Phoenix is a fixed shooter arcade game developed by Tehkan and released in 1980. Players defend against four sequential waves of enemies, each featuring distinct enemy types, in an effort to reach a massive UFO. Before the pilot of that craft can be destroyed, players must first eliminate the protective plating surrounding the cockpit. Defeating the pilot completes a full cycle of the game, which then restarts with progressively more difficult enemies. The structure places emphasis on pattern recognition and escalating challenge, as each new loop increases the threat level. Phoenix was among the early arcade shooters to incorporate a distinct boss encounter as a culminating objective, distinguishing it from contemporaries that relied solely on repeating waves without a defined endpoint.
