Cosmic Avenger is a 1981

1981 in video gaming

-Events:* November -** The British video game magazine Computer and Video Games starts.** Game & Watch - released in Sweden.* Arnie Katz and Bill Kunkel found Electronic Games, the first magazine on video games and generally recognized as the beginning of video game journalism.-Notable releases:*...

 arcade game

Arcade game

An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...

 developed and published by Universal

Aruze

, is a Japanese manufacturer of pachinko, slot machines, arcade games and other gaming products, and a publisher of video games. Aruze possesses licenses to both manufacture and distribute casino machines in the American states of Nevada, Mississippi and New Jersey. The company's corporate...

. This game is the first continuous X-axis (Left to Right) scrolling video game.
Wes Hupp holds the official record for this game with 117,290 points on November 17, 1982. Although Defender came out before Cosmic Avenger and was a continuous scroller, Defender went in 'circles.'

Reception

Mark Bussler from Classic Game Room notes that Cosmic Avenger is the first continuous horizontal side-scrolling space shooter. Cosmic Avenger looks quite well and provides a rewarding challenge to the player.