Phalanx

Synopsis

by Brett Alan Weiss

Despite the unfortunate box photo depicting an old man playing a banjo, Phalanx is an intense, nicely balanced side-scroller that belongs in the library of anyone who enjoys such games as Super R-Type, Axelay, and Gradius III. Players pilot a ship capable of firing lasers, reflective shots, and other weapons, each of which is upgradeable. Players can add a variety of missiles to the arsenal, and there are power capsules that will provide the ship with increased weapon power and extra hit points. The controls are responsive, the bosses look great, the multi-level parallax scrolling is super smooth, and the eight levels of enemy-filled action are smartly designed. Best of all, gameplay is challenging, but fair, making this one of the better in the phalanx of shooters available for the Super NES.

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