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Zoar
Zoar is an action arcade game released by Data East USA in 1982. Players control a spacecraft navigating through scrolling stages filled with enemy forces. The game involves shooting down waves of enemies while avoiding incoming fire and obstacles. Players use directional controls to maneuver their ship and a fire button to shoot at targets. The gameplay progresses through multiple stages with increasing difficulty, requiring players to manage both offensive attacks and defensive maneuvering. Zoar features a vertical or horizontal scrolling format typical of early 1980s arcade shooters, with enemies appearing in formation patterns. The game awards points for each enemy destroyed, encouraging aggressive play while demanding careful navigation through increasingly dense enemy patterns.
- Developer
- Data East USA
- Released
- 1982
- Platform
- Arcade
- Genre
- Action
- Rating
- 4.5 / 5 (3.5K)
- Last updated
Zoar Controls — Arcade Keyboard Keys
Default keyboard bindings for Zoar 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.
Zoar Longplay & Gameplay Videos
Watch a full playthrough of Zoar 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
"Zoar" Arcade longplay 1982
External references
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Zoar released?
Zoar was released in 1982 for the Arcade.
Who developed Zoar?
Zoar was developed by Data East USA, available to play in your browser on RetroGameSpace.
What type of game is Zoar?
Zoar is a Action game for the Arcade, playable instantly in your browser — no downloads, no installs.
How can I play Zoar for free?
Open this page and click "Play Now" — Zoar runs free in your browser via WebAssembly emulation. No account, no payment, no installer.
Do I need to download anything to play Zoar in the browser?
No. Zoar streams from a public archive into a browser-side Arcade emulator. Nothing is installed on your computer.
Can I save my progress in Zoar?
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 Zoar 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 Zoar this way?
RetroGameSpace is a transient caching reverse-proxy and does not host first-party copies of Zoar. 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.
