Beamrider is a fixed shooter game originally made for the Intellivision console. It didn't take long for the game to be ported to other platforms, albeit with a few less gameplay features. The game puts you above the atmosphere of the Earth, which has a large alien shield surrounding it. Your goal is to shoot down the alien ships using a mixture of lasers and torpedoes. Play progresses from level to level, with each level requiring you to shoot down 15 ships as well as a boss ship. Powerups can also be collected as you play.