Xenophobe

Released on the NES in 1988, Xenophobe is a side-scrolling science-fiction action game developed by Midway and published by Sunsoft. Its premise is straightforward and suitably pulpy: hostile aliens have overrun human facilities, and it is up to a small squad of armed survivors to clear them out. The game supports one or two players, making the invasion considerably more entertaining when tackled cooperatively.

Each stage sends the players through a maze-like environment filled with corridors, platforms, ladders, doors, and branching routes. Progress is not simply a matter of walking from left to right. You need to explore the layout, locate the exit, and keep moving while aliens appear from different directions. The screen can scroll in either direction, so enemies may approach from behind as well as ahead. Careful positioning matters, especially when several creatures crowd a narrow passage.

Xenophobe’s combat is built around a straightforward selection of weapons, including the standard blaster and more powerful limited-use options. Ammunition and health are valuable, while contact with the aliens quickly wears down your character. The enemy designs range from small, fast attackers to larger and more dangerous creatures, giving each area a constant sense of pressure without turning the game into a complicated tactical exercise.

The NES version captures the arcade game’s frantic run-and-gun spirit in a compact home-console format. Its chunky graphics, tense sound effects, and maze-like stages give it a distinctive late-1980s atmosphere, while two-player cooperation remains its strongest appeal. Xenophobe is a good fit for players who enjoy demanding arcade conversions, old-school alien shooters, and games where learning the layout is nearly as important as pulling the trigger. On RetroCloud, you can play online on your browser and revisit this unusual Midway shooter without needing the original cartridge.