Space Harrier 1985

About

Run… fly… dodge those obstacles, but return fire on wave after wave of attacking aliens. Armed with a really big gun, you have to defend yourself against the alien hordes using your wits to navigate around the screen. But watch out for those end of level bosses! Originating in the arcades, Space Harrier is a third-person rail shooter with pseudo-3D graphics, set in the same world as Fantasy Zone. The lone titular hero fights aliens with a fireball-launching cannon, which can also be used to transform the hero into a flying rocket. The protagonist is constantly in motion, but the speed of his movement can be regulated by the player.

What is happening now

Space Harrier is a foundational arcade shooter from 1985 that established the pseudo-3D rail shooter formula. The game has since appeared on various platforms including Sega's 32X and Saturn, Nintendo's Wii, and mobile devices, cementing its influence on the genre. Developer PiXEL has created Angelian Trigger, a spiritual successor that deliberately channels Space Harrier's design philosophy. Already available on Switch in Japan with Japanese-language support, the game is drawing attention as it heads toward a PS5 release, offering modern audiences a fresh take on the classic arcade style that Space Harrier pioneered.