Stargunner is a horizontally scrolling shooter for the Atari 2600, where the objective is to stop the invasion of the Sphyzygi and score as many points as possible. Players do this by avoiding bombs and shooting down alien saucers and creatures, such as space buzzies and squeezers. However, players must avoid colliding with them or letting them rematerialize at their location, or they will lose a ship.
To play the game, use the Joystick Controllers. In a one-person game, use the controller plugged into the LEFT CONTROLLER jack. Hold the controller so the red button is to your upper left. Set the difficulty switch to “B” for a more accessible game, allowing the ship to fly and shoot both left and right. For a more challenging game, set the switch to “A,” restricting the ship to point and shoot only to the right (though it can still fly left and right).
There are a total of eight Stargunner games, with the game number displayed in the lower middle of the screen. Press the game select button or push the Joystick forward to choose the game you wish to play. Press the game reset or push the red button on the Joystick to begin the game. To start a new game, simply push the red Joystick button.
During gameplay, your mission is to destroy as many aliens as possible without losing your ships. To destroy an alien, you must score a direct hit, as hitting the top is ineffective. Note that you cannot shoot Bobo or his bombs.