Exerion 1

Exerion 1 is a fixed-screen space shooter that originally hit arcades in 1983 and made its way to the MSX 1 home computer shortly after. The game was developed and published by Jaleco, a company known for its arcade hits during the early 80s. On MSX, it's a faithful port of the coin-op, bringing the same rapid-fire action to a platform that was hungry for quality shooters. This isn't a hack or fan translation - it's the genuine arcade experience, scaled down for the home market.

The core gameplay is straightforward: you pilot a small spacecraft at the bottom of the screen and blast waves of alien enemies that swoop down in formation. The twist is that your ship can slide left and right freely but its upward movement is locked - you dodge by moving horizontally while firing. Enemy patterns are varied, with some diving straight at you and others flying in zigzag paths. A power-up system lets you upgrade your shot by collecting special icons that fall from destroyed foes, increasing your firepower and adding spread shots. The game keeps going until you run out of lives, with no end - it's all about chasing a high score.

Compared to other MSX shooters like Galaga or Space Invaders, Exerion 1 stands out for its smooth scrolling and the satisfying feeling of upgrading your weapon mid-wave. It's not the deepest shooter out there, but it captures that pick-up-and-play arcade magic perfectly. The MSX version is slightly less flashy than the original, but the core loop remains intact. If you enjoy classic early-80s space shooters, this is a solid entry to add to your collection. It's a simple, honest arcade port that does exactly what it sets out to do.