Play World Wars Online

World Wars is a 2009 arcade shooter released on Xbox Live Arcade by an independent developer whose name escapes me now. It came out during a period when digital storefronts were filling up with smaller, retro-inspired games, and this one definitely leaned into that classic shoot 'em up feel without trying to reinvent the wheel.

You pilot a small fighter plane through side-scrolling and top-down stages, shooting down enemy aircraft, tanks, and occasionally UFOs while dodging relentless bullet patterns. The main goal is simply to survive as long as possible, clearing each screen of enemies before moving forward; the screen scrolls automatically, so hesitation means getting crushed or shot. Key mechanics include collecting power-ups to enhance your weapons and facing large boss enemies that fill the screen with projectiles, demanding precise movement and pattern recognition. The pacing is fast and the difficulty is steep, especially in later stages where enemy density becomes overwhelming. It feels tense and demanding, rewarding memorization and quick reflexes over luck.