Alien Syndrome
Year Released: 1986
Nightmarish alien creatures have taken over a host of space colonies. The colonies are set to explode, but there are still captive humans alive in the newly formed alien nests. Their only hope is a pair of elite commandos, Ricky and Mary. Lead these fearless soldiers into the maze-like colonies and use the map to track down the survivors. Your basic weapon is great for splattering some aliens, but to cause real damage, track down more powerful tools like lasers and flamethrowers. After freeing enough humans, hunt down the disgusting alien boss and teach it a lesson. If the action proves too stressful, grab a friend and go hunt some bugs together.
Altered Beast ARCADE
Year Released: 1988
"Rise from your grave!" When Zeus, the legendary Greek god, brings you back to life with those famous words, you set forth on a mission to rescue his daughter, Athena, from the wicked God of the Underworld, Neff. To survive the gauntlet of mythological foes, you must hunt down the three-headed wolves that inhabit each stage and collect the Spirit Balls that they release. The Spirit Balls increase your strength and allow you to transform into a variety of forms including a Werewolf, Weredragon, Werebear, Weretiger, and the ultimate form, the Golden Werewolf. Each creature possesses powerful attacks that are required to bring an end to Neff's scheme.
Tip Top
Year Released: 1983
You are a fearless hunter, traveling through the deepest, darkest jungles in search of the mischievous and elusive ape, Bongo. To catch the big gorilla, you'll have to scale treacherous Primate Peak, carefully maneuver your way across Snake Lake, dodge the fierce beasts of Rhino Ridge, and find a way to cross the Lazy Lagoon. Unfortunately, Bongo's not the only animal in the jungle. To succeed, you must outwit monkeys, scorpions, serpents, rhinos, hippos, and piranhas. If you're not fast on your feet, you'll find out just how low humans are on the food chain!
Fantasy Zone
Year Released: 1985
Shooters are usually very dark and gritty games with elaborate back-stories about massive alien invasions and the lone fighter that must push back the evil forces and save the day. That is not the case in Fantasy Zone. Here, everything is bright and in colorful pastel shades. You pilot the Opa-Opa, an adorable, sentient spaceship that flies with its feathered wings and walks on the ground with its feet. Freely fly around each level and destroy the enemy bases, and youâll get to face off against the huge boss characters. Collect the coins that your foes drop and spend them in shops to equip Opa-Opa with more powerful weapons.
Shinobi ARCADE
Year Released: 1987
Hereâs a bit of helpful advice to all you criminal organizations out there: if youâre going to hatch an elaborate plot that involves kidnapping children, donât kidnap children that have ninjas for parents. That was the big mistake that the group called âZeedâ made when it went after the offspring of the Oboro clan. Now, Joe Musashi is on the hunt, rescuing the young hostages and taking out Zeedâs leaders, the âRing of Five.â As you scour each stage, leave no children behind, as Joe canât proceed to the next level without freeing them all. With an unlimited supply of shuriken, his sharpened katana, and his deadly fists and feet, Joe will show Zeed why you donât mess with family.
Space Harrier
Year Released: 1985
âWelcome to the Fantasy Zone. Get ready!â This is the greeting given to you as you start Space Harrier, but you donât have much time to take its advice. Even as the words are being spoken, your Harrier warrior is already charging into battle. Toting a huge laser gun under his arm, the Space Harrier can either run along the checkerboard ground or freely fly through the sky. Either way, heâs always heading forward into the hostile 3D world. As you progress, hordes of strange creatures and robots fly towards you. Fast reflexes are required to dodge their incoming fire. Environmental hazards can be a problem, too. Take care not to run into any trees or stone structures. If you need a bit of a morale boost, just defeat a boss, and the narrator will remind you that, âyouâre doing great!â
Zaxxon
Year Released: 1982
In the far off depths of space, evil forces have converted a giant asteroid into a deadly base. Only your one-man fighter can slip past the fortress's defense systems and take out these hostile forces. Slipping past the perilous walls and energized force fields will seem like child's play once you're inside and facing off against gun turrets, missile launchers, and enemy spacecraft. Don't forget to destroy fuel tanks in order to refuel your own ship. If you can make it through the gauntlet, you'll face the ultimate challenge: the giant robot known as Zaxxon. Can you destroy his missile before he gets a chance to launch it?