Aaargh
A giant monster controlled by the player. Aaargh smashes buildings, fights hostile creatures, and searches stages for food.
How it plays
The action is presented from a side view. A monster moves through each stage, attacks enemies and structures, and searches the area for food or other required objectives. Buildings can be damaged or destroyed, while hostile creatures and hazards obstruct progress.
Stages are compact arcade challenges rather than a continuous role-playing world. Progress depends on learning enemy patterns, managing the monster’s position, and finding the correct route through destructible scenery. The game supports single-player action and, depending on the version, cooperative or competitive two-player play.
Plan your run
Break only the structures that help you reach the objective; unnecessary fighting can cost time and health.
Stay near the center of the play area when enemies approach, then attack during their recovery animation. Explore the edges of each stage before assuming that the visible route is complete.
In two-player games, divide the screen between the players and avoid attacking the same target unless the stage requires it.
Meet the cast
A giant monster controlled by the player. Aaargh smashes buildings, fights hostile creatures, and searches stages for food.
The second playable monster associated with the game, used for two-player play in versions that support it.
Before you begin
Learn which buildings can be destroyed and which routes lead to food or stage objectives.
Avoid prolonged contact with enemies; short attacks followed by repositioning are safer.
AAARGH! is an arcade-action game developed by Arcana Software and released for DOS in the late 1980s. The player controls a giant monster rampaging through compact city environments while searching for food and destroying buildings. Its play style combines side-scrolling movement, direct combat, exploration, and simple environmental interaction rather than complex character statistics or inventory management. The game is notable for its unusual monster-sized premise and its support for one- or two-player play in versions that provide it. Reception was mixed: the concept and destructive setting were memorable, but the repetitive objectives, rough control, and collision behavior limited its appeal. The DOS release remains mainly of historical interest to fans of eccentric arcade conversions.
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