DESCRIPTION

Inspired by Space Invaders and Galaxian, Phoenix is one of the most impressive games the "slide-and-shoot" genre has to offer, bested only by Galaga in terms of sheer enjoyment and replayability. Players guide an upward-firing laser cannon along the bottom of the screen, blasting away at birds that attack from above in waves. In the first two stages, smallish birds drop missiles and attempt to ram into your ship. Stages three and four feature larger, regenerating birds that begin as eggs and must be shot in the dead center once developed. If a bird's wing is shot, it will simply grow back. The fifth and final wave is the grand finale, pitting players against the Phoenix mother ship. Players must blast away at the hull of the ship to reach the boss while avoiding missiles and attacks from small birds. A limited number of shields helps give players a fighting chance. Finely balanced shooting action combined with colorfully animated graphics make Phoenix a true classic among shooters. ~ Brett Alan Weiss, All Game Guide