In the early 1980s, proving that computers really can think in three dimensions might have been enough to get players' attention and maybe even turn some profit, but even then it wouldn't have been enough to create a legendary video game that remains loved decades later. Zaxxon turned out to be more than just a successful exercise in 3D, it was an excellent game as well. Those 3D (or at least 3D-ish) graphics are nicely detailed, especially in the backgrounds of the asteroids and out in space. Sound is rather minimal, but still very effective, from the roar of your ship's engines to the hum of the enemy force fields. Game play is tight, which is good since any corner-cutting can be especially obvious in a game that's supposed to be 3D. And when you succeed in destroying the infamous robot Zaxxon for the first time, the victory feels quite sweet. Zaxxon's sequels may not be as remembered, but the original's place among the classics is well deserved.