Xenon

Xenon is a vertical scrolling shooter where you pilot a transforming craft through hostile space. You're Darrian, responding to a distress call from a nebula station under attack by the Xenites. The core mechanic: your ship switches between a fast airborne plane and a heavily-armed ground tank, letting you adapt to different enemy types and terrain. You can move in all directions, not just up-down, which opens up dodging options most 1988 shooters didn't allow. Defeated enemies drop power-ups that boost your firepower. Survival depends on knowing when to fly, when to roll as a tank, and how quickly you react when patterns shift. Fans of old-school arcade shooters with a transforming vehicle gimmick will find the setup straightforward.