Desert Falcon

Desert Falcon has been my favorite 7800 game from the moment I first played it back in 1988, and it remains so to this day. If you're a fan of the arcade Zaxxon, games with an ancient Egyptian motif, or just good SHMUPS in general, then you owe it to yourself to check Desert Falcon out.

As far as the action goes, it is extremely difficult to judge your altitude with respect to obstacles and enemies, resulting in many unintentional collisions. As for the strategy, stopping to hop around on the ground and pick up the symbols really slows down the game. Accidentally walking into an obstacle causes your bird to keel over! In addition, some powers, such as speed, are more problematic than beneficial. The graphics are well-drawn but the colors are dull. Desert Falcon is a real dud.

There's no way to judge the altitude of oncoming objects and missiles, and everything looks like a blob. Desert Falcon is practically unplayable. The only decent aspect of this game is its exotic musical score.