Time Soldiers is a 1987 top-down arcade shooter developed by Alpha Denshi, later ported to the Commodore 64/128, Atari ST/STE, Amiga, and Sega Master System. Players traverse multiple distinct historical and fantastical time periods on a mission to rescue captured comrades, fighting through waves of enemies unique to each era before confronting a boss. Combat is built around the arcade cabinet's rotary joystick, which allows independent aiming in multiple directions while moving — a mechanic that gives firefights a tactical dimension absent from standard eight-way shooters. Scattered power-ups bolster offensive capability throughout each stage. The game supports two players simultaneously, mirroring the cooperative structure common to arcade releases of the period. Its time-travel framing provides variety in both enemy design and visual settings across the campaign.
