Space Manbow

Space Manbow (スペースマンボウ) is a horizontally scrolling shooter developed and published on December 21, 1989 by Konami for the MSX2 and MSX2+ home computers. It was re-released for mobile phones on September 1, 2006; for the Nintendo Wii's Virtual Console service on November 24, 2009; on February 19, 2014, for the Wii U; and on July 28, 2015, for the Windows Store (Project EGG). It has never been released outside Japan.

Gameplay
In the game, the player pilots a starship shaped like a mambo fish. There are only two weapon types available throughout the game, which can be powered up through standard pickups. The weapons gradually lose power unless the player makes additional pickups, but the ship is helped by two stationary "options" similar to those found in the Gradius series. The "options" are able to shift so that they alternatively fire in three directions: forward, backward, and towards the top/bottom of the screen.

Development and release
Originally, Space Manbow was intended to be a port of the arcade game Thunder Cross under the working title of "Egzart".

Reception
The game was praised for its bright colors and smooth scrolling, something the MSX2 particularly struggled with.