Berzerk
Berzerk is a 1980 shoot 'em up developed by Stern Electronics for the arcades. Players guide a stick figure through a maze of electrified walls filled with hostile robots, shooting the enemies while avoiding their fire and the deadly barriers. Each screen is a randomly assembled room, so players must instantly read the layout and decide whether to fight for points or flee to the next exit. Lingering too long summons Evil Otto, an indestructible bouncing smiley face that relentlessly chases the player from the room and can pass straight through walls.
The game was notable as one of the first titles to use synthesised speech, taunting players with phrases like "The humanoid must not escape" and "Chicken, fight like a robot." Its blend of maze navigation and gunplay, combined with an escalating sense of dread, made it a memorable early arcade hit and an ancestor of twin-stick shooters. Robots could even be tricked into shooting each other or walking into walls for bonus scoring.
Today Berzerk is preserved through official retro compilations and can be experienced via arcade emulation, keeping its pioneering voice and frantic action accessible to new players.
Where can you play Berzerk today?
Device by device, which of the 4 alternatives below you can play on it.
- PC
- Enter the Gungeon (€ 14,99), Berzerk: Recharged (€ 9,75), Void Bastards (€ 29,99) and 1 more.
- Mac
- Enter the Gungeon (€ 14,99), Berzerk: Recharged (€ 9,75) and Void Bastards (€ 29,99). All 3 on Mac
- Linux
- Enter the Gungeon (€ 14,99) and Berzerk: Recharged (€ 9,75).
- iPhone
- None of the alternatives to Berzerk runs on iPhone.
- iPad
- None of the alternatives to Berzerk runs on iPad.
- Android phone
- None of the alternatives to Berzerk runs on Android phone.
- Android tablet
- None of the alternatives to Berzerk runs on Android tablet.
- PlayStation
- Enter the Gungeon (€ 14,99), Berzerk: Recharged (€ 9,75), Void Bastards (€ 29,99) and 1 more.
- Xbox
- Enter the Gungeon (€ 14,99), Berzerk: Recharged (€ 9,75), Void Bastards (€ 29,99) and 1 more.
- Switch
- Enter the Gungeon (€ 14,99), Berzerk: Recharged (€ 9,75), Void Bastards (€ 29,99) and 1 more.
- Steam Deck
- Enter the Gungeon (€ 14,99), Berzerk: Recharged (€ 9,75), Void Bastards (€ 29,99) and 1 more.
Games like Berzerk
Modern alternatives to Berzerk, with the devices they run on and their price. Ordered editorially by how well each one stands in for the original, with community votes weighted in as they accumulate.
Prices, platform availability and Steam Deck compatibility can change at any time. Always check the store page before buying.
Enter the Gungeon Indie
€ 14,99A frantic bullet-hell dungeon crawler with room-clearing gunplay in the maze-shooter tradition.
Enter the Gungeon is also an alternative to 3 other classics
Enter the Gungeon runs on PC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch. Not available on iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet. It is Steam Deck Verified.
Berzerk: Recharged
€ 9,75Atari's official modern remake of the maze shooter, with co-op and an escalating robot roster.
Berzerk: Recharged runs on PC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch. Not available on iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet. It is Steam Deck Verified.
Void Bastards Indie
€ 29,99Raid derelict ships room by room, choosing which fights to avoid, in Berzerk's corridor-and-exit rhythm.
Void Bastards runs on PC, Mac, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch. Not available on Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet. It is Steam Deck Playable.
JYDGE Indie
€ 14,99A top-down twin-stick shooter with room clearing and upgrades echoing classic maze blasters.
JYDGE runs on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch. Not available on Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet. It is Steam Deck Playable.
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