Juno First – A Hidden Arcade Gem from 1983
Juno First, Konami’s 1983 arcade release, distinguished itself with its innovative perspective and frantic pace, though it remained a cult classic compared to the giants of its era.
Release year: 1983, developed by Konami and distributed in North America by Mylstar Electronics.
Platforms: Arcade, later ported to MSX, Commodore 64, Atari 8-bit, and IBM PC.
Genre: Fixed shooter with vertical scrolling and a tilted perspective, reminiscent of Nintendo’s Radar Scope. At a time dominated by Galaga, Defender, and Space Invaders, Juno First sought to deliver a more dynamic and three-dimensional experience.
Gameplay and Mechanics
Free movement: The ship isn’t locked to a grid; it can move forward, backward, and sideways.
Dynamic enemies: They don’t appear in static formations but attack in mobile swarms, raising tension.
Warp and “mystery”: Players can use a warp system to escape critical situations and earn bonus points.
Escalating difficulty: Aliens evolve into more dangerous forms if not eliminated quickly. These design choices foreshadowed mechanics Konami would revisit years later in titles like Axelay.
Critical Reception
At the time: Praised for vibrant graphics and speed, but overshadowed by bigger hits.
Retro reviews: Today it’s seen as a “hidden gem” of retrogaming, admired for originality and its sense of depth.
Limitations: Despite its innovation, it never became a cultural phenomenon, remaining a cult favorite among enthusiasts.
Juno First exemplifies Konami’s willingness to experiment beyond the boundaries of the shooter genre in the early ’80s. A fast, elegant, and surprisingly modern arcade game, it deserves rediscovery as a key piece of video game history—even if it never reached the fame of Pac-Man or Defender.
