A top-down shoot'em up with 360-degree character rotation. Original and well-executed concept for NES. Genre fans will appreciate this rare directional freedom.
Your verdict
Category
Shooter1 player7+
Description
Vertical shoot-'em-up featuring a combat ship in hostile space and ground environments. Published by Taito, released in the USA in 1990. Top-down vertical shooting, missile and laser power-ups and varied enemies and bosses. NES port of Taito's Burai Fighter.
Vertical shooter by KID, released in the US under the small Taxan label whose limited NES catalog makes set completion harder than the print suggests. Burai Fighter carries a real reputation among 8-bit shmup enthusiasts for its difficulty and soundtrack. A moderate NTSC run and the relative scarcity of complete Taxan boxes sustain steady demand rather than a speculative spike.
Is Burai Fighter still worth playing in 2026?
A shooter from Taxan, Burai Fighter sends a combat ship to face swarms of enemies in space and ground environments, with the specificity of firing in eight directions and pivoting to handle threats coming from everywhere. The directional firing system, the power-ups and the steady pace give a real snap to a demanding arcade action. The difficulty stays tough. For a retro shmup fan, someone curious about Taxan productions or a collector, the title keeps a clever effectiveness and a substantial shooting pleasure.
