Doug Neubauer‘s 1979 release, Star Raiders, is a very important game indeed. Predominantly because it was so hugely influential on many other games that followed it. Some people even point to it being the spark that started the first-person shooter market, but that is probably going a little too far…
Tag Archives: shooting
Combat, Atari 2600
Combat was designed by Atari, Inc. and first released for the Atari 2600 in 1977 and was the pack-in game for the system until 1982 (meaning: you got a Combat cartridge with the console, upon purchase).
It was one of the first home video games I ever played (probably the same for millions of others) and it enthralled me. Yes, Combat is very simple by today’s standards, but in 1977 it was a revelation and was much cloned by other developers.
Cavelon, ZX Spectrum
A conversion of the obscure Jetsoft arcade game, Cavelon is a simple but challenging maze game where you play a knight trying to collect the pieces of a door to create the exit to the next level.
Firebird, MSX
Known in its native Japan as Hi no Tori Hououhen, and Firebird in the West, this 1987 Konami release for the MSX2 is a vertically-scrolling shooter of some repute.
Santa’s Christmas Capers, ZX Spectrum
Santa’s Christmas Capers is a Christmas-themed game, published on the ZX Spectrum by Zeppelin Games in 1990.
Sky Fox, Commodore 64
Ray Tobey‘s exciting first-person air combat game, Sky Fox, was first released on the Apple II in 1984, then converted to other systems by Electronic Arts in 1985.
Juno First, Arcade
Juno First is a kind of overhead shoot ’em up, but with a three-quarters perspective into the screen.
The Chaos Engine, Megadrive/Genesis
Developed by The Bitmap Brothers and published by Renegade Software in 1993, The Chaos Engine is an overhead scrolling shooter for one or two players.
R-Type III: The Third Lightning, Super Nintendo
This 1994 Super Nintendo exclusive (at the time) is half sequel, half remake of Irem‘s classic arcade shooter, R-Type.
Continue reading R-Type III: The Third Lightning, Super Nintendo
Druid, Commodore 64
Druid is a neat overhead magic action game developed by Electralyte Software for Firebird Software and published in 1986.
The King of Grabs 