Phelios (1988). Play online

Summary

Phelios (sometimes just called Phelios) is a Namco vertical scrolling shooter that drenches the arcade in Greek myth. Players become Apollo atop Pegasus, slashing with a sword that can be charged into a fireball, while enemies demand multiple hits. The game is divided into seven myth‑laden stages, each ending with a boss such as Medusa, Cerberus or the titan Typhon.

Between stages the cabinet shows brief Japanese voice clips and a text cue; the difficulty can be set to an “easy” mode that only includes the first half of the adventure. The original hardware – Namco System 2 – never left Japan, largely because the cut‑scenes depicting Artemis in bondage were deemed too risqué for US arcade operators.

Critics appreciated the polished animation, with GamePro awarding it 21 out of 25, and *Game Machine* listed Phelios as the third most‑popular arcade title in March 1989. The tough fire‑ball mechanic and mythic boss gallery have kept it a cult favorite among retro enthusiasts.

Storyline

In Phelios, you play as the knight Apollo, the sun god, who mounts the legendary winged horse Pegasus. His quest is to rescue his beloved Artemis, the moon goddess, from the clutches of the Titan Typhon. The game borrows only the names from Greek mythology; Apollo and Artemis are presented as lovers rather than siblings. Artemis appears as a classic princess in need of saving, a stark contrast to her mythic role as the independent huntress who never married. While the storyline is simple, the arcade action revolves around soaring through myth‑inspired stages on Pegasus, battling monsters, and ultimately confronting Typhon to free Artemis.