Thexder (テグザー, Teguzā) is an arcade-style run-and-gun action game from Game Arts, originally released as a PC game for the NEC PC-8001 in 1985 and subsequently ported to a number of other personal computer platforms throughout the 1980s and 1990s as well as the NES video game console. Thexder was an important breakthrough title for the run-and-gun shooter game genre, paving the way for titles such as Contra and Metal Slug. The game went on to sell over one million copies worldwide, becoming one of the best-selling computer games up until that time.