Galaxian

Galaxian is a famous arcade game from 1979 that was released on many systems, including the NES (Dendy). It is the direct predecessor of the legendary Galaga and one of the first shooters where enemies do not just sit still but actively attack the player.

You are a brave pilot standing alone against hordes of alien invaders. The enemies line up in several rows at the top of the screen, and your task is to destroy every last one before they break through to your ship.

What makes the game special is the way the aliens behave. They swoop down in waves and single dives, often in groups led by a flagship, firing as they come. The further you get, the faster and more aggressive the attacks become, so the game is more about quick reactions than anything else.

Galaxian became a classic of the genre, and new versions and references to it still appear today.