Space Firebird
| Industry | Video game development |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Japan |
| Products | Video games including Space Firebird |
Space Firebird (スペースファイアーバード) is an arcade title launched in 1980, created by Nintendo R&D1 and published by Nintendo across Japan and Europe. In the North American market, distribution was handled by Far East Video, while Sega-Gremlin issued a separate variant.
Gameplay
In this game, players control a spacecraft navigating through outer space, facing off against spherical entities that morph into aggressive beings known as Firebirds. There are three distinct Firebird classes—Gulls, Eagles, and the Mighty Emperor—each requiring a specific number of hits for elimination: Gulls are destroyed with one shot, Eagles need two, and the Emperor demands four hits. The Eagles deploy bombs that detonate into hazardous fragments; to avoid harm, players must intercept these bombs from below before they explode.
The ship is armed with missiles and features a warp function usable once per level, granting temporary invulnerability and a defensive barrier. This ability allows players to either evade danger or launch attacks against clusters of Firebirds. Clearing all Firebirds in a wave awards 1000 points along with a "Perfect!" notification.
Legacy
One year following its release, Fortrek developed a remake named . This iteration presents a larger spacecraft tasked with combating the Space Demon and its minions by eliminating all adversaries, including the Demon itself. Similar to Space Firebird, players can move laterally and utilize the Warp Shield once per mission to ram enemies for destruction.