Gates of Zendocon

1989 · Horizontal Shooter · Atari Lynx

Overview

Gates of Zendocon (1989) is Epyx's Atari Lynx launch shooter: 51 'universes' joined by teleport gates, in search of the evil spider Zendocon.

Deep Dive

The player flies an unnamed fighter through 51 levels, called universes, linked non-linearly by teleportation gates, on the way to the evil spider Zendocon. Aliens that Zendocon has enslaved can join the player's ship and help protect it. Damage shows on the ship itself: the laser tip and then the engine are shot away before a final hit destroys it.

Developer Story

Engelbrite designed and programmed the game, also doing some of its art. It was one of the Lynx's North American launch titles in 1989. A Jaguar version was considered in 1993 but never produced.

Did You Know?

A hidden level awards points for shooting the faces of the game's creators.
Designer Peter Engelbrite began work before working Lynx hardware existed, writing an emulator on an Apple II first.