Play Asteroids

Rows of aliens that speed up as you kill them; the game that caused a coin shortage in Japan.

Dual fighters and the captured ship; the shoot-em-up perfected.

Two planes, a screen of bullets and the Vulcan/laser choice; the vertical shooter to start with.

The Pacific from above, with a loop-the-loop to dodge; Capcom's 1984 shooter.

Rescue humans from abduction while flying both ways at speed; the hardest game of 1981.

Do a barrel roll; Arwings, the Rumble Pak and branching routes.

The best DOS shoot-em-up: a shop between missions, a story told in text screens, and art that still looks sharp.

Fly for the Empire; the best space combat sim, from 1994.