Fixed-screen Shoot 'em Ups

This article is concerned with shoot 'em ups of fixed-screen or flip-screen wrap-around nature. The origin of the fixed-screen shoot 'em up extends back to the early 1960s, but Space Invaders is the most famous early fixed-screen shooter. As the name suggests, fixed-screen shooters are defined by their lack of screen-scrolling.

Fixed-screen shooters present in top-down, side-on, isometric, third-person or first-person perspectives. However, sprite-scaling or vector-based Gyruss-like tube-shooters are not considered fixed-screen shooters because in Gyruss-likes the viewport is constantly updating in pseudo-3D or real 3D.

Fixed-screen shooters include:

Fixed-screen shoot 'em ups evolved into horizontally-scrolling shoot 'em ups via Konami's Scramble of 1981 as well as vertically-scrolling shoot 'em ups via Namco's Xevious of 1982.

The article is only concerned with fixed-screen shoot 'em ups that appeared on Western computer game machines. The fixed-screen shooters are presented chronologically.

Target Sol-20 1976

The first fixed-screen shoot 'em up to appear on a Western home computer was Steven Dompier's Target aka TARG of 1976/77 on the Sol-20 microcomputer of 1976.

Running in 4K of RAM and 1K of vRAM, Target features 5-step missile launcher rotation, rapid-fire missile-launching and waves of invading spaceships that move horizontally on the playfield in both directions. When hit by missiles the spaceships explode and plummet to the ground. The spaceships are represented by cycling ASCII characters that look more realistic in motion, especially when we consider the "clarity" of mid-1970s screens. :)

Air Raid TRS-80 1978

A clone of Target, Small System Software's Air Raid features 5-step missile launcher rotation, rapid-fire missile-launching and waves of enemy planes that move horizontally on the playfield in both directions. When hit by missiles the planes explode and plummet to the ground, possibly taking out other planes as they fall from the sky.

The planes are represented by cycling ASCII characters that give a more plane-like appearance in motion. Consider also the "clarity" of the typical screen in 1978 that would help disguise the cycling and give the "sprites" shape.

In Air Raid, points are awarded for destroying enemy units, but points are deducted if enemy units escape off-screen.

Alien Invasion TRS-80 1979

Roy Niederhoffer coded Alien Invasion in 1979 for the TRS-80. Alien Invasion is a clone of Taito's Space Invaders coinop of 1978.

Alien Invasion features fancy screen-wipes and even an animated introduction, which furnishes an early example of computer-game cinematization.

Attack Force TRS-80 1980

Bill Hogue & Jeff Konyu of Big Five Software coded Attack Force in 1980 for the TRS-80. Attack Force is "run and gun" shoot 'em up based on Exidy's Targ coinop of 1980 (not to be confused with the above Targ). Attack Force features 4-way variable-rate movement and firing over block-grid mazes guarded by ramships and flagships.

Cosmic Fighter TRS-80 1980

Bill Hogue & Jeff Konyu of Big Five Software coded Cosmic Fighter in 1980 for the TRS-80. Cosmic Fighter is a responsive, playable and well-presented fixed-viewport shooter that evokes Gremlin's Astro Blaster coinop of the same year via its docking sequence.

Galaxy Invasion TRS-80 1980

Bill Hogue & Jeff Konyu of Big Five Software coded Galaxy Invasion in 1980 for the TRS-80. Galaxy Invasion came out one year after Namco's Galaxian coinop of 1979.

Super Nova TRS-80 1980

Bill Hogue & Jeff Konyu of Big Five Software coded Super Nova in 1980 for the TRS-80. Super Nova came out one year after Atari's Asteroids coinop of 1979, from which it draws.

Space Intruders TRS-80 1980

Doug Kennedy of Adventure International coded Space Intruders for the TRS-80 in 1980. Space Intruders is a clone of Taito's Space Invader's Part II of 1979, aka Deluxe Space Invaders aka Space Invaders Deluxe.

Super Vaders TRS-80 1981

Larry Ashmun of Soft Sector Marketing Inc. coded Super Vaders for the TRS-80 in 1981. Super Vaders is a clone of Taito's Space Invaders of 1978, but Super Vaders gives you a stat-breakdown post-game (shots fired, missed shots).

Armored Patrol TRS-80 1981

Wayne Westmorland & Terry Gilman coded Armored Patrol for the TRS-80 in 1981. Armored Patrol is a clone of Atari's Battlezone coinop of 1980, which employed vector graphics viewed from a first-person perspective. In Armored Patrol, the scene-objects (houses, tanks, robots) scale in steps as the tank rolls towards them. The viewpoint is also rotated 360° in steps. By steps, I mean in perceivable increments as opposed to the seamless, smoothly-updating vector-viewport of the coinop. However, Armored Patrol was nevertheless an advanced game for the TRS-80 in 1981.

Mutant Attack TRS-80 1981

Tandy Corporation's Mutant Attack of 1981 is a tough-as-nails variation on the Space Invaders concept, complete with bullet-hell.

Robot Attack TRS-80 1981

Bill Hogue & Jeff Konyu of Big Five Software coded Robot Attack in 1981 for the TRS-80. The difference between Robot Attack and Attack Force of 1980 is that in Robot Attack you have 8-way movement and firing (diagonal) instead of just 4-way. A clone of Stern Electronics' Berzerk of 1980, Robot Attack also features over one dozen speech-sounds and a text-scroller intro that evokes Star Wars.

Stellar Escort TRS-80 1981

Jeff Zinn of Big Five Software coded Stellar Escort in 1981 for the TRS-80. Stellar Escort employs trucking controls and sprite-scaling, which is both innovative and impressive for 1981. What you are basically doing is trucking the screen to get your targets lined up (there are no always-on targeting sights).

Protector Atari 8 bit 1981

Mike Potter coded the Defender-inspired Protector for Atari 8 bit in 1981. Protector features exacting controls and smooth variable-rate bi-directional horizontal scrolling. In terms of gameplay and audio-visuals Protector is the best shooter of 1981.

Gridrunner Commodore 64 1982

Jeff Minter coded Gridrunner for the Vic-20 and C64 in 1982. Gridrunner is a space-age clone of Atari's Centipede coinop of 1980.

Arcade Galactic Firebird TRS-80 1982

Mike Chalk's Arcade Galactic Firebird of 1982 on the TRS-80 shifts around a number of sprites in smooth arcs and circles, à la Namco's Galaga coinop of 1981. Mesmerizing.

Defense Command TRS-80 1982

Bill Hogue & Jeff Konyu of Big Five Software coded Defense Command in 1982 for the TRS-80. Defense Command is highly playable Defender-like that came out a year after Williams' Defender coinop of 1981. Defense Command's machine code language seems to bang the TRS-80 harder than other shooters.

Demon Seed TRS-80 1982

Jeff Sorensen and Philip Mackenzie coded Demon Seed for the TRS-80 in 1982. Demon Seed is a clone of Taito's Phoenix coinop of 1980. Note the size of the demon-objects.

Galaxy Invasion Plus TRS-80 1982

Bill Hogue & Jeff Konyu of Big Five Software coded Galaxy Invasion Plus in 1982 for the TRS-80. As its name suggests GI+ is an incremental update on the original of 1980.

Weerd TRS-80 1982

Arthur A. Gleckler of Big Five Software coded Weerd in 1982 for the TRS-80. An exceedingly difficult Galaxian-like shoot 'em up, Weerd features several weird object designs and sound effects.

Space Strike IBM PC 1982

Programmed by legendary coder and computer scientist, Michael Abrash (Quake), Space Strike is an early clone of Space Invaders packed into a 60 kbyte PC-Booter executable.

A polished and playable fixed-screen shoot 'em up that displays in 4-color CGA 320x200 and requires just 64 kbytes RAM, Space Strike supports joystick input and keyboard control.

Cosmic Crusader IBM PC 1982

Also coded by Michael Abrash for i808x with 64 kbtytes RAM, Cosmic Crusader is one of the best early shoot 'em ups for IBM PC.

Not only is Cosmic Crusader highly playable even in 2024, but it is technically impressive as well due to the sheer number of on-screen sprites that it smoothly and simultaneously shifts across the playfield with its 60 kbyte of code. Displayed in CGA 320x200 Cosmic Crusader supports joystick input and keyboard control.

Galaga Commodore 64 1982

Henrik Wening's rendition of Galaga might not have looked like much even in 1982, but its controls are responsive and its gameplay is fast and fun. I booted this up in 2024 and played it for a few hours.

Wizard of Wor Commodore 64 1982

Midway's Wizard of Wor coinop of 1981 was ported to the C64 in 1982 by Jeff Bruette for Commodore. A Berzerk-like (Stern Electronics, 1980), Wizard of Wor is a highly playable fixed-screen run n gun maze-shooter featuring 2-player coop, smooth sprite-shifting and 4-way movement and firing.

cf. Castle Wolfenstein Apple 2.

Centipede IBM PC 1983

Atarisoft ported Atari Inc.'s Centipede coinop of 1981 to IBM PC Booter in 1983. Centipede is a fixed-screen shooter. Centipede features 4-way movement and progressive destructibility.

R. J. Grafe cloned Atari Inc.'s Centipede coinop of 1981 to IBM PC in 1983. Joystick support. This is a very good clone.

Galaxian IBM PC 1983

Namco's Galaxian coinop of 1979 was ported to i808x by Atarisoft in 1983 in 4-color CGA 320x200 (and 4-color CGA 640x400 for the instructions screen).

Supporting joystick input and keyboard controls, this 60 kbytes PC Booter requires an IBM PC compatible with 128 kbytes RAM. While not as good as the arcade-machine version, the sprites move about well and the controls are responsive.

Galaxian Commodore 64 (1984):

Robotron 2084 IBM PC 1983

The Vids Kidz Robotron 2084 coinop of 1982 was ported to i808x by Atarisoft in 1983 in 4-color CGA 320x200. A multi-directional shoot 'em up, Robotron's 60 kbytes executable requires an IBM PC compatible with 128 kbytes RAM.

Robotron features 8-way movement and 8-way firing of the controlled sprite, Robotron Hero. In order to clear a stage players must destroy the Robotrons as they converge on the hero.

Robotron 2084 Commodore 64 (1984):

Jetpac ZX Spectrum 16k 1983

Let's check up on the ZX Spectrum shoot 'em up in 1983. Coded by Chris Stamper of Ultimate Play the Game, in controlling Jetman the object of Jetpac is to rebuild and fuel a rocket while fighting off aliens on a fixed-screen, horizontally-wrapping-around playfield. Note the vibrant colors and clarity of ZX Spectrum graphics.

Lunar Jetman ZX Spectrum 48k 1983

Lunar Jetman is Ultimate Play the Game's sequel to Jetpac, but Lunar Jetman scrolls horizontally and includes a driveable Lunar Rover. You can't ask for much more in 1983 on the Speccy.

Gorf Commodore 64 1983

Eric Cotton ported Midway's Gorf coinop of 1981 to Commodore 64 in 1983. Gorf is an advanced Space Invaders / Galaxian clone that features Astro Battle, Laser Attack, Space Warp and Flagship attack waves. C64 Gorf is better than the flickering VIC-20 and Atari 8 bit versions of 1982.

Ancipital Commodore 64 1984

The goat-like Ancipital is launching bananas that rebound off walls and hit hostile oddities. Can you guess the programmer's name? The Ancipital can also jump from wall to wall while progressing through a 10x10 maze made up of 100 levels. A responsive, fun and challenging shooter featuring psychedelic stroboscopic effects, Ancipital was coded by Jeff Minter of Llamasoft -- a legend.

Invaders IBM PC 1985

Invaders of 1985 is a 4-color CGA 320x200 i808x clone of Taito's 1978 coinop, Space Invaders. The graphics are clear, collision detection is accurate, and the waves move with precision, but the PC-speaker sounds consists of bleeps and blurps (naturally).

1985 Invaders supports joystick input or keyboard control (Shift keys for left and right and Spacebar for fire).

Space War IBM PC 1985

Also in 1985 the Space War! PDP-1 mainframe game of 1962 was brought to i808x in glorious B&W by Bill Seiler. The 20-kbyte Spacewar displays its vectors in monochrome CGA at 640x400 resolution, but its line-draws are of 320x200 fidelity.

Crazy Comets Commodore 64 1985

Famous for its super-fast and super-smooth sprite-shifting, Simon Nichol's Crazy Comets is a solid clone of Gottlieb's Mad Planets coinop of 1983. Audio by Rob Hubbard.

Mega-Apocalypse Commodore 64 1987

Coded by Simon Nicol of Martech Games Ltd. in 1987, Mega-Apocalypse is a technically impressive fixed-screen multi-directional shoot 'em up that was originally coded for the C64, but later ported to ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC and BBC Micro (1988-89). An incremental evolution on Martech's own Crazy Comets of 1985, Mega-Apocalypse features 5-channel sound, sprite rotation, strafe-firing, and super-fast hostiles gliding smoothly over a swirling starfield.

Due to the sheer speed and tendency of hostiles to home-in on the player's ship, Mega-Apocalypse is by no means a cakewalk. In fact, it is going to filter most people during the first level. The best advice I can give is: learn to circle fast-moving hostiles. You could also try 2-player coop.

Soundtrack and sampled sound and speech by Rob Hubbard.

Astro Blaster IBM PC 1988

Rolf Franzon coded Astro Blaster for IBM PC in 1988. Astro Blaster is based on Gremlin Industries' Astro Blaster coinop of 1981.

Smash T.V. Amiga 1989

The 1989 ST/Amiga ports by Probe of the Smash T.V. coinop are passable. Indeed, playable. Especially with a friend in 2-player coop mode.

Cabal Amiga 1989: Commandos

TAD Corporation's Cabal coinop of 1988 was ported to ST/Amiga by Ocean Software Ltd. in 1989. Offering 2-player simulatenous action Cabal is basically a third-person Operation Wolf. And just like Operation Wolf and Thunderbolt, Cabal is nowhere near as fun to play as the coinop.

Cabal and the Op. Wolf ports were overrated back in the day. Put it this way: even if you bought all three you would still go to the arcades to play the real deal.

Super Gridrunner Amiga 1989

Jeff Minter of Llamasoft coded Super Gridrunner for ST/Amiga in 1989. Super Gridrunner is a fixed-screen shoot 'em up that allows players to position their ship anywhere on-screen via mouse control. This is the 1989 16 bit version of the original VIC-20 / C64 version of Gridrunner from 1982.

Blasteroids Amiga 1990

The 1990 ST/Amiga Teque Software Development ports of the 1987 Tengen Blasteroids coinop are king-tier across the board. You can transform between three different spacehips on the fly (Speeder, Fighter and Warrior).

As in Atari's Asteroids coinop of 1979, control in Blasteroids consists of rotate, thrust and fire (at asteroids and enemies). As one can glean from the below infographic Blasteroids is a full-featured and well-presented shoot 'em up.

Blasteroids Equipment: Shield, Blaster, Extra Shot Power, Ripstar, Extra Fuel Capacity, Booster, Crystal Magnet, Cloak.

Pang 1990 Amiga

Pierre Adane of Ocean France converted Mitchell Corporation's Buster Bros. coinop of 1989 to the Amiga in 1990. Renamed Pang on microcomputers, the Amiga version is superior to the arcade original.

Starforce Commodore 64 1991

Joachim Fräder of X-Ample Architectures coded Starforce for the Commodore 64 in 1991, which is an excellent Space Invaders / Galaxian clone.

Llamatron 2112 IBM PC 1991

Llamatron 2112 was ported to 808x in 1992 from the original ST/Amiga versions of 1991. Supporting 2 joysticks for Robotron-style action, Llamatron is one of the best fixed-screen shoot 'em ups ever coded.

Llamatron 2112 Amiga 1991

Llamatron 2112 was designed and coded by Jeff Minter of LlamaSoft in 1991 for ST/Amiga. Llamatron is a king-tier Robotron-like with psychedelic graphics. While its audio-visuals and presentation are unconventional, its gameplay is as classic as it gets.

Best played with 2x micro-switch joysticks suction-capped to the desk: mad.

Twin-joystick control aka two-joystick control aka dual-joystick control is when you use one joystick to move and another joystick to control the direction of fire. Thus, one can move in one direction while firing in another, aka strafing. Twin-joystick originated in Taito's Gun Fight coinop of 1975. It was also famously employed in Vid Kidz's Robotron 2084 coinop of 1982, of which Llamatron is a psychedelic clone.

Dual-stick is a god-tier shoot 'em up control system that could easily have been employed in more 8 and 16 bit micro shooters, but wasn't.

Super Space Invaders IBM PC 1991

Taito's Super Space Invaders coinop was ported to MS-DOS in 1991. Even though it lacks the arcade's vertical screen resolution, the port is solid.

Space Invaders IBM PC 1995

A belated but solid conversion of Space Invaders was coded by Paul S. Read in 1995. Coded for 16-color EGA at 640x400 resolution, this version of Space Invaders is naturally more colorful than Space Invaders 1985.

Invasion of the Mutant Space Bats of Doom IBM PC 1995

Pop Software's Galaga-likes Invasion of the Mutant Space Bats of Doom and Return of the Mutant Space Bats of Doom were released as Shareware in 1995. Both games feature big and colorful sprites that move smoothly around the viewport in waves.

Stardust Amiga 1993-94

Bloodhouse's Stardust and Super Stardust AGA of 1993-94 are king-tier asteroids-style games with sprite-scaling tunnel segments that update smoothly without overt pixelation. The pre-rendered, light-sourced asteroid sprites rotate as they move about the viewport, which is impressive.

Stardust Weapons System (Pick-ups & Power-ups):

Mega Bomb, Gun Power Up, Smart Bomb
Control Improvement, Shields, Points, Extra Life, Full Energy

Super Stardust Weapons System:

Mega Bomb, Gun Power Up, Flame Burst, Smart Bomb
Engine Power, Shield Energy, Points, Extra Life, Extra Energy

Deluxe Galaga Amiga 1995

A clone of Namco's Galaga coded by Edgar M. Vigdal in 1995, Deluxe Galaga features smooth sprite-shifting and 2-player coop. It also runs at 50 FPS.

cf.

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