K-Star Patrol

K-Star Patrol is a side-scrolling arcade shooter released in 1981 for Atari 8-bit and Commodore VIC-20.

Control a ship at the front of a patrol squadron. Move vertically, fire at attacking alien ships, accelerate by moving right, or activate a forward shield by moving left to protect the patrol. A 360-degree joystick motion detonates a screen-wide bomb, with one bomb awarded for each completed level.

Later stages add surface-mounted guns and an indestructible leech creature that can be repelled but not destroyed. If the leech reaches the ship, it drains all of its energy, making the bomb the only escape. Published by CBS Software.