Very cool shmup. I have to tell you, those explosion effects are incredibly satisfying. I'm always impressed seeing such polished games made in pico-8. The only real issue I've had so far is that it can be slightly difficult to tell what is an enemy and what is the background. But I understand that you only have so many colors to work with, and I was still able to play the game just fine.
Author Comments
Year 2289. As humanity pushes its frontier to the distant Zyphera Belt—an ancient asteroid field plagued by unpredictable energy storms and the ruins of a forgotten civilization—an anomaly of unknown origin rips through the fabric of space-time.
The STX-01, a prototype stellar fighter, is deployed on an emergency mission. Its pilot, Nira Veylan, has mere moments to navigate this hostile expanse, destroy a corrupted outpost… and stop the awakening of an ancient entity sealed deep within a lost complex: Orrvakk, the Fossil Eye.
The question remains: can she complete the mission before it’s too late?
⬆️ ⬇️ ⬅️ ➡️: Press to guide your ship.
❎ (X or M or V) : Press to fire.
🅾️ (Z or N or C) : Press to release bombs.
⏎ Enter : Press to pause game.
Or using any controller.
• COIN
Dropped by defeated enemies. Collect them to charge the bomb gauge.
• GAUGE / BOMB
Collect coins to fill the gauge; each threshold grants one of up to 3 bombs. The gauge decreases when a bomb is used. Bombs destroy most enemies and bullets in range, and only damage the toughest ones. Enemies on fire can be destroyed by bombs. Some bombs have special effects on scoring or certain enemies. Discover them in-game.
• LIFE
Grants one extra life.
• EXCLAMATION MARK
Appears when enemies are destroyed at close range , doubling the score for those kills.
Cover by @busterermy
— Programmer : Erman Abdiler (@busterermy) —
— Graphic Designer : Erman Abdiler (@busterermy) —
— Sound Creator : Erman Abdiler (@busterermy) —
— Very Special Thanks : Krystian Majewski (@krystman), Ina Lee —
MAKING-OF AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Designed to deliver a fast-paced, fluid, and fully immersive experience, STX-01 focuses on action, precision, and atmosphere. Every level, visual effect, and sound has been carefully crafted to draw the player into a cohesive universe — all the way to the depths of Orrvakk’s lair.
This project was built in close connection with the resources of the Lazy Devs Academy. A huge thank-you to Krystian Majewski for his tutorials, to my wife Ina Lee for her unwavering support, and to everyone who helped make this adventure possible.
If you enjoyed the mission, consider supporting the project by downloading the full version on itch.io (Windows, macOS, Linux, Raspi and p8.png). Your curiosity, time, and encouragement mean the world — and fuel the desire to go even further!
© GNA 2025 Made in France
BusterErmy responds:
Thank you so much for your feedback! It’s clear that you really know Pico-8 and its color limitations, and it’s super nice to get an opinion like yours.
The remark about readability, indeed, has already been pointed out to me, and I’ll try my best to improve it in my next shmup — even if it’s not easy. Thanks again for playing STX-01! ＼(＾▽＾)／
its much good
BusterErmy responds:
Thanks, I appreciate it! (^_~)
A very well-done SHMUP you got here! Great graphics, great effects, great mechanics, great enemies, great level design, great everything! It's a bit standard and doesn't have much that stands out as innovative or unique, but hey, it's just plain fun to play nonetheless.
If I were to have any complaints, it'd be that the bullets can be a bit tricky to see at times due to the very vibrant backgrounds, I wish it at least had a bit more interesting of a scoring system and rewarded lives for certain milestones, and while I like the challenge, it can be a pretty dang tough game at times, so I wouldn't blame some people bouncing off of it!
BusterErmy responds:
Thanks a lot for your feedback, it’s really motivating! I’m glad you enjoyed the gameplay and the overall execution. The points you mentioned are actually things I’m already working on: improving bullet visibility is part of what I’m refining for my next shmup, a more in-depth scoring system is planned as well, and although the difficulty will naturally stay on the challenging side — especially compared to my first game, V-Impact — I’m still trying to make it a bit more accessible. Thanks again for playing and for the very precise feedback! (シ_ _)シ
adorável a estética do jogo
BusterErmy responds:
Thanks! I had a lot of fun working on the visuals. (o^▽^o)
Very nice starship game, remenber games from old
BusterErmy responds:
Thanks! Old-school spirit never dies! （⌒▽⌒）☆
Credits & Info
Supports Gamepads!
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Frontpaged October 23, 2025