Challenger

Challenger is a frantic two-player shooter from Centuri released in 1981 that tasks players with navigating increasingly difficult sectors filled with energy rings and bizarre alien creatures. The gameplay revolves around destroying progressively smaller energy rings—large, medium, then small—to advance through the sixteen distinct sectors of play. Players pilot a spaceship across the screen, dodging incoming rings while using three-directional firing to eliminate them and earn points. Adding to the challenge are "Space Bogeys"—colorful, worm-like enemies that pursue the player's ship, rewarding 500 points when defeated with a satisfying “clang.” Bonus opportunities arise as Bonus Bugs traverse the screen, offering point multipliers if successfully linked with the spaceship. A “Warp” button allows for quick repositioning across the playfield, and a single Super Bomb can clear the entire screen of obstacles at once, adding its value to the player's score. Sectors 4, 8, 12, and 16 introduce black holes that pull shattered rings into swirling vortexes, demanding even more precise maneuvering. Successfully completing all sixteen sectors returns players to sector nine, continuing the challenge indefinitely until all ships are lost—ending the game.