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Vanguard
先锋
Vanguard is a scrolling shooter released by SNK in 1981 for arcades. The player pilots a spaceship through a series of distinct zones, shooting enemies that attack from multiple directions. Unlike many shooters of its era, Vanguard features firing in four directions simultaneously — left, right, forward, and backward — giving the player broad offensive coverage. The ship also has a temporary shield activated by a dedicated button, absorbing enemy fire for a limited time. The game scrolls both horizontally and vertically depending on the zone, adding variety to the level structure. Each zone presents different enemy formations and obstacles. A notable feature is the in-game music, which plays continuously during certain stages, an uncommon touch for 1981 arcade hardware. Players loop through zones with increasing difficulty after completing the full sequence.
- Developer
- SNK
- Released
- 1981
- Platform
- Arcade
- Genre
- Action
- Rating
- 4.6 / 5 (2.2K)
- Last updated
Vanguard Controls — Arcade Keyboard Keys
Default keyboard bindings for Vanguard on our in-browser Arcade emulator. Plug in a USB or Bluetooth gamepad to auto-detect mappings, or rebind any key from the emulator settings menu.
| Keyboard | Console button | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| ↑ | Joystick Up | Move up |
| ↓ | Joystick Down | Move down |
| ← | Joystick Left | Move left |
| → | Joystick Right | Move right |
| X | Button 1 | Primary action (jump / confirm) |
| Z | Button 2 | Secondary action (attack / cancel) |
| S | Button 3 | Tertiary action |
| A | Button 4 | Quaternary action |
| Q | Button 5 | Fifth button |
| W | Button 6 | Sixth button |
| 5 | Insert Coin | Insert coin |
| 1 | 1P Start | Start / Pause |
Coin and Start are convention "Insert Coin: 5" and "1P Start: 1". Some arcade boards expect specific button mappings — check the in-game prompts on coin-up.
Rebind any key from the EmulatorJS in-game settings menu (gear icon → Controls). A connected gamepad auto-maps to the same buttons.
Vanguard Longplay & Gameplay Videos
Watch a full playthrough of Vanguard on Arcade before you dive in — recommended for getting a feel for the game's pacing, story beats, and difficulty curve.
Watch longplay on YouTube
"Vanguard" Arcade longplay 1981
External references
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Vanguard released?
Vanguard was released in 1981 for the Arcade.
Who developed Vanguard?
Vanguard was developed by SNK, available to play in your browser on RetroGameSpace.
What type of game is Vanguard?
Vanguard is a Action game for the Arcade, playable instantly in your browser — no downloads, no installs.
How can I play Vanguard for free?
Open this page and click "Play Now" — Vanguard runs free in your browser via WebAssembly emulation. No account, no payment, no installer.
Do I need to download anything to play Vanguard in the browser?
No. Vanguard streams from a public archive into a browser-side Arcade emulator. Nothing is installed on your computer.
Can I save my progress in Vanguard?
Yes. Save states are stored in your browser (IndexedDB) per game, and you can also use any in-game save the original Arcade cartridge supported.
Does Vanguard work on mobile devices?
Yes — the Arcade emulator runs on iOS Safari and Android Chrome. Touch controls overlay the game; landscape mode is recommended.
Is it legal to play Vanguard this way?
RetroGameSpace is a transient caching reverse-proxy and does not host first-party copies of Vanguard. Game files are fetched on demand from publicly-accessible archives. You are responsible for compliance with your local laws and the bring-your-own-ROM principle.
