Atari Games‘ Xybots is a two-player, third-person shooter designed by Ed Logg (co-designer of Gauntlet, Asteroids and Centipede, among others).

Xybots was first released into arcades in 1987 and the cabinet featured two joysticks (one for each player) that you could twist, to make the viewpoint turn left or right.

Each player assumes the role of either “Major Rock Hardy” or “Captain Ace Gunn” and must blast their way through corridors and rooms full of meanies. The aim being: to survive and find the exit, picking up money along the way. Between levels you can spend that money on power-ups.

Xybots is an excellent game. In some ways like a third-person perspective Gauntlet. Playing it now, with a friend, on a home system, is still a lot of fun, and a decent challenge.

More: Xybots on Wikipedia