Crossbow

Crossbow is a light gun shooter that casts you as the unseen protector of a band of adventurers on a perilous quest. The story begins when an evil wizard steals all the treasure of the land and declares himself ruler, and your group sets out across dangerous landscapes to defeat him. The gameplay is unique: your friends enter from the left of each screen and attempt to walk to the right, while you must shoot any threats that endanger them. Enemies include ghosts, dragons, alligators, archers, and pterodactyls. You can also shoot certain objects to help your friends cross obstacles. Shooting an adventurer causes a warning, and a second shot kills them permanently. Between scenarios, you select destinations on a map screen. The final confrontation requires shooting the Master of Darkness in his eyes only when they turn red.

Atari 2600

Released by Atari Corporation in 1987, this port of the Exidy arcade classic adapts the light gun gameplay for the standard joystick. The cartridge includes eight difficulty levels: levels 1-2 have a visible crosshair with friends protected, 3-4 visible with no protection, 5-6 invisible crosshair with protection, and 7-8 invisible with no protection. The left difficulty switch adjusts crossbow speed. Extra friends are awarded every 10,000 points. The cursor can feel stiff to control. While graphically simplified from the arcade original, this version offers a solid challenge and remains one of the few light gun-style shooters available for the Atari 2600, faithfully capturing the unique protect-the-adventurers gameplay.