Juno First

Juno First
Juno First
	Arcade flyer
Developer(s)	Konami
Publisher(s)	JP: Konami; JP: Sony (MSX); EU: Sony (MSX); NA: Gottlieb (arcade); NA: Datasoft (home computers);
Platform(s)	Arcade, Commodore 64, Atari 8-bit, MSX, IBM PC, IBM PCjr, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch
Release	Arcade WW: 1983; MSX EU: 1983; JP: 1983; Commodore 64 NA: 1983; Atari 8-bit, IBM PC, PCjr NA: 1984; PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch WW: 2025;
Genre(s)	Fixed shooter
Mode(s)	1-2 players alternating turns

Juno First (ジュノファースト) is an arcade fixed shooter video game developed by Konami and released in 1983. It was licensed to Gottlieb in the United States. Juno First is a fixed shooter with a slightly tilted perspective, similar to Nintendo's Radar Scope from 1980.^[1] The game was ported to the Commodore 64, Atari 8-bit computers, MSX, IBM PC, and IBM PCjr.

Gameplay

Juno First presents a set number of enemies per level, but they do not make a gallery formation like Galaga or Space Invaders. Instead, the player's ship can move forward and backward (in addition to left and right) to hunt enemies in an orientation that is vertical, but has some horizon-oriented tilt. This style of gameplay would be re-used in a later Konami shooter, Axelay.

The player destroys waves of enemies to finish levels. Starting formations vary from stage to stage. In addition, the player can pick up a humanoid, upon which the screen will have a red tint. While this happens, every enemy the player shoots will earn the player 200 more points than the previous enemy destroyed. The original score for shooting an enemy while in humanoid mode depends on the stage.

Ports

Juno First was first ported in the western market to the Commodore 64 in 1983. Conversions for the Atari 8-bit computers and IBM PC/PCjr were released in 1984. All of these ports were handled by Datasoft. The Commodore and Atari ports were programmed by Greg Hiscott. The IBM version was programmed by Scott Titus.

In Japan, Sony released a conversion of Juno First in 1983 for MSX computers. This version soon made its way to other MSX markets as well.

Juno First was included via Microsoft's Game Room service for the Xbox 360 and Windows on June 30, 2010. It was also included as part of the Arcade Archives series for the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch on March 13, 2025.^[2]