Christian Cawley is a writer and editor who covers consumer electronics, IT, and entertainment media. He has written for publications such as Computer Weekly, Linux Format, MakeUseOf.com, and Tech Radar.
He also produces podcasts, has a cigar box guitar, and of course, loves retro gaming.
Earthion is a new side-scrolling shmup for SEGA Mega Drive/Genesis and modern consoles, and might just be one of the best retro games of 2025.
YKGGG! Side-scrolling shooters are enjoying a renaissance under the retro gaming revival, and rightly so. But one title, completely new and developed for SEGA 16-bit consoles and modern hardware, is injecting some much-needed energy into the genre without falling into the trap of “bullet hell.”
That game is Earthion.
Developed by Ancient Corporation the studio of the remarkably creative Yuzo Koshiro, Earthion has eight stages of arcade shoot-em-up and pits you (as Azusa Takahashi) against alien aggressors as Earth’s last hope. Sounds nice, but is it good?
Tough, but playable
I know people who haven’t completed Turrican. That seems incredible to me, as I’ve always felt the game was an excellent example of a perfectly balanced title, between difficulty and playability. If a game is too hard, you don’t go back. Earthion has that same quality — it’s challenging, you might get further next time around… or you might not. It’s not punching you in the face for having the temerity to believe — it encourages you to try again.
Sometimes it comes off. You might end up with a level code, or you might wind up back at the start. Either way, when a game looks and sounds as good as this, you’re going to go back for the 16-bit graphical eye candy, you know?
Graphics, sounds, and the phwoar of the engine
From the moment the game loads, Earthion looks superb.
When the game starts, you’re launched from a ship, and your fighter, with vibes of Battlestar Galactica‘s Vipers, begins to engage the enemy. But while this is a left-right 2D scroller with a standard shoot/collect/power-up dynamic, things are given a new dimension with exploding craft shedding debris, and background elements being brought into the campaign.
The weapons are kind of standard shmup fare, if attractively presented, and although selecting the correct weapon can be tricky when some are so much prettier than others! Oh, there’s an interesting rechargeable shield, too, which means you can avoid losing a life just as long as you can avoid being hit until it is back at full strength.
If you can, play the game with earphones or at least a decent audio system connected to your console. Koshiro’s soundtrack to the game — an original score of 27 tracks — is one of the best shoot-em-up soundtracks ever.
Level bosses
Unfortunately, as I’ve found the game a bit of a challenge, I haven’t encountered more than two bosses. But I can tell you they look superb and require very different strategies for attack and destruction. That is a philosophy that I think is necessary throughout the game, even within individual attack waves. What worked for one enemy isn’t going to work for the next, whether a small attack ship or one of the larger mid-level bosses.
Every opponent in Earthion needs its own strategy. Multiple weapons help, and you can even line up a third if you have the room to “push” a power up along (because you’re limited to two weapons, repeatedly switching between one and the new power up moves it) and make the decision to use it in time.
Earthion: Smooth graphics, playable, and a responsive ship all make for a memorable and at times thrilling ride. It's rare that you won't have your finger on the trigger (remapping some controls may help with weapon switching) but this isn't a bullet hell title. It sits smartly into the pantheon of 16-bit shooters on the SEGA Mega Drive/Genesis, and would not look out of place on an arcade machine.(Game reviewed on Steam Deck.) – Christian Cawley
Earthion: Everything you want it to be
I’ve reviewed Earthion on the Steam Deck, where it plays perfectly. I expect the game runs in the same way across all platforms (it’s also out on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch, with a Genesis/Mega Drive version coming in 2026), but I can only tell you about my experience.
…and it’s absolutely superb!
This is the sort of traditional sideways scrolling space shooter that you might have found in the arcades back in the day. It has the ethos of the coin-op world, complete with continues (and for the console vibe, level codes), and voices to accompany power-ups and other events.
While this challenging game looks and sounds amazing, the most incredible thing about it is that it is going to be coming to SEGA’s 16-bit systems on a physical cart. I’m not usually minded to make physical purchases for new games on old platforms, but for Earthion, I just might…
PSA: Don’t pirate Earthion
After the game’s launch, it became apparent that Earthion was being pirated (it’s available on dodgy piracy site SteamUnlocked). I find the idea of game piracy in an age of instant delivery to be unforgivable, and give how good the game is, this is a title you should be buying. Given the digital version is under $20 (£14.99 in the UK) there is no reason to pay — it’s superb.
Physical editions of Earthion are still available from Limited Run Games. If you’re more interested in the SEGA Mega Drive/Genesis cartridge, keep an eye on earthiongame.com for news on that — it’s due out in 2026.
Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through those links. This comes at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!
Christian Cawley is a writer and editor who covers consumer electronics, IT, and entertainment media. He has written for publications such as Computer Weekly, Linux Format, MakeUseOf.com, and Tech Radar.
He also produces podcasts, has a cigar box guitar, and of course, loves retro gaming.
