Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Developed by Sankindo and published by Face in 1992, Sand Scorpion: Sasori is an obscure vertically scrolling arcade shoot ’em up strongly influenced by Raiden and the military shooters of Toaplan. Its colourful graphics, responsive controls and energetic action create a good first impression, but weak weapon balancing and excessively durable enemies prevent it from becoming a true hidden gem. Rating: 6/10.
Players control a small fighter across six stages filled with aircraft, tanks, gun emplacements and large mechanical bosses. The scenery includes deserts, coastlines, military bases and industrial installations, while a second player can join for simultaneous co-op. Controls are straightforward, using an eight-way joystick with separate buttons for normal fire and bombs.
Destroyed enemies release weapon upgrades and additional bombs. Several firing styles are available, ranging from narrow forward attacks to wider spread patterns. The blue spread weapon is generally the most useful because it covers a large portion of the screen, although some upgrades can make the weapons feel less accurate rather than more effective. Bombs damage everything nearby and remove incoming bullets, making them essential when the action becomes crowded.
The opening stages are enjoyable and reasonably approachable. Movement is smooth, enemy waves arrive at a steady pace and the game does not immediately overwhelm the player with complex bullet patterns. Most attacks consist of aimed shots, simple spreads and enemies approaching from awkward directions. Ground targets often fire while airborne enemies enter from the sides, forcing the player to divide attention between several threats.
Unfortunately, the arsenal lacks the power expected from this type of shooter. Even fully upgraded weapons often struggle to destroy larger enemies quickly, while ordinary craft become increasingly durable in later stages. Rather than feeling more powerful as upgrades are collected, the player can feel as though the weapons are falling behind the opposition.
This becomes especially frustrating during the second loop. Enemy resistance increases dramatically, causing even basic targets to absorb long streams of fire. New waves continue entering while earlier enemies remain alive, cluttering the screen and turning the game into a survival exercise. Dodging and avoiding collisions become more important than aggressively destroying enemies, which undermines the satisfaction of the power-up system.
The presentation is one of Sand Scorpion’s strongest qualities. Aircraft and tanks are crisply drawn, explosions are plentiful and bosses feature multiple turrets and mechanical components. The backgrounds offer enough variety to keep the campaign visually interesting, even if the military art direction is highly derivative of better-known shooters.
The soundtrack provides energetic arcade music supported by strong weapon and explosion effects. During intense moments, however, the sound effects can overpower the music. The game also suffers from noticeable slowdown when too many enemies and projectiles appear at once. This can occasionally make difficult attacks easier to avoid, but it also makes the action feel inconsistent.
Bosses are large and visually impressive, though their attack patterns are generally straightforward. Most rely on aimed fire, spreading bullets and smaller supporting enemies. They are enjoyable during the first loop, but their increased durability later highlights the weakness of the player’s weapons.
Sand Scorpion is ultimately a competent but uneven arcade shooter. Its attractive sprite work, responsive movement, two-player support and manageable first loop make it worth playing for fans of obscure shmups. However, the underpowered arsenal, bullet-sponge enemies and poorly balanced second loop stop it from competing with the genre’s best. It is an interesting Raiden-inspired curiosity, but not an essential classic.
Developed by Sankindo and published by Face in 1992, Sand Scorpion: Sasori is an obscure vertically scrolling arcade shoot ’em up strongly influenced by Raiden and the military shooters of Toaplan. Its colourful graphics, responsive controls and energetic action create a good first impression, but weak weapon balancing and excessively durable enemies prevent it from becoming a true hidden gem. Rating: 6/10.
Players control a small fighter across six stages filled with aircraft, tanks, gun emplacements and large mechanical bosses. The scenery includes deserts, coastlines, military bases and industrial installations, while a second player can join for simultaneous co-op. Controls are straightforward, using an eight-way joystick with separate buttons for normal fire and bombs.
Destroyed enemies release weapon upgrades and additional bombs. Several firing styles are available, ranging from narrow forward attacks to wider spread patterns. The blue spread weapon is generally the most useful because it covers a large portion of the screen, although some upgrades can make the weapons feel less accurate rather than more effective. Bombs damage everything nearby and remove incoming bullets, making them essential when the action becomes crowded.
The opening stages are enjoyable and reasonably approachable. Movement is smooth, enemy waves arrive at a steady pace and the game does not immediately overwhelm the player with complex bullet patterns. Most attacks consist of aimed shots, simple spreads and enemies approaching from awkward directions. Ground targets often fire while airborne enemies enter from the sides, forcing the player to divide attention between several threats.
Unfortunately, the arsenal lacks the power expected from this type of shooter. Even fully upgraded weapons often struggle to destroy larger enemies quickly, while ordinary craft become increasingly durable in later stages. Rather than feeling more powerful as upgrades are collected, the player can feel as though the weapons are falling behind the opposition.
This becomes especially frustrating during the second loop. Enemy resistance increases dramatically, causing even basic targets to absorb long streams of fire. New waves continue entering while earlier enemies remain alive, cluttering the screen and turning the game into a survival exercise. Dodging and avoiding collisions become more important than aggressively destroying enemies, which undermines the satisfaction of the power-up system.
The presentation is one of Sand Scorpion’s strongest qualities. Aircraft and tanks are crisply drawn, explosions are plentiful and bosses feature multiple turrets and mechanical components. The backgrounds offer enough variety to keep the campaign visually interesting, even if the military art direction is highly derivative of better-known shooters.
The soundtrack provides energetic arcade music supported by strong weapon and explosion effects. During intense moments, however, the sound effects can overpower the music. The game also suffers from noticeable slowdown when too many enemies and projectiles appear at once. This can occasionally make difficult attacks easier to avoid, but it also makes the action feel inconsistent.
Bosses are large and visually impressive, though their attack patterns are generally straightforward. Most rely on aimed fire, spreading bullets and smaller supporting enemies. They are enjoyable during the first loop, but their increased durability later highlights the weakness of the player’s weapons.
Sand Scorpion is ultimately a competent but uneven arcade shooter. Its attractive sprite work, responsive movement, two-player support and manageable first loop make it worth playing for fans of obscure shmups. However, the underpowered arsenal, bullet-sponge enemies and poorly balanced second loop stop it from competing with the genre’s best. It is an interesting Raiden-inspired curiosity, but not an essential classic.
