Argus (video game)

Argus^[a] is a 1986 vertically scrolling shooter video game developed by NMK and published by Jaleco for arcades. A port to the Famicom was released the same year. An emulated version of the original arcade game is included as part of their Arcade Archives series by Hamster Corporation for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 on August 30, 2018, as the game's first release outside Japan.

Argus
Arcade flyer
Developer(s)	NMK
Publisher(s)	Jaleco
Composer(s)	Shinichi Sakamoto
Platform(s)	Arcade, Famicom
Release	Arcade JP: January 1986 Famicom JP: April 17, 1986
Genre(s)	Scrolling shooter
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer

Gameplay

In Argus, up to two players take control of a fighter jet Wol-Arg, whose goal is to shoot airborne enemies and on ground-based enemies, collect power-ups scattered throughout the levels, and defeat every boss to advance to the next level. The controls consist of two buttons; one to shoot missiles and the other to shoot a laser at enemies and power-ups on the ground.

Reception

In Japan, Game Machine listed Argus on their March 1, 1986 issue as being the thirteenth most-successful table arcade unit of the month.^[1]

Legacy

Argus is one of the video games that was adapted into a manga titled Susume!! Seigaku Dennou Kenkyuubu (進め！！静学電脳研究部, Shiawase no katachi), published in the Gamest Comics collection in April 1999, illustrated by Kouta Hirano.

Argus was ported to the Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo eShop on August 30, 2018 by Hamster Corporation as part of their Arcade Archives series.^[2] The game was also released for the PlayStation 4 only in North America as part of the same series on May 16, 2019.

Notes

1. Japanese: アーガス, Hepburn: Āgasu