Zaxxon
Released in February 1982, Zaxxon was unique as it was the first game
to employ
isometric
projection, something of a three-quarters viewing perspective. This
effect simulated three dimensions (albeit from the viewpoint of a
second person).
In this shoot-'em-up you find yourself piloting an 'attack-shuttle' spacecraft, strafing the enemy's asteroid city in an attempt to destroy fuel tanks, gun emplacements, missiles, fighters and the dreaded enemy robot. With the aid of an altimeter that constantly monitors your height, you control your ship with an aircraft-style joystick, barnstorming your way through wall openings, under electronic barriers, dodging rockets, and in a later round, dueling with the insidious enemy robot. A successful attack-run across Zaxxon leads us to a deep-space dogfight with enemy planes. As you climb, turn and dive, a 'cross-hair' appears on the screen to indicate exact positioning for a laser hit on incoming craft. Notice the buffeting as you fly near 'proximity explosions'. In addition to your altitude, a running count is displayed of your score, number of ships remaining to you, number of enemy ships remaining to be destroyed, and fuel remaining. Fuel bonuses, as well as points, are awarded for destroying fuel tanks, but your ship crashes if you run out of fuel between rounds.
After a specified number of enemy ships are destroyed, the robot appears, launching seeker-missiles. Destruction of the robot requires six direct hits on the robot's missile launcher, after which the round changes with greater difficulty. Number of player ships and bonus point levels are operator selectable. Game play ends with the loss of your last ship. (arcade-history)
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