# Please help identify this 1980's arcade video game **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 31, 2009, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-identify-this-1980s-arcade-video-game/491503 "2009-03-31T21:43:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Joe\_Meager](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bb73d2/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Joe\_Meager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Joe_Meager)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2009, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-identify-this-1980s-arcade-video-game/491503/1 "2009-03-31T21:43:33Z")
Trying to locate an arcade video game from my youth. It was a spaceship shooter game, the scrolling type where you’re flying “up” the screen, (there’s a background that is flowing from north to south, the spaceship appears to be flying north). Generally the ship stays near the bottom of the screen and is “flying” toward the top (north), but it can move all over. Generally (but not always) the baddies appear near the top and are “flying” toward the bottom of the screen (south). Flying-wise it was like “1942”. It was \*not \*like “Space Invaders”, where you can only sit at the bottom and things come at you. It was \*not \*like “Defender”, where you fly sideways (for lack of a better way to describe it). It had the standard joystick and four “fire” buttons. Here are some unique, identifying (hopefully) features: [ul] [li]I recall playing it in roughly 1981 – 1983. It was not popular, there weren’t many to be found in local video game arcades (in Charlotte, NC). [/li] [li]You could shoot in four directions – north, south, east, and west. That’s why there were four “fire” buttons.[/li] [li]There was one stage where the background music was, I swear, the melody from “Attack of the Hawk Men” from the \*Flash Gordon \*soundtrack by Queen.[/li][/ul] So there it is. If you were a youngster playing video games in the early 80’s and listened to the Flash Gordon soundtrack (likely on cassette tape) more than you’d care to admit… know what game this is? Many thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Meeko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Meeko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meeko)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2009, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-identify-this-1980s-arcade-video-game/491503/2 "2009-03-31T21:55:02Z")
I can’t immediately help you. But here is a link to the Killer List Of Video Games (Arcade Cabinets) > **[Museum of the Game - International Arcade Museum & Killer List of...](https://www.arcade-museum.com/)** > > The International Arcade Museum at the Museum of the Game is the Internet's leading resource covering Arcade, Videogame, Pinball Machine, and Antique Coin-Operated Machines And the advanced search feature : [http://www.klov.com/search.php](http://www.klov.com/search.php) can narrow down genre (shooter) and year (I put 1980 - 1986) But I only got three results : Rambler: Using your terminology, this is a East-West shooter - Like Scramble or Gradius Crossbow: Featured a crossbow as a controller Shoot Away: Information posted implies the game is a shooting gallery type game. ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Joe\_Meager](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bb73d2/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Joe\_Meager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Joe_Meager)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2009, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-identify-this-1980s-arcade-video-game/491503/3 "2009-03-31T22:00:10Z")
Thank you **Meeko**. Note to all… I posted this here and not The Game Room because of the \*Flash Gordon \*reference. The most memorable thing about the game was this music reference, if anyone can identify this game I suspect it will likely be because of that. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2009, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-identify-this-1980s-arcade-video-game/491503/4 "2009-03-31T22:09:06Z")
Sounds possibly like “Phoenix” except the four buttons on Phoenix were “left” “right” (directional control of your ship) “force field” and “fire.” As a young lass I was charged by my older brother with the task of hitting “fire” continuously while he did the rest. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2009, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-identify-this-1980s-arcade-video-game/491503/5 "2009-03-31T22:17:03Z")
[Zaxxon](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zaxxon)? ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2009, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-identify-this-1980s-arcade-video-game/491503/6 "2009-03-31T22:41:59Z")
The Flash Gordon reference was my key- [Vanguard](http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=10293). ---
**Author:** ![YamatoTwinkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/cc9497/32.png) [@YamatoTwinkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YamatoTwinkie)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2009, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-identify-this-1980s-arcade-video-game/491503/7 "2009-03-31T23:06:42Z")
> [@mobo85](#): > > The Flash Gordon reference was my key- [Vanguard](http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=10293). The screenshots look like a West-to-East sidescroller (not South-to-North as the OP specified), no? Edit: But I’m guessing the OP was mistaken about that part ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2009, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-identify-this-1980s-arcade-video-game/491503/8 "2009-03-31T23:09:34Z")
Vanguard is both a top scroller and a side scroller. > [@KLOV](#): > > This game is a horizontal and vertical scrolling shooter with four buttons that let you shoot in four different directions. Certainly sounds like the OP’s description to me. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2009, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-identify-this-1980s-arcade-video-game/491503/9 "2009-03-31T23:09:49Z")
> [@YamatoTwinkie](#): > > The screenshots look like a West-to-East sidescroller (not South-to-North as the OP specified), no? > > Edit: But I’m guessing the OP was mistaken about that part Different levels constrained your movement in different ways. But as soon as the OP mentioned Flash Gordon, it could only be Vanguard. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![cormac262](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@cormac262](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cormac262)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2009, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-identify-this-1980s-arcade-video-game/491503/10 "2009-03-31T23:10:23Z")
One that comes to mind is Xevious (sp ?). But I don’t recall the Flash Gordon music, and I also can’t remember if you could shoot in 4 directions. ---
**Author:** ![Student\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@Student\_Driver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Student_Driver)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2009, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-identify-this-1980s-arcade-video-game/491503/11 "2009-03-31T23:40:17Z")
Xevious was a straight-ahead shooter. I also believe the OP is looking for Vanguard, which does have prominent up/down scrolling stages. (Less likely would be Vanguard II, which was quite rare). ---
**Author:** ![Bravo\_Romeo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@Bravo\_Romeo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bravo_Romeo)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2009, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-identify-this-1980s-arcade-video-game/491503/12 "2009-04-01T01:26:41Z")
Was it _Raptor_? ---
**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2009, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-identify-this-1980s-arcade-video-game/491503/13 "2009-04-01T01:52:00Z")
Oh, the quarters that Vanguard sucked out of me! It was not only a vertical scroller and a horizontal scroller, but also a diagonal scroller. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2009, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-identify-this-1980s-arcade-video-game/491503/14 "2009-04-01T01:59:49Z")
It has to be Vanguard. I open every thread like this, hoping the answer will be that game, because it was my absolute favorite. I played the hell out it at the local skating rink, and have (or had) the unofficial high score- 448,000. I won a t-shirt and everything. Man, I love that game. ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2009, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-identify-this-1980s-arcade-video-game/491503/15 "2009-04-01T11:51:03Z")
I used to play that in the pub from time to time - in fact, we used to go to this particular pub to play it! (the machine was the only reason to go there as it was a fairly rubbish bar) I remember I used to get stuck at one particular point _every_ time until one night after playing it I dreamt about playing it and realised how to beat it. Next time I was in, I remembered my dream and it worked! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Joe\_Meager](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bb73d2/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Joe\_Meager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Joe_Meager)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2009, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-identify-this-1980s-arcade-video-game/491503/16 "2009-04-01T13:43:32Z")
Yes!! Vanguard!! Thank you!! Yes, upon review it certainly was both up/down scroll and right/left scroll. My memory faded. (Huh, my mother was right. My mind really was turned to mush from all those video games.) Now I’m going to have “Attack of the Hawk Men” as my mental song of the day. Thank you everyone!!