Jetpac Game

Jetpac was Ultimate Play the Game's first release in 1983, and it set the template the studio — later known as Rare — would build on for years. You play Jetman, stranded on an alien planet with a jetpack and a laser, and the whole game is one tense loop: assemble a rocket, fuel it, and launch before the local wildlife overwhelms you.

Every planet works the same way but turns up the pressure. Rocket sections drift onto the screen and need collecting and stacking in the right order, then fuel pods have to be flown out to the assembled ship one at a time while aliens spawn faster the longer you take. Clear a launch and you move to the next planet, which throws a new layout and new enemies at you. Rounds are short and can end in a launch or a quick death just as easily.

Tips

• Get the rocket built before you go hunting for gems and treasures — they're worth points, but not at the cost of a stalled build while aliens pile up.
• Keep moving. Standing still to line up a shot is usually what gets Jetman cornered.
• A finished rocket frame with no fuel still won't launch — budget time for fuel runs, not just collecting parts.

Jetpac later spawned two sequels, Lunar Jetman and Solar Jetman, and was remade as Jetpac Refuelled for Xbox Live Arcade in 2007. This version plays right in the browser with nothing to install.