Sinistar (1983). Play Free Online

Summary

I love the frantic rhythm of Sinistar, where every minute counts on a lone craft that darts among glittering planetoids. You smash those drifting rocks, harvest the flashing crystals, and then fire the precious Sinibombs – up to thirteen are needed to shred the fully‑grown, skull‑faced behemoth. Meanwhile, enemy workers swipe crystals to flesh out the same monster, and warriors barrel straight at you, forcing a tense balance between mining fast and staying alive.

The game shouts back with digitized snarls (“Beware, I live!,” “I hunger, coward!”) voiced by radio legend John Doremus, while a stock gorilla roar underscores the Sinistar’s terrifying presence. All of this blares through a custom 49‑way optical joystick that lets you weave in every direction, a rarity in arcade cabinets.

A notorious bug can boost the life counter to a ridiculous 255, a quirk that adds an almost absurd layer to its already brutal difficulty. Even years later, the title still pops up on retro lists – Flux magazine ranked it among the top 100 classics for its "truly harrowing" experience.

Storyline

In Sinistar, you pilot a lone spacecraft across a sprawling sector of space, with a mini‑map at the top showing your surroundings. Drifting planetoids can be shot to release small white crystals, which you collect to forge Sinibombs. These bombs are the only weapon capable of destroying the game's final boss, the demonic‑faced Sinistar. Enemy red worker ships race to gather the same crystals and assemble the Sinistar while warrior ships guard the construction.

Warrior ships also attack you directly, shooting planetoids for more crystals. When the Sinistar is complete, its digitized voice booms “Beware, I live” and it begins to chase you, shouting threats like “Run! Run! Run!” and “I hunger!” It has no weapons, destroying the player on contact and sometimes proclaiming “I am Sinistar.”

Pressing a dedicated button launches a Sinibomb that automatically homes in on the Sinistar. Defeating it warps you to a new zone—Worker, Warrior, Planetoid, or Void—starting the cycle anew.

Edited by Maya Carter