MagMax

MagMax^[a] is a 1985 horizontally scrolling shooter video game developed and published by Nichibutsu for arcades.^[4] It was ported to the Nintendo Entertainment System, released in Japan on March 19, 1986^[2] and by FCI in North America in October 1988. The game was also ported to the Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC by Ocean Software and released on their Imagine label in 1987.

Magmax
Arcade flyer
Developer(s)	Nichibutsu Ocean Software (C64)
Publisher(s)	Nichibutsu FCI Imagine Software
Platform(s)	Arcade, Nintendo Entertainment System, ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC
Release	Arcade JP: 1985 NA: May 1985[1] Famicom/NES JP: March 19, 1986[2] NA: October 1988[3] 1987: C64, Spectrum
Genre(s)	Scrolling shooter

The three-headed mechanical dragon found as a boss character in the game, known as Babylon, strongly resembles Mecha-King Ghidorah from the Godzilla franchise. Hamster Corporation acquired the rights to the game alongside Nichibutsu's intellectual property. They released the game as part of their Arcade Archives series for the PlayStation 4 in 2015 and Nintendo Switch in 2020.^[5][6]

Gameplay

Players control the titular spaceship in an attempt to completely construct the ship into a giant robot and to destroy any enemies attempting to stop it. The ship must avoid various obstacles while shooting enemies on a 3D field. After a successful transformation into the robot, the ship gains increased mobility, while the gameplay becomes that of a typical horizontal scrolling shooter.

Reception

Reception

Award

Publication	Award
Amstrad Action	Mastergame[7]

In Japan, Game Machine listed MagMax on their April 15, 1985 issue as being the second most-successful table arcade unit at the time.^[8]

Notes

1. Japanese: マグマックス, Hepburn: Magumakkusu