Sanxion

Sanxion was released in 1986 by the newly formed studio Thalamus and, on the Commodore 64, was one of the most striking vertically scrolling shooters on the whole platform. The player pilots a fighter craft flying through the defense lines of an enemy base, destroying waves of opponents and collecting power-ups that change the type and strength of the ship's fire, from faster projectiles to area-effect weapons, and after completing the first set of levels the game offers a second, tougher lap through the same scenes but with a new enemy layout, extending the title's life beyond a single standard playthrough.

Technically, the game became famous above all for its spectacular opening diagonal scrolling star-field effect, with which the game begins and which, at the time of release, showed just what the VIC-II chip on the C64 was capable of, even though the actual playing fields then shifted to more standard vertical scrolling. The gameplay was fast-paced and demanding, with dense enemy fire requiring quick reflexes and a good knowledge of attack patterns. An absolutely essential part of the experience was the music by Rob Hubbard, one of the most respected composers of the C64 scene, whose energetic score for Sanxion is still, to this day, among the most cited musical works on the whole platform and has been remixed many times over.

Sanxion is still remembered above all for its combination of a strong technical impression, fast-paced action and unforgettable music, thanks to which it was, at the time of its release, among the titles demonstrating just what could be achieved on the C64 both visually and sonically. The game helped establish Thalamus's reputation as a publisher of technically ambitious games, and its soundtrack influenced how important a role a game's music could play, even in titles focused purely on action. Sanxion remains a well-regarded representative of the genre even today, worth trying just for the phenomenal audiovisual impression of the game's opening alone.

Why play it: Anyone wanting to experience the phenomenal audiovisual impression the C64 could deliver in the mid-1980s should try Sanxion just for its unforgettable music and technical achievement.