Zarlor Mercenary

You know a proper shmup by the fact that the moment you lose you're already reaching for another try — and Zarlor Mercenary triggered exactly that reflex. It's among the best original shooters ever released on the Atari Lynx, and for fans of the genre it's one of the reasons to try the console at all.

It's a vertical shmup in which you fight your way through waves of enemies up the screen, dodging fire and reaping rewards. What lifts it above ordinary shooting is its upgrade-purchase system — with the money you earn you strengthen your weapons and abilities between missions, so there's a point to planning your progress and building an arsenal gives the game momentum. Co-op play also works splendidly, turning a lonely slog into a shared effort.

The studio Epyx, the company behind the Lynx itself, showed here that pocket hardware could handle even a hectic genre demanding precision and fluidity. Zarlor isn't just a technical exercise — it's a cleverly balanced shooter where the rhythm of shooting, dodging and upgrading merges into an addictive whole.

Because it's a Lynx exclusive, the game also carries the mark of something special. It's not an arcade port you can play anywhere — it belongs to the titles that gave the console its own identity and that its library could show off to owners of rival handhelds.

For shmup enthusiasts, then, it's a mandatory stop. The pace, the upgrades and the co-op make Zarlor Mercenary one of those games where "just one more run" stretches into a whole evening.

Why play: An addictive vertical shooter with upgrades and co-op, one of the best original Lynx exclusives for fans of the genre.