A Kemco horizontal shooter with polished tech, demanding and fast. Obscure but inspired, for SFC shmup fans.
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Category
Shooter1 player7+
Description
Horizontal science-fiction shoot-'em-up with an ultra-fast spacecraft in space corridors. Published by Kemco, released in Europe in 1992. Phalanx spacecraft navigating enemy-dense space tunnels, power-ups to collect and heavy metal rock soundtrack. European version of Zoom's Phalanx horizontal shooter.
European PAL pressing of Zoom's horizontal shooter published by Kemco, a version less widespread than the American one owing to a restricted PAL distribution. The European cartridge is recognised by its territory-standard box, the game staying famous above all for the offbeat American cover featuring a banjo-playing old man. Desirability rests on the relative scarcity of the PAL run of a shooter become a curiosity through its Western marketing.
Is Phalanx still worth playing in 2026?
Phalanx is a Zoom horizontal shooter with polished technical character, long famous for the bizarre American box art featuring an old man with a banjo. Beyond the anecdote, the game delivers fast scrolling, good readability and an energetic soundtrack, all demanding on reflexes. Its frank difficulty and a sometimes uneven level design reserve it for enthusiasts. For fans of obscure Super Famicom shmups, it is an inspired cartridge that genuinely rewards the time spent.
