Play Desert Assault Online

Desert Assault (or Thunder Zone, depending on where you played it) is one of those classic arcade shooters where you pick from four commandos—each with their own look and a unique bomb attack—and blast your way through waves of enemies. The isometric view gives it a slightly different feel from side-scrollers, and you’ll be dodging bullets while grabbing dropped weapons like shotguns, flamethrowers, or even hopping into vehicles when things get too intense.

What’s cool is how chaotic it gets with friends—there’s a four-player version where the screen turns into absolute mayhem. Also, if you played the Japanese release, you’d suddenly find yourself in an Arctic stage instead of the usual desert, which was a weird but fun surprise. The bosses are tough, the weapons feel satisfying, and yeah, you’ll probably burn through quarters faster than you’d like.