Turrican / Turrican II

You launch the game, the music kicks in — and suddenly it's clear this won't be an ordinary shooter. Turrican and especially Turrican II rank among the loudest, most sprawling, and best-sounding things that ever came out on the Commodore 64. It's a run & gun that behaves like a small world.

Instead of narrow corridors you get giant, explorable levels full of hiding spots, bonuses, and secret nooks. Your character is a walking arsenal: switchable secondary weapons, a mighty laser whip controllable in all directions, and the ability to transform into a destructive ball. This combination of free exploration and hard action made Turrican more of an adventure than mere blasting from left to right — and on an 8-bit that was unusually generous.

Behind the game stand designer Manfred Trenz and studio Factor 5 in collaboration with publisher Rainbow Arts. Turrican was released in 1990, the second installment a year later and is widely regarded as the peak of the series. The music was composed by Chris Hülsbeck and his soundtrack — especially for the sequel — ranks among the most famous game music ever; it is still played at concerts to this day and for many is synonymous with the sound of the SID chip.

Culturally, Turrican showed that European, specifically German, development could compete with the Japanese and British elite in the action game genre. The series didn't stop at the Commodore 64 — it continued on the Amiga and on consoles and built a devoted audience that remembers it to this day. The combination of sprawling design, excellent music, and a distinctive hero made it one of the icons of the 8-bit and 16-bit era.

Today Turrican holds up mainly thanks to its energy and atmosphere. It's demanding, at times almost merciless, but the sense of freedom in its giant levels and the power of the soundtrack keep it alive. For fans of action platformers it's a mandatory stop.

Why play: Sweeping, loud, and beautifully sounding action — one of the best run & gun titles of the 8-bit era and home to one of the most famous game soundtracks ever.