1980s
Moon Patrol
1982 · Shooter · Arcade
Overview
Moon Patrol is a classic 1980s shooter game developed by Irem for Arcade.
Deep Dive
Moon Patrol is a classic 1980s shooter game developed by Irem for Arcade.
Developer Story
Moon Patrol was developed by Irem in 1982. It introduced two simultaneous scrolling axes — horizontal ground movement and a parallax background — making it one of the first games to use parallax scrolling to create depth. Players drove a lunar rover and could fire both forward and upward simultaneously. It was also one of the first games to display level progress with a map showing the player's position.
Did You Know?
- Moon Patrol introduced parallax scrolling to arcade games — multiple background layers moved at different speeds to simulate depth, a technique used in virtually every side-scroller since.
- Players could fire both forward (at ground obstacles) and upward (at aircraft) simultaneously — requiring two-directional threat management.
- A progress map at the bottom of the screen showed players exactly where they were in the level — an early HUD navigation element.
- The game's checkpoint system divided levels into named sections, giving players a sense of structured progression unusual for 1982.
