Play Gorf Online

Summary

Gorf is a multi‑mission fixed shooter that packs five distinct mini‑games into one cabinet. The first stage mimics Space Invaders, the second drops dive‑bombing ships, the third is a Galaxian‑style swarm, the fourth erupts enemies from a circular warp, and the fifth pits you against a massive flag ship that drops bombs.

The cabinet’s pistol‑grip joystick and built‑in fire button feel solid, and a speech chip gives the Gorfian robot a cheeky voice that taunts you with lines like “Long live Gorf!” The ship fires a continuous “quark laser” that can be cancelled for a fresh shot, a rare feature for 1981.

After clearing all five missions the game loops back to the start on a higher rank, with ranks displayed by a set of coloured bulbs on the control panel. You can double your starting lives by inserting two credits, allowing up to seven extra ships.

Designed by Jamie (Jay) Fenton, Gorf’s hardware was built from reusable boards, and its cabinet sported a lit decorative header and a back‑lit marquee. The third Galaxian mission was omitted from most home ports because of licensing, but the arcade version remains a showcase of early speech synthesis and varied gameplay.

Storyline

In Gorf, you pilot an unnamed Interstellar Space Force starship on a desperate mission to stop the iron‑fisted Gorfian Empire from conquering Earth. The first stage, called Astro Battles, takes place over our planet before the action rockets into deep space for the remaining encounters. The game is split into five distinct missions: the opening level mirrors Space Invaders, the second pits you against two squads of diving ships that include special laser‑beam craft, the third echoes Galaxian’s wave‑based assault, the fourth sends spiraling enemies hurling fireballs at you, and the final showdown faces the Gorfian Flagship. The flagship’s massive shields must be worn down before you can target a tiny exhaust port to destroy its core, a boss fight inspired by Star Wars’ trench‑run. After the Flagship falls, your rank climbs from Space Cadet through Space Captain, Space Colonel, Space General, Space Warrior, and finally Space Avenger. The cycle then repeats, each loop raising the difficulty of the five missions.