We Love It's Guide to…
Pilot Azusa Takanashi through eight side-scrolling shooter stages, switching weapons and upgrading her fighter to repel aliens.
Released 31 Jul 2025
Swap Special Weapons
Carry Ship Upgrades
Use a Regenerating Shield
Earthion is a side-scrolling space shooter developed natively for 16-bit systems. Guide space fighter pilot Azusa Takanashi in her fight to repel the alien invaders and save planet Earth.
Developed by Ancient Corporation, Bitwave Games · Published by Limited Run Games, Inc.
You pilot space fighter Azusa Takanashi as she battles alien invaders threatening Earth. The campaign spans eight stages, each with its own environment, enemies, and boss encounters.
Fly horizontally through enemy formations and hazards, aiming your shots and switching between special weapons to handle different threats. Each stage mixes combat with changing scenery and obstacles.
Collect crystals to strengthen weapons, and bring an adaptation pod to the end of a stage to upgrade your ship. A regenerating shield lets you withstand damage, while difficulty settings and a Challenge mode offer different ways to play.
Players often praise Earthion’s pixel-art presentation and retro style, its soundtrack and sound design, and the satisfying feel of its shooting and weapon systems. Several also appreciate the shield and difficulty options, which can make the demanding action more approachable. Opinions are more divided on how readable the hazards are, how much pattern learning the stages require, and whether the weapons and later-stage design feel balanced; some players also find the music less memorable or too subdued in the mix.
Yuzo Koshiro’s Earthion is a side-scrolling space shooter developed natively for 16-bit systems by legendary Japanese developer Ancient Corporation.
Guide space fighter pilot Azusa Takanashi, through eight chaotic levels, each with their own unique environment, enemies, and boss fights, to repel the alien invaders and save planet Earth.
Legends of the 16-bit era return
Instrumental in the creation of some of the 16-bit era’s most defining games, Ancient Corporation and Yuzo Koshiro return to their roots after three decades to deliver a generation-defining experience and an unforgettable fight among the stars.
Classic Arcade Shooter Action
Strap in and deploy a devastating arsenal as you fight your way through eight chaotic levels, each with unique environments, enemies and boss fights. Beat the game on Hotshot difficulty, up the ante in Challenge mode and become a flying ace to claim your spot in the online leaderboard*.
Original Soundtrack by Yuzo Koshiro
With an original soundtrack from one of the most renowned composers of the 16-bit era, Earthion offers a truly immersive audio experience featuring 27 original tracks and incredible soundscape of effects to transport you back to a golden age of retro gaming
Developed natively for classic 16-bit hardware
Developed to run natively for 16-bit hardware, pushing the original system to its absolute limits while ported to modern platforms with meticulous care, Earthion offers great quality of life features, including highly customizable scanline configurations to give an authentic retro experience on modern displays*.
About Ancient Corp
Ancient Corporation is a Tokyo, Japan-based development studio founded by renowned game music composer Yuzo Koshiro. With over 35 years of experience in game development, Ancient has become a pioneer of 2D action experiences, having produced beloved classic hit titles such as Streets of Rage 2, Sonic the Hedgehog on Game Gear, and more. Earthion represents Ancient’s first 2D shooter game, and its first Mega Drive title since Beyond Oasis, which was released back in 1995.
*Feature not available for Mega Drive/Genesis editions of Earthion.
| Platforms | Windows |
|---|---|
| Achievements | 26 |
| Age ratings |
|
| Controller support | PlayStation, Xbox |
| Controller required | No |
| Metacritic | 85/100 View on Metacritic |
| Website | Official website |
