Underplayed Gems

Heiankyo Alien (1990)

Heiankyo Alien cover
Publisher
Meldac
Platforms
Game Boy
Rating
3.7 of 5, 4 player ratings
The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

Strategically dig holes to trap alien invaders in this twitchy, maze-flavored arcade puzzler set in feudal Japan.

arcade-stylestrategicmaze-basedquirkyfast-pacedretroaction

About

Heiankyo Alien takes place during the Heian Age when the city of Kyo is invaded by aliens. The aliens have been eating the people and devouring the city. As a Kebiishi, or knight, you decide to defend the city by burying the aliens alive. Your task is to run around areas set up like mazes and dig holes. The longer you hold down the button the larger the hole will be. Holes need to be placed strategically so as to trap the moving aliens and not to corner yourself. When an alien falls into a hole you must then refill the hole before they can escape. Defeat all 12 rounds to win the game. Play alone, against a friend, or team up with a friend to bury aliens alive in Heiankyo Alien.

More games like this

This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.