Starhawk

A frantic space shooter released in 1979, Starhawk puts two players in control of crosshairs tasked with destroying approaching enemy spaceships. Utilizing a wireframe display, this early first-person shooter emphasizes precise timing as players maneuver their targeting reticle to intercept and eliminate the advancing craft. The game’s difficulty scales as enemies increase in speed; failure to destroy certain ships results in point deductions, adding pressure to maintain a high score. Developed by Cinematronics shortly after the release of Star Wars, Starhawk draws clear inspiration from that film’s aesthetics with visuals reminiscent of X-Wings and the Death Star. The cabinet itself was unique for its time, featuring unusual right-handed joysticks and dual marquees providing game instructions alongside the title logo. Gameplay is simple to grasp but challenging to master, offering a potentially endless experience as long as players remain vigilant in their defense against the relentless enemy advance. Scoring rewards destruction of various ship types, ranging from rockets worth 100 points to command ships valued at 800.