History VideoGame / Zaxxon

''Zaxxon'' received multiple ports to home computers and consoles, though the diagonal-scrolling IsometricProjection was not retained in the UsefulNotes/Atari2600 and {{UsefulNotes/Intellivision}} versions. A MissionPackSequel, ''Super Zaxxon'', was released for arcades; it replaced the robot boss with a trio of fire-breathing dragons (as well as replacing the space sequence with an underground tunnel, and generally making everything faster). Sega went on to produce two similar isometric arcade games: ''VideoGame/CongoBongo'' and ''Future Spy''.

* ''Zaxxon 3-D'' (1987) for the UsefulNotes/SegaMasterSystem exchanged the isometric view for an into-the-screen view, the better to take advantage of the 3-D glasses packaged with the game.
* ''Zaxxon's Motherbase 2000'' (1995) for the [[UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis Sega 32X]] went back to the isometric view, but ships were now rendered in bleeding-edge polygonal graphics.

* ArtifactTitle: For the {{UsefulNotes/Atari 2600}} and {{UsefulNotes/Intellivision}} versions, where the view is instead centered directly behind the player's ship rather than axonometric.
* BattleshipRaid: This game, from UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfVideoGames, is an early example of this trope and consists entirely of attacking surface installations on a giant enemy vessel.

* EveryTenThousandPoints: You get a bonus fighter at 10,000 points.

* OneWordTitle

* CameraScrew: Due to IsometricProjection perspective, it's often frustrating to judge the height of your plane in relation to the terrain. There's an indicator on the side of the screen, but it's still difficult.

* DolledUpInstallment: ''Zaxxon's Motherbase 2000'' is, outside of haveing isometric perspective, actually not related to ''Zaxxon'' at all. The game got ''Zaxxon'' moniker only in the North America; it was originally titled ''Parasquad'' in Japan.
* DoubleX: Za'''xx'''on

* IsometricProjection: This is one of the earlier games to use it. There is also an altimeter on the left to help gague the height of the fighter - each section of the altimeter should correspond with the in-game projection to four altitude levels. Some ports decided to add extra markers to the altimeter, which would be slightly confusing.

* BottomlessFuelTanks: An exception similar to ''VideoGame/Scramble'', where you fly through an enemy fortress with a diminishing fuel supply and refuel by shooting fuel tanks.

* BottomlessFuelTanks: You fly through an enemy fortress with a diminishing fuel supply. You can refill by shooting fuel tanks.

* DeadlyWalls: Big walls have small gaps to fly through.

* AntagonistTitle: The title is named after the final boss, the robot Zaxxon

A 1982 ShootEmUp created by Creator/{{Sega}}, ''Zaxxon'' was the first UsefulNotes/ArcadeGame to simulate a 3-dimensional view by using IsometricProjection, a form of '''axon'''ometric projection (hence the name of the game). The game scrolls diagonally through enemy fortresses and outer space as the player's ship dodges the shots of enemy fighters and force field barriers, finally encountering the evil armored robot Zaxxon. Handicaps include the ship's constantly dwindling fuel supply (replenished, as in ''VideoGame/{{Scramble}}'', by shooting fuel tanks), and a homing missile that will target the ship if it flies too high. The ship's altitude is indicated on a gauge and by shadows cast on the surface.

''Zaxxon'' received multiple ports to home computers and consoles, though the diagonal-scrolling IsometricProjection was not retained in the UsefulNotes/{{Atari2600}} and UsefulNotes/{{Intellivision}} versions. A MissionPackSequel, ''Super Zaxxon'', was released for arcades; it replaced the robot boss with a trio of fire-breathing dragons (as well as replacing the space sequence with an underground tunnel, and generally making everything faster). Sega went on to produce two similar isometric arcade games: ''VideoGame/CongoBongo'' and ''Future Spy''.

* SpaceIsNoisy: Would you believe "space wind"?
* WordPureeTitle: The title ''Zaxxon'' came from the word "axonometric projection", and is also the name of the FinalBoss.

''Zaxxon'' received multiple ports to home computers and consoles, though the diagonal-scrolling IsometricProjection was not retained in the UsefulNotes/{{Atari2600}} and UsefulNotes/{{Intellivision}} versions. A MissionPackSequel, ''Super Zaxxon'', was released for arcades; it replaced the robot boss with a trio of fire-breathing dragons (as well as replacing the space sequence with an underground tunnel, and generally making everything faster). Sega went on to produce two similar isometric arcade games: ''Congo Bongo'' and ''Future Spy''.

* DolledUpInstallment: ''Zaxxon's Motherbase 2000'' was originally titled ''Parasquad'' in Japan.

* WordPureeTitle: What the heck is a Zaxxon, anyway?

''Zaxxon'' received multiple ports to home computers and consoles, though the diagonal-scrolling IsometricProjection was not retained in the UsefulNotes/{{Atari2600}} and UsefulNotes/{{Intellivision}} versions. A MissionPackSequel, ''Super Zaxxon'', was released for arcades; it replaced the robot boss with a fire-breathing dragon (as well as replacing the space sequence with an underground tunnel, and generally making everything faster). Sega went on to produce two similar isometric arcade games: ''Congo Bongo'' and ''Future Spy''.

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''Zaxxon'' received multiple ports to home computers and consoles, though the diagonal-scrolling IsometricProjection was not retained in the UsefulNotes/{{Atari2600}} and UsefulNotes/{{Intellivision}} versions. A MissionPackSequel, ''Super Zaxxon'', was released for arcades; it replaced the robot boss with a fire-breathing dragon. Sega went on to produce two similar isometric arcade games: ''Congo Bongo'' and ''Future Spy''.

A 1982 ShootEmUp created by Creator/{{Sega}}, ''Zaxxon'' was the first ArcadeGame to simulate a 3-dimensional view by using IsometricProjection, a form of '''axon'''ometric projection (hence the name of the game). The game scrolls diagonally through enemy fortresses and outer space as the player's ship dodges the shots of enemy fighters and force field barriers, finally encountering the evil armored robot Zaxxon. Handicaps include the ship's constantly dwindling fuel supply (replenished, as in ''VideoGame/{{Scramble}}'', by shooting fuel tanks), and a homing missile that will target the ship if it flies too high. The ship's altitude is indicated on a gauge and by shadows cast on the surface.

* ''Zaxxon 3-D'' (1987) for the SegaMasterSystem exchanged the isometric view for an into-the-screen view, the better to take advantage of the 3-D glasses packaged with the game.

* ''Zaxxon 3-D'' (1987) for the UsefulNotes/SegaMasterSystem exchanged the isometric view for an into-the-screen view, the better to take advantage of the 3-D glasses packaged with the game.

* ''Zaxxon 3-D'' (1987) for the SegaMasterSystem exchanged the isometric view for an into-the-screen view, the better to take advantage of the 3-D glasses packaged with the game.
* ''Zaxxon's Motherbase 2000'' (1995) for the Sega32X went back to the isometric view, but ships were now rendered in bleeding-edge polygonal graphics.

''Zaxxon'' received multiple ports to home computers and consoles, though the diagonal-scrolling IsometricProjection was not retained in the {{Atari 2600}} and {{Intellivision}} versions. A MissionPackSequel, ''Super Zaxxon'', was released for arcades; it replaced the robot boss with a fire-breathing dragon. Sega went on to produce two similar isometric arcade games: ''Congo Bongo'' and ''Future Spy''.

* ''Zaxxon's Motherbase 2000'' (1995) for the 32X went back to the isometric view, but ships were now rendered in bleeding-edge polygonal graphics.

''Zaxxon'' received multiple ports to home computers and consoles, though the diagonal-scrolling IsometricProjection was not retained in the {{Atari 2600}} and {{Intellivision}} versions. A MissionPackSequel, ''Super Zaxxon'', was released for arcades; it replaced the robot with a fire-breathing dragon. Sega went on to produce two similar isometric arcade games: ''Congo Bongo'' and ''Future Spy''.

* DeadlyWalls

''Zaxxon'' received multiple ports to home computers and consoles, though the diagonal-scrolling IsometricProjection was not retained in the {{Atari 2600}} and {{Intellivision}} versions. A MissionPackSequel, ''Super Zaxxon'', was released for arcades. Sega went on to produce two similar isometric arcade games: ''Congo Bongo'' and ''Future Spy''.

''Zaxxon'' is a 1982 isometric shooter arcade game developed and released by Sega. Some sources claim that Japanese electronics company Ikegami Tsushinki also worked on the development of ''Zaxxon''. The game gives the player the experience of flying a fighter craft through a fortress while shooting at enemy entities (missiles, enemy gunfire, etc.) The object of the game is to hit as many targets as possible without being shot down or running out of fuel—which can be replenished, paradoxically, by blowing up fuel drums.

At the time of its release, ''Zaxxon'' was unique as it was the first game to employ axonometric projection, which lent its name to the game (''AXXON'' from ''AXON''ometric projection). The type of axonometric projection is isometric projection: this effect simulated three dimensions from a third-person viewpoint. It was also one of the first video games to display shadows, to indicate the ship's altitude above the surface; the game also employed an altitude meter, allowing the player to control how high or low the ship is above the surface. It was also the first arcade game to be advertised on television, with a commercial produced by Paramount Pictures for $150,000.

The world record on ''Zaxxon'' is 4,680,740 points scored by Vernon Kalanikaus of Lā'ie, Hawai'i, on March 15, 1982, according to the Twin Galaxies Intergalactic Scoreboard. A bootleg of the game was released in the arcades in 1982 called ''Jackson''.

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