In Tyrian, you assume the role of Trent Hawkins, a skilled solo fighter-pilot in a galaxy facing constant threats.
As MicroSol, a malevolent corporation, seeks to take over the galaxy, Trent finds himself repeatedly pulled into battles to save the day. Betrayed by friends and allies, facing personal tragedies, and fighting against all odds, Trent’s ultimate goal is to overthrow MicroSol and restore peace to the galaxy.
Gameplay and Ship Customization
Tyrian is an arcade-style vertical scrolling shooter, paying homage to the works of Compile’s Zanac series. Players control a spaceship equipped with various front and rear weapons, as well as external pods.
The game offers a diverse array of enemies and bosses, challenging players with fixed and indestructible obstacles. Players must strategically manage shield and armor hit points, which regenerate over time, to prevent their starship from being destroyed.
The full story mode features a single-player campaign with ship customization.
Collecting message cubes between levels unveils the storyline, allowing players to make pivotal choices that impact the game’s course.
Ship upgrades include front and rear weapons, shields, generators, armor, and maneuverability, offering a multitude of ways to tailor your ship to your playstyle.
Arcade Mode and Hidden Challenges
Tyrian’s arcade mode offers a different experience, allowing players to pick up front guns, rear guns, and sidekicks during gameplay instead of purchasing them. Front weapons are upgraded by collecting purple bubbles from destroyed enemies, requiring more orbs for higher power levels.
Players can play arcade mode with one or two ships, with the option to combine ships into the “Steel Dragon” when two players are connected via modem.
The game features three levels of difficulty: Easy, Medium, and Hard, with additional hidden options like Impossible, Suicide, and Lord of the Game.
Hard difficulty presents tougher enemies with increased health and faster bullet firing rates. Certain levels and hidden ships are exclusive to higher difficulty settings.
Play Tyrian Online for Free
Experience the thrilling space battles of Tyrian online for free on our website. Engage in exciting shoot ’em up action, customize your ship, and uncover the captivating storyline as you fight to save the galaxy from MicroSol’s grip.
Did you know? Tyrian’s hidden “super arcade” modes offer specialized ships and unique challenges, accessible by entering specific codewords after completing the game.