Exerion (Japan) (En)

In Exerion, players pilot a spacecraft positioned at the bottom of the screen, engaging in intense space-based shooting battles. The gameplay of Exerion falls under the fixed-shooter genre, but its distinctive feature is the use of parallax scrolling to create a pseudo-3D effect, giving players the sensation of flying through a vast space, even though the core gameplay remains traditional 2D.

The primary objective is to shoot down waves of enemies that appear from the top and sides of the screen. Enemies move in complex patterns and frequently change their formations. Players have two main types of weapons at their disposal:

• Standard Shot: This is the basic projectile that can be fired continuously.
• Fossils Shot: This is a special, limited-use projectile, often utilized to break through tougher enemy formations or specific enemy types. Managing this ammunition is crucial for achieving high scores.

Upon destroying enemies, they sometimes drop power-ups or bonus items. Players must skillfully dodge enemy projectiles and avoid collisions. The game does not feature distinct levels in the traditional sense but focuses on surviving continuous waves of attacks, with the difficulty gradually increasing over time. The game's graphics, particularly the background scrolling effect, were considered quite advanced for its time, providing a unique visual experience for players.