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Blazer

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Blazer was produced by Namco in 1987. The player must alternate between a tank named "Vanguard" and a helicopter named "Hardy" (and for the tenth and final mission, a hovercraft named "Atlanta"), to kill enemies both on land and in the air. Some air-based enemies will leave behind powerups for...

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Developer
Namco

Released on
1987

Size
1–2 Players

Version
Arcade

Requirements
Arcade

Downloads
Shooter

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

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Description

Blazer was produced by Namco in 1987.

The player must alternate between a tank named “Vanguard” and a helicopter named “Hardy” (and for the tenth and final mission, a hovercraft named “Atlanta”), to kill enemies both on land and in the air. Some air-based enemies will leave behind powerups for Vanguard to collect, when hit by its anti-aircraft missiles; they can restore its fuel, increase its fuel capacity, make it invulnerable for a short period of time, and even grant it an extra life if it manages to collect enough of them (which is initially thirteen, but it can go up to sixteen).

This game was dedicated to Shoko Tamako Sumie from all its staff; upon completion of the game, it gives a list of schematics for the player tank, and a passage from In The Cold Morning Of August.

Blazer

Overview & History

Released by Namco in 1988, Blazer is a fascinating yet largely overlooked vertical-scrolling shoot-'em-up that breaks away from traditional spaceship tropes by placing players in control of a heavily armed, futuristic humanoid mech. Operating on Namco's System 1 hardware, the game blends frantic bullet-hell elements with inventive fantasy-sci-fi aesthetics, pitting the protagonist against bizarre bio-mechanical horrors and mystical beasts. While it never achieved the ubiquitous arcade footprint of Namco’s contemporaries like Galaga or Xevious, Blazer carved out a cult following for its unique aesthetic and aggressive pacing, eventually seeing niche re-releases on modern digital retro platforms.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Unlike standard shmup titles where mobility is entirely unhindered, Blazer introduces a distinct topographical challenge: players must constantly manage the vertical scroll while dodging aggressive ground-to-air crossfire and navigating treacherous terrain. The core mechanic revolves around an upgradeable dual-weapon system. By collecting power crystals dropped by specialized enemy units, players can enhance their forward plasma cannons and deploy devastating screen-clearing bombs that temporarily transform the mech into a fiery devastation vehicle. The storyline unfolds across surreal, shifting biomes—transitioning from subterranean organic caverns guarded by crustacean leviathans to floating crystalline citadels defended by rogue cybernetic deities. Boss encounters require precise evasion of bullet patterns while targeting glowing vulnerability nodes on massive, multi-tiered sprite structures.