Navarone

Namco’s Navarone, released in Japan in early 1980, places players in control of a battleship navigating around an island's perimeter. The objective is to destroy obstacles, mines, and a central skull enemy with focused fire to accumulate points. Players must carefully maneuver their vessel while simultaneously avoiding gunfire from stationary, impenetrable turrets that line the island’s edge; contact results in a loss of life. Gameplay involves strategic movement along the island's boundaries using a two-way joystick to dodge incoming projectiles and position for optimal targeting. Successfully clearing an island adds any remaining time to the player's score before advancing to the next round. Navarone is a monochromatic shooter featuring cooperative gameplay, allowing two players to compete simultaneously as they attempt to outscore one another. The game’s title draws inspiration from Alistair MacLean’s 1957 novel and subsequent film “The Guns of Navarone,” which are set on a fictional Greek island. Navarone was the first in a series of three monochromatic arcade games developed by Namco during that year, showcasing early advancements in their game development process.