Sqoon

About

Sqoon is a side-scrolling shooter with adventure elements that drops you into a submersible to battle alien hordes. You take control of Narikeen, a rogue pirate forced into a one-way mission to stop intergalactic invaders from Neptune. The gameplay focuses on navigating underwater levels, dodging enemy fire, and unleashing torpedoes to clear increasingly chaotic waves of foes. Simple controls and a straightforward objective, survive and destroy, make it accessible but not particularly deep. What sets Sqoon apart is its bizarre plot about man-eating aliens and melting continents, paired with a protagonist who’d rather be robbing banks than saving the world. The Japanese version includes a hilariously awkward Romaji message that underlines the game’s campy tone. While the 1986 release feels dated by today’s standards, it remains a curious relic of early arcade conversions. Charming in its earnest absurdity, it’s a quick jaunt through a forgotten corner of retro gaming.

Storyline

Aliens who rule the planet Neptune realize that they have run out of their primary source of nutrition, "man-ham livestock," and decide to invade Earth to feed off the humans. They melt the polar ice caps, causing entire continents to sink under the ocean. The General of the Earth Defense Army begs a pirate called Narikeen to strike back at the aliens with his submarine, Sqoon. Narikeen, being of an evil nature, laughs at the pleas of the general, but reluctantly agrees to exterminate the aliens. However in the Japanese version, the message came from the United States of America's Pentagon and the message says in Romaji: SOS...SOS... OTOTOSEIJIN NO SHINRYAKU ARI KYSOKU NI KAIMEN JOSYOSERI SQOON SYUTSUGEKI SEYO KAITEI NI HEIWAO! U.S.A. PENTAGON