<s>
Blue	B-Application
Max	I-Application
is	O
a	O
scrolling	O
shooter	O
written	O
by	O
Bob	O
Polin	O
for	O
the	O
Atari	B-Device
8-bit	I-Device
family	I-Device
and	O
published	O
by	O
Synapse	O
Software	O
in	O
1983	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
U.S.	O
Gold	O
published	O
the	O
Commodore	O
64	O
version	O
in	O
the	O
UK	O
in	O
1984	O
and	O
ported	O
the	O
game	O
to	O
the	O
ZX	B-Operating_System
Spectrum	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
1987	O
,	O
Atari	O
Corporation	O
published	O
Blue	B-Application
Max	I-Application
as	O
a	O
cartridge	O
styled	O
for	O
the	O
then-new	O
Atari	B-General_Concept
XEGS	I-General_Concept
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
is	O
named	O
after	O
the	O
medal	O
Pour	O
le	O
Mérite	O
,	O
informally	O
known	O
as	O
Blue	B-Application
Max	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
1984	O
,	O
Synapse	O
released	O
a	O
sequel	O
,	O
Blue	B-Application
Max	I-Application
2001	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
From	O
then	O
on	O
the	O
screen	O
scrolls	O
diagonally	O
in	O
the	O
fashion	O
of	O
Zaxxon	B-Application
,	O
using	O
oblique	O
projection	O
to	O
simulate	O
three-dimensionality	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Softline	O
praised	O
Blue	O
Maxs	O
graphics	O
,	O
describing	O
the	O
game	O
as	O
"	O
River	B-Application
Raid	I-Application
for	O
real	O
and	O
Zaxxon	B-Application
with	O
meat	O
on	O
it	O
...	O
if	O
Zaxxon	B-Application
deserved	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
hit	O
,	O
this	O
deserves	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
monster.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
1984	O
the	O
magazine	O
's	O
readers	O
named	O
the	O
game	O
the	O
second	O
most-popular	O
Atari	O
program	O
of	O
1983	O
,	O
after	O
Archon	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
wrote	O
,	O
"	O
along	O
comes	O
a	O
game	O
that	O
may	O
make	O
standard	O
two-dimensional	O
eye/hand	O
games	O
obsolete	O
...	O
Blue	B-Application
Max	I-Application
may	O
well	O
be	O
the	O
best	O
action	O
game	O
there	O
is.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
stated	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
improved	O
on	O
Zaxxon	B-Application
,	O
noting	O
the	O
functional	O
instrument	O
panel	O
and	O
need	O
to	O
land	O
,	O
refuel	O
,	O
and	O
take	O
off	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
magazine	O
concluded	O
,	O
"	O
Blue	B-Application
Max	I-Application
is	O
head	O
and	O
shoulders	O
above	O
other	O
shooting	O
games.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
'	O
s	O
Gazette	O
stated	O
that	O
"	O
Blue	B-Application
Max	I-Application
has	O
far	O
more	O
depth	O
than	O
Zaxxon	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
futuristic	O
sequel	O
otherwise	O
similar	O
in	O
design	O
,	O
Blue	B-Application
Max	I-Application
2001	I-Application
,	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
1984	O
for	O
the	O
Atari	B-Device
8-bit	I-Device
family	I-Device
and	O
Commodore	O
64	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Author	O
Bob	O
Polin	O
made	O
the	O
assembly	O
language	O
source	O
code	O
of	O
Blue	B-Application
Max	I-Application
publicly	O
available	O
in	O
2016	O
.	O
</s>
