Tombstone City

About

Tombstone City drops you in a dusty old-west frontier under alien attack. As a lone shooter in a "schooner" vehicle, you blast waves of Morg creatures crawling across the desert. Each kill transforms the enemy into a cactus, slowly cluttering the map. The twist is if a Morg lands next to an existing cactus, a single shot removes both, a simple but clever mechanic that adds strategic depth to the blasting. The game’s reputation as one of the best TI-99/4A titles is well earned. Chris Forrest calls it a standout example of 8-bit creativity, with its obstacle-generating kill system ahead of its time. Though originally titled Saguaro City in development, the final version’s blend of quick reflexes and spatial planning keeps it memorable. Texas Instruments even released the source code through its programming tools, giving fans a glimpse into how early arcade logic was built.