilling and wholly invigorating, TxK isn't just one of the best games on Vita: it might just be the best Minter's ever made, too."<ref>{{cite web|last=Bradford |first=Matt |url=http://www.edge-online.com/review/txk-review/ |title=Edge Magazine &#124; GamesRadar |website=Edge-online.com |date=2014-09-11 |access-date=2016-09-24}}</ref>
==Legal troubles==
On March 18, 2015, Minter made public<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/llamasoft_ox/status/578170883660988416 |title=Jeff Minter on Twitter: "also, the people calling themselves 'Atari' bully me about TxK, but this is perfectly OK" |publisher=[[Twitter]] |date=2015-03-18 |access-date=2016-09-24}}</ref> that Atari had made legal threats and issued cease and desist orders over the game, blocking release to PC, PlayStation 4, and Android platforms.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://minotaurproject.co.uk/YakImages/surprised_and_dismayed.pdf |title=Infringement of Tempest and Tempest 2000 letter |website=Minotaurproject.co.uk |access-date=2016-09-24}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Yin |first=Wesley |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-03-18-jeff-minter-beyond-disgusted-with-atari-over-txk-block |title=Jeff Minter "beyond disgusted" with Atari over TxK block |website=Eurogamer.net |date=2015-03-18 |access-date=2016-09-24}}</ref>
After the success of Llamasoft's ''[[Polybius (2017 video game)|Polybius]]'', Atari came to a deal with Llamasoft and TxK was reworked into ''[[Tempest 4000]]'' and released with Atari's approval.
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Tempest series}}
{{Jeff Minter}}
[[Category:2014 video games]]
[[Category:Shooter games]]
[[Category:PlayStation Vita games]]
[[Category:PlayStation Vita-only games]]
[[Category:PlayStation Network games]]
[[Category:Llamasoft games]]
[[Category:Video games developed in the United Kingdom]]