Xenon

Xenon is a vertical scrolling shooter created by The Bitmap Brothers in 1988 for the Atari ST. The same year, it was ported to the Amiga, ZX Spectrum, and MSX.

The game is one of the most iconic shoot ’em-ups of the 16-bit computer era. It was developed by The Bitmap Brothers, a British team consisting of Mike Montgomery, Eric Matthews, and Steve Kelly. It was their debut title and immediately showcased the distinctive style they would become known for: polished gameplay combined with a strong visual and audio identity.

Xenon is set in a sci-fi universe filled with robotic enemies and alien environments. Its innovative transformation mechanic made it stand out from other shoot’em ups of its time. The player could switch between a ground-based tank and a flying aircraft. This added a unique layer of tactical decision-making, as certain enemies and level designs were better suited to one form. The background in fact is in pseudo-3d, so it's necessary to switch to the aircraft to destroy enemies placed in higher positions.

Technically, Xenon was particularly impressive on the Atari ST, with smooth scrolling, clean visuals, and responsive controls. However, the Amiga version was generally regarded as superior thanks to its enhanced graphics and stereo sound. The soundtrack, composed by David Whittaker, was especially praised on the Amiga, where the fuller sound capabilities allowed for a more immersive experience.

Despite its high difficulty, the game received positive feedback from players and critics alike. Many appreciated its balanced challenge, well-designed enemy patterns, and overall polish. The game had a minimalistic yet elegant style emphasizing sharp design over flashy effects.

Xenon was followed in 1989 by Xenon 2: Megablast, which achieved even more tremendous popularity, partly thanks to its collaboration with Bomb the Bass on the soundtrack. However, the original Xenon remains a landmark in the shooter genre, and it opened a golden age for Atari ST and Amiga games.