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Xenophobe

NES

NES

Xenos. The very name strikes fear into every colonist's heart. A distress call is received from space stations orbiting your homeworld, then silence. A single ship escapes, piloted by a battered man who tells the tale of pods that hatch into acid-spitting Xenos. A small band of engineers has been...

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Developer
Sunsoft

Released on
1988

Size
1–2 Players

Version
NES

Requirements
Nintendo Entertainment System

Downloads
Shooter

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

Cooperative
Yes

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Description

Xenos. The very name strikes fear into every colonist’s heart. A distress call is received from space stations orbiting your homeworld, then silence. A single ship escapes, piloted by a battered man who tells the tale of pods that hatch into acid-spitting Xenos. A small band of engineers has been dispatched to combat the Xeno threat before it takes over all the space stations and, eventually, your homeworld.

Xenophobe is a side-scrolling shooter with platform elements. Assemble your band of engineers and fight the Xenos on each station, striving to either clear it or abandon it. You start out with a standard issue laser, but can pick up additional weapons as you find them, including Phasers, Lightning Rifles, Poofer guns, and bombs.

The NES port also supported (although it was not required) the notorious Power Glove.

Xenophobe

Overview & History

Released by Tengen for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1988, Xenophobe is a brilliant console port of Bally Midway’s 1987 arcade classic. Set in the 22nd century, the United Earth forces discover that multiple space stations and dreadnoughts have been overrun by a parasitic alien species known as the Xenophobes. Players are tasked with boarding these infested vessels to eliminate the alien menace before they reach Earth. Unlike many side-scrolling shooters of its era, the NES version retains the unique horizontally scrolling, multi-screen perspective of the arcade original, cleverly split into three distinct viewing windows when playing in multiplayer, or alternating panels in solo play. It stands out in the NES library for its inclusion of cooperative split-screen action and light RPG elements.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Players choose from three distinct characters: Mr.宇 (Mr. Universe), Feral Floyd, and Penny. Each character moves and attacks with slightly different animations, though all share the same mission objectives. Navigating the labyrinthine, multi-deck space stations requires tracking down computer terminals to download station maps, collecting security passes to open locked blast doors, and gathering crucial cash bonuses scattered throughout the debris. The primary objective on every stage is xenocide—eradicating 100% of the alien lifeforms across multiple evolutionary stages, from face-hugging crawlers to hulking bipedal beasts. You must carefully manage your health while utilizing a variety of upgradable weaponry, ranging from standard laser pistols to devastating flamethrowers and smart bombs, all while racing against a countdown timer before the station self-destructs.