Bosconian

Bosconian
Japanese arcade flyer
DeveloperNamco
Publishers
DesignersSeiichi Sato
Shigeru Yokoyama
ProgrammerKazuo Kurosu
ComposerNobuyuki Ohnogi
SeriesBosconian
PlatformsArcade, Sord M5, MSX, X68000, Sharp X1, mobile phone
ReleaseArcade
  • JP: November 20, 1981
  • NA: February 1982
X68000
  • JP: December 1988
Arcade Archives BOSCONIAN
GenreMultidirectional shooter
ModesSingle-player, multiplayer
Arcade systemNamco Galaga

Bosconian is a 1981 multidirectional shooter video game developed and published by Namco for Japanese and European arcades; it was distributed by Midway Manufacturing in North America. The goal is to earn as many points as possible by destroying enemy missiles and bases using a ship which shoots simultaneously both the front and back.

Bosconian was commercially successful in Japan and received positive critical reception, but did not achieve the global commercial success of other shoot 'em ups from the golden age of arcade video games. It was ported to home computers as Bosconian '87 (1987) and spawned two sequels: Blast Off (1989) and Final Blaster (1990). Since its release, Bosconian has been regarded by critics as influential in the shoot 'em up genre.