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Zaxxon

Serial 219554
Sega/Gremlin, 1982

When Zaxxon appeared in the arcade in 1982, its graphics immediately caught your eye. With a unique, scrolling three-quarter view, the game was both enjoyable and frustrating for new players. You can navigate your ship over walls, around missiles, and through space, eventually reaching the game's giant robotic namesake.

Sega supplied the game, and Gremlin supplied the cabinet. The cabinets are heavy, and some would say ugly. Over time I have grown to appreciate these strange cabinets, which I also used for my Altered Beast.

My Zaxxon was in a dry basement locally, and apparently had been there for quite a while. The man I bought it from said that it came with the house when he moved in. The game was in very good condition, but missing the correct flight stick. As I later learned, Zaxxon flight sticks are one of the rarest substances on Earth. After an exhaustive two-year search, I was able to pick one up from a fellow KLOVer and complete the control panel restoration. I also added the high-score save kit from Braze.