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Sega innovated in several ways with 1982’s Zaxxon and created a solid and challenging shooter that has become a classic. However, some may not enjoy the lack of depth find the gameplay frustrating if they’re not using a control stick. If those are humps you can get over, then Zaxxon offers an enjoyable, albeit short, experience that exemplifies Sega at its creative best.
Buck Rogers is a sci-fi legend, but he hasn’t had much of a presence in video games. Sega tried to remedy that with its 1982 arcade shooter that sought to take advantage of the TV revival that was popular at the time. While visually impressive and fun, Planet of Zoom may be a bit too repetitive for extended plays. Still, shooting things is fun!
There was a lot of potential with Galactic Protector, but Sega didn’t seem to know what to do with it. It requires the Japan-only Paddle Control to play, but it somehow makes using it a chore. Instead of bringing a new level of depth to the gameplay beyond what the standard controller offers, it suffers from some bewildering restrictions that make the game harder to play and a lot less fun.
After much anticipation, Yuzo Koshiro’s shooter masterpiece is here! The Steam version arrived first, but it is the same version we’ll be getting in 2026. We couldn’t wait to get our hands on it, so we’ve been playing relentlessly, and we can confirm that it was well worth the wait. This is shooter heaven, so gear up and get ready to save the world once more!
Taito’s legendary Darius series already appeared on Genesis with the sequel, known as Sagaia outside Japan. The original game finally appeared in 2019 for the Mega Drive Mini, and it was based on a proof-of-concept by a homebrew developer. It’s now possible to play the first Darius on your Genesis, and it’s an incredible game well worth spending time with.