Genre: Shoot ’em up
Developer: Epyx
Publisher: Atari Corporation
Year: 1989
System: Atari Lynx
Gates of Zendocon is a side-scrolling shoot ’em up designed specifically for the Atari Lynx. The player pilots a spaceship through a series of interconnected alien worlds, fighting off waves of hostile creatures, turrets, and other hazards.
The game spans 51 levels, each with different layouts and unique enemies. At the end of most levels, the player chooses between multiple warp gates, leading to different worlds and allowing for varied progression routes. The ship can collect upgrades and occasionally receive assistance from alien allies.
As one of the Lynx’s launch titles, Gates of Zendocon demonstrates the system’s graphical capabilities with parallax scrolling and smooth animation. It offers a non-linear campaign uncommon for its time, contributing to its replayability.
