| Developer: | Eclipse Software |
| Publisher: | Thalion Software |
| Designer: | Marc Rosocha |
| Artist: | Erik Simon |
| Programmer: | Marc Rosocha |
| Composer: | Jochen Hippel |
| Released: | 1990[1] |
| Genre: | Scrolling shooter |
| Modes: | Single-player |
| Platforms: | Amiga, Atari ST |
Wings of Death is a 1990 vertically scrolling shooter developed by Eclipse Software and published by Thalion Software for the Atari ST, then ported to the Amiga. In Wings of Death, the player controls a mage turned into a winged creature on a quest to defeat a wicked witch. The game was well received and was followed by the science fiction-themed sequel Lethal Xcess in 1991.
Despite its fantasy setting, Wings of Death is a standard vertically scrolling shooter in which multiple enemies in formation enter the screen from above and can either be avoided or destroyed to release power-ups.[2] Each weapon can be upgraded several times, yielding generally more powerful versions. Changing to another weapon resets the player's upgrades. The player may transform into several forms, including a giant eagle, a griffon, and a dragon.[3]
A spell of the evil witch queen Xandrilia transformed her hated rival, the magician Sagyr, into a winged creature. Now the player's role is to guide Sagyr in his quest to defeat the witch for once and for all, and revert into a human being. His quest takes place through seven levels, from Sagyr's castle to Xandrilia's domain.[4]
Trenton Webb of Amiga Format, who gave the Amiga version a review rating of 76%, wrote Wings of Death is "chaotic fun, but relies too heavily on luck."[5] Paul Roundell of Amiga Computing later opined the game was "underrated on its release."[6]
See main article: Lethal Xcess.
A sequel to Wings of Death was released in 1991 for the same platforms. In it, the returning Sagyr fights on against Xandrilia's descendants after being transported into a distant future.