Blazing Lazers

Blazing Lazers (known as Gunhed in Japan) is one of those games that made you buy a console. Released in 1989, it was a TurboGrafx-16 launch window title that demonstrated what NEC's hardware could do — and what it could do was render an absurd number of sprites, projectiles, and explosions on screen without a flicker.

The weapon system is the game's backbone. Four main weapon types — the photon blaster, a field thunder orb, a ring blaster, and a multi-body attack — each upgradeable through multiple power levels. You also collect secondary weapons (homing missiles, shields, multi-bodies) that complement your primary fire. The interplay between weapons creates distinct playstyles for each run.

The nine stages are varied and well-paced. You'll fly through asteroid fields, over alien landscapes, through mechanical fortresses, and into organic hive structures. Each stage introduces new enemy patterns and hazards, with mid-bosses and end-bosses that fill the screen with intricate bullet patterns. The difficulty curve is steep but fair — memorization and quick reflexes are both rewarded.

Technically, the game is a showcase. The TurboGrafx-16's ability to handle large sprites and minimal slowdown is on full display. Backgrounds scroll smoothly with parallax layers, explosions are satisfying, and the frame rate holds even when the screen is filled with projectiles.

The soundtrack by Compile's sound team drives the action perfectly. Each stage theme matches its environment — the alien organic levels have pulsing, unsettling tracks, while the space stages feature driving melodic compositions.

For shmup fans, Blazing Lazers is essential. For TurboGrafx-16 owners, it's the console's finest hour.