Desert Falcon, developed by General Computer Corporation for the Atari 7800 and Atari 2600, is a scrolling shooter published by Atari Corporation in 1987. In this arcade-style game, players aim to steal the lost treasures of the Pharaoh scattered throughout the desert to accumulate points. The game showcases a scrolling, isometric viewpoint as players control a falcon navigating various desert landscapes.
These treasures are protected by desert creatures such as vultures, warriors, flying fish, sphinxes, and more, all trying to thwart your efforts. At the end of each level, players must confront a massive, howling sphinx before progressing. The falcon is equipped with darts that can be used to eliminate enemies and the sphinx.
Occasionally, hieroglyphs can be found in the sand. By landing and hopping over three of these hieroglyphs, players can gain different superpowers. Depending on the combination of hieroglyphs collected, players may become invincible, teleport to the level’s end, earn bonus points, deceive enemies with a decoy, or obtain an air bomb that destroys all airborne adversaries.