Blazing Lazers (1989). Play online

Summary

Blazing Lazers blasts onto the TurboGrafx‑16 as a relentless vertical shooter that still feels fresh. You fly the Gunhed Advanced Star Fighter through nine fast‑moving stages, taking down eight massive Super Weapons before the final showdown. The game’s power‑up system is surprisingly deep: four core weapon types can be upgraded repeatedly, and optional items add homing missiles, shields, multibody guns or a screen‑clearing bomb. Switching the ship’s speed across five levels lets you fine‑tune handling for tight bullet patterns.

Critics lauded the title for pushing the console’s graphics and sound to their limits, noting smooth scrolling with virtually no slowdown. It earned top marks in contemporary magazines—ACE gave it 900/1000, CVG 96%—and later earned a spot at #77 on EGM’s 100 Best Games of All Time. The game later reappeared on Wii and Wii U Virtual‑Console services, proving that its “near‑perfect” gameplay still resonates with retro fans.

Storyline

In the Blazing Lazers universe, a sprawling galaxy is under siege by the hostile Dark Squadron, an enemy space armada bent on domination. The only beacon of hope is the cutting‑edge Gunhed Advanced Star Fighter, a lone warship equipped to take on the invaders. Pilots must guide the fighter through relentless waves, targeting the Dark Squadron’s massive Super Weapons that threaten to annihilate entire star systems. Each victory chips away at the armada’s strength, bringing the galaxy closer to salvation. The fate of countless worlds rests on the success of this daring assault.