[1] Although it uses isometric projection, as with Ultimate's second-generation isometric releases such as Nightshade and Gunfright, Martianoids used a scrolling display rather than the flip-screen of earlier titles such as Knight Lore and Alien 8.

It was instead programmed by a team at U.S. Gold, and was therefore an Ultimate game in name only.

In 1988 the company became Rare, embarking on a long-running partnership with Nintendo to develop console games.

Players are given a cryptic introduction describing an attack by aliens known as "The Martianoids".

The player has lasers for defence which destroy internal walls, computer components and so forth, and the aliens.