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Vimana
维摩那
Vimana is a vertical-scrolling shoot-em-up released by Toaplan in 1991 for arcades. Players pilot a futuristic aircraft through multiple stages, shooting down enemy planes, ground targets, and large boss enemies. The game uses an eight-directional joystick and two buttons, one for firing weapons and one for launching bombs that clear the screen of enemies and projectiles. Power-ups dropped by enemies upgrade the ship's firepower, including spread shots and enhanced missiles. The level structure progresses through distinct stages with increasing enemy density and more aggressive attack patterns. Vimana shares mechanical similarities with other Toaplan shooters of the era, featuring tight hitboxes and a steady difficulty curve that demands precise movement and resource management throughout each stage.
- Developer
- Toaplan
- Released
- 1991
- Platform
- Arcade
- Genre
- Action
- Rating
- 4.3 / 5 (4.3K)
- Last updated
Vimana Controls — Arcade Keyboard Keys
Default keyboard bindings for Vimana 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.
Vimana Longplay & Gameplay Videos
Watch a full playthrough of Vimana 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
"Vimana" Arcade longplay 1991
External references
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Vimana released?
Vimana was released in 1991 for the Arcade.
Who developed Vimana?
Vimana was developed by Toaplan, available to play in your browser on RetroGameSpace.
What type of game is Vimana?
Vimana is a Action game for the Arcade, playable instantly in your browser — no downloads, no installs.
How can I play Vimana for free?
Open this page and click "Play Now" — Vimana runs free in your browser via WebAssembly emulation. No account, no payment, no installer.
Do I need to download anything to play Vimana in the browser?
No. Vimana streams from a public archive into a browser-side Arcade emulator. Nothing is installed on your computer.
Can I save my progress in Vimana?
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 Vimana 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 Vimana this way?
RetroGameSpace is a transient caching reverse-proxy and does not host first-party copies of Vimana. 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.
