IO

IO is a horizontally scrolling shoot 'em up released in 1988 for the Commodore 64 and Commodore C64/128/MAX. As the region's top pilot, players must repel an alien invasion and ultimately destroy the enemy mothership.

Combat includes alien foes, gun turrets, missiles, and end-of-level bosses. Narrow, R-Type-style passages add further hazards during the later stages.

Smart bombs appear at random intervals and offer a tactical choice: flying over one destroys everything on screen, while shooting it transforms it into a power-up token or protective orb. All collected weapons are lost when the player's ship is defeated.

• Developer: Kinetic Designs
• Publisher: Firebird
• Genres: Action, Arcade, Shooter