Target Earth

About

Target Earth is a 1990s shooter where you pilot a 12-foot armored mech to battle cyborg invaders. Switch between walking on alien worlds and maneuvering freely in zero-G space as you fight through varied environments. Each level introduces different movement mechanics, run and jump over terrain in planetary stages or drift and dodge asteroids in the void. Upgrade your arsenal with guns lasers and explosives to take down swarms of enemies in fast-paced combat. The game stands out for its split format between ground and space levels a rarity in early 90s shooters. While not widely recognized today it’s celebrated among retro gaming circles for its creative level design and early use of 3D-like movement. Playing on modern consoles like the Wii adds a new layer to its 30-year-old premise of defending Earth against ancient cyborg survivors.

Storyline

It is the year 2201 and expanding technologies have given man the power to live anywhere in space. Amidst this backdrop, the story of Target Earth begins with a war between Earth (and its colonies) against a cyborg army returning from the farthest reaches of space. In the game's early stages, the nature or purpose of these cybernetic adversaries, named Chron, is unknown. However, it is later revealed that Chron are the survivors of a failed space expedition (Outer Space Expeditionary Party) sent by Earth a hundred years earlier. The Earth Defense League fights to defend Earth. The heart of the defensive movement is the Assault Suit - a twelve-foot tall armored battle machine with awesome fighting capabilities. You are Rex, an Assault Suit Wing commander and master at Assault Suit combat. The battle begins on Ganymede but shifts to battles in space, on the Earth, and inside enemy outposts.