And then two come along at once...

Japanese publisher City Connection, fresh off of the back of yesterday's Puzzle Bobble announcement, has revealed another classic title is joining its S-Tribute range: Taito's space blaster Metal Black, wh??ich will launch on PC and consoles on February? 2.

The S-Tribute release will be an adaptation not of Metal Black's 1991 arcade release, which ironically hit Hamster's Arcade Archives just two months ago, but is? instead a rerelease of Ving's 1996 Sega Saturn port. This new S-Tribute release, in keeping with other titles in the range, will include a selection of new quality-of-life features, including save? states, a rewind function, slow-motion mode, various dip-switch settings, online leaderboards, and arcade-style scanline filters.

Check out a playthrough of the Sega Saturn edition below, via YouTuber NintendoComplete.

//www.yout?ube.com/watch?v=EaKMxu3K2NY&ab_channel=NintendoComplete

Metal Black is a horizontally scrolling sci-fi shmup set within the timeline of a devasted Earth, recovering from the damage caused by a horrendous meteor attack. Following this catastrophic event, an alien force attempts to enslave the planet, leading to the surrender of humanity. One lon??e pilot, however, is not quite ready to kneel, and absconds with the hi-tech "CF-345 Black Fly�vessel, in a one-man, do-or-die effort to turn the conquering alien force into space dust.

As previously noted, Metal Black is not one of the shmup genre's prettiest efforts, having launched during Taito's early '90s "ugly??-ass-visuals" period. But it does contain a solid soundtrack, some cool boss characters, and two differing conclusions and is worth checking out for shmup completionists.

Metal Black S-Tribute launches February 2 on PS4, PC, Xbox One, and Nintendo Sw?itch

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Get to the chopper

It may be the holidays, but that isn't going to stop the retro purveyors over at Hamster from keeping the ball rolling on its Arcade Archives ranger �Joining the huge range of shumps rereleased by the publisher on PS4 and Nintendo Switch, it's Namco's unique chopper blaster, Metal Hawk.

Hitting the arcade market in 1988, Metal Hawk initially looks like standard, vertically-scrolling blaster, which were a dime a dozen in the genre's late-'80s boom period. However, Metal Hawk has a few cool features that helped it stand out from its contemporaries. Showcasing the power of Namco's new R&D division, (as well as its new Namco System 2 hardware), Metal Hawk features fast-paced, action-pa??cked gameplay, multi-directional gameplay, and even altitude control, making the shmup a genre pioneer.

Get out the sky-high action in the video below, courtesy of retro lovin' YouTuber Janet.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4k3Bif0ETA&ab_channel=Jan?et

Helping Metal Hawk turn heads in the local arcade center, Namco commissioned state-of-the-art motion-simulation cabinets, which tilted, raised, and lowered in conjunction with the player's controls. While these expensive cabinets were few and far between, they raked in small fortunes wherever they were located, making Metal Hawk the talk of the industry and one of 1988's most successful, critically accl?aimed arcade games.

While Metal Hawk itself is a fine blaster, the intrinsic immersion between game and c??abinet meant that Namco was reluctant to release a home version, that might not capt??ure the same sense of excitement played on your average sofa. A Mega-CD port was briefly considered in the '90s, but scrapped. Some original full-scale cabinets still exist today, (albeit in various states of repair), and remain a real conversation piece when discovered housed with an arcade aficionado's collection.

Check out the cab in action in this video from dedicated collector Fliptronic Avenches.

//www.youtube.com/w?atch?v=CQ4RcHnt-JE&ab_channel=FliptronicAvenches

Metal Hawk is available to downloa?d now on PS??4 and Nintendo Switch, priced at around $8.

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100% Less Twisted

You think Hamster has already hit all of the shmups released in the late '80s/early '90s? Well, think again, buster, as the retro lovin' publisher has added Taito's eye-searing shooter Metal Black to its mammoth A??rcade Archives range, w??ith the forgotten shmup now available to purchase on PS4 and Nintendo Switch.

Released to the arcade market in 1991, during Taito's "Loud & Vulgar" phase, (see also: Under Fire, Special Criminal Investigation), Metal Black is a horizontally scrolling sci-fi shmup set against the backdrop of a damaged Earth, having fallen victim to a devastating meteor shower. In the aftermath of this event, an alien force attacks the weakened planet, leading to the surrender of humanity. However, one rogue pilot, John Ford, refuses to allow mankind to go quietly into the night. Hijacking prototype vessel "CF-345 Black Fly", Ford embarks on? a final bid to send ??the unwelcome visitors packing.

You can check out the action in the video below, courtesy of YouTuber AL82 Retrogaming.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=bB4mS79R0DI

Metal Black consists of six stages of frenetic sky-fighting action, with mechanics not dissimilar to that of Irem's R-Type and Taito's own Darius franchise. As previously noted, Metal Black comes from an era of Taito that features somewhat ugly textures, slapdash scaling, and some brutal visual effects, which often renders the in-game action a little tough to follow. Regardless, this forgotten example does feature a pretty rad soundtrack, interesting boss designs, and a novel feature that sees th?e story come to one of two massively different conclusions, dependent on how the player fa?res on the final encounter.

Metal Black is a??vailab?le to download on PS4 and Nintendo Switch now.

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Gals 'n' Guns

Japanese studio MOSS has released a new gameplay trailer for its upcoming release Raiden III x MIKADO Maniax �the flashy, remixed edition of the stellar 2005 arcade shmup Raiden III.

Raiden III x MIKADO Maniax is a revisioning of MOSS' adrenaline-pumping classic, kitted out with new modes and features and sporting an entirely new score composed by a who's who of Japanese electronic artists. Among the musicians featured i?n the new release are GoSatoBan, Heavy Metal Raiden, Fantom Iris, O.T.K., Soshi Hosoi, Daisuke Matsumoto, Cosio, Keishi Yonao, Ryu� Raito, and Yu Shimoda �performing a total of 20 new stage and boss battle themes.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=XePNRdq_bZs&t

Away from the block-rockin' beats, the remix includes several new features including monitor orientation options, online rankings, and the ability to upload your latest run to an online server, for viewing by the Raiden community. Alongside a standard and remixed edition of the original arcade mode, MIKADO Maniax also includes ?Score Attack and Boss Rush modes, as well as a beginner-friendly hitbox, to help newer players learn the geometry of the game's challenging patterns.

Raiden III x MIKADO Maniax launches in Japan, February 23, on PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch platforms. There is currently no word on a western release, although the previousRaiden x Mikado title did ?get a localizatio??n, so hold fire for now.

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Must be talking to an angel...

The retro gaming aficionados over at Hamster are continuing on their current trend of pulling out bafflingly bizarre and outrageously obscure arcade titles for your approval �And this week's entry is no different, with the arrival of Nichibutsu's unique, star-gazing... shmup? Mischievous Angel.

Released to arcades in 1984, (as Itazura Tenshi), this surprisingly novel little release sees the player don the wings of a starbound angel, who is tasked with recreating the constellations in order to impress his pretty angel pal. Using non-linear, eight-way directional gameplay, our heroes travel through a gridded starscape, lining up stars in a "dot-t?o-dot" fashion in order to complete various famous star signs and constellations, such as The Big Dipper... umm... Jerry The Cowboy... and... Alan... The Cowboy.

Check out the action in the video below, courtesy of YouTuber Old Classic Retro Gaming.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=5M9ut_Ovm3w

As the not-so-mischievous angel lights up the sky, they must also avoid attack from sensible villains such as alien invaders, witches, and flying jesters. Fear not, as grabbing a bow and arrow will offer up temporary firepower to fend off these ne'er-do-wells. Because he's also Cupid?.. or Kid Icarus?.. or something. Following several cosmos of action, our young lovers must be reunited in a recurring bonu?s stage so wholesome and melancholy that is has to be seen to be? believed.

Mischievous Angel is, despite its admittedly dated mechanics, a pretty unique and cute take on the shmup genre, with a delightful concept and some?? sweet visual design ideas. While hardly a smash hit of the a??rcade circuit, it is undeniably an original idea, and it is nice to see this quirky release curated in the Arcade Archives range.

Mischievous Angel is avai?lable to download now on PS4 and Nintendo Swi??tch, priced at around $8.

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Doctor Shmup

If you fancy something a lil' cute 'n' weird for your retro fix this week, then you're in luck, as Hamster has reached into the Namco back catalog and pulled out one of the developer's few horizontally scrolling shmups, the totes adorbs Ordyne, now available on PS4 and Nintendo Switch.

Released to Japanese arcades in 1988 and capitalizing on the high-color, high-goofball attraction of Konami's Parodius, Ordyne sees a highly intelligent professor, Dr. Tomari, take to the skies in order to rescue his kidnapped sweetheart Kana, who has been abducted by his rival, Dr. Kubata. Accompanying the good Doctor on his quest is loyal sidekick Sunday Chin. SUNDAY CHIN. What follows is action exceptionally similar to Gradius/Parodius, with familiar enemy patterns, pacing, and power-ups. Still, the Konami titles are sound examples of the genre, and thus, so is Ordyne.

Check out the colorful action in the video below, courtesy of YouTuber Were1974.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rHIWgljPGQ

As they battle through each stage, Tomari and Chin can gather crystals mid-flight, to be spent at a series of anti-gravity stores, run by a typical doe-eyed anime gal. Much like Sega's Fantasy Zone, our heroes can then purchase speed boosts, extra lives, shields, and many other items in order to give the duo the edge in battle. Oddly, the weap?ons are time-limited, meaning that you'll only maintain that edge for so long before returning to your default form. What kinda shop offers that service?

Ordyne would eventually receive a port on the PC Engine �a form that would eventually see the game head west for the first time ever. It hasn't featured on all that many Namco compilations over the years, so remains something of an oddity even today. If you'd like to get your wings on in on a bright-eyed rescue mission, then Ordyne is av??ailable to download now on PS4 and Switch, priced at around $8.

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You cannot stop The Bydo Empire

One of gaming's endless wars is set to rage on, and it looks like it's time to fuel up the legendary R-9 vessel once again, as Granzella has announced that R-Type Final 3 Evolved is currently in development for PS5. The new remaster has an expected Japanese la?unch date of March 2023.

R-Type Final 3 Evolved �revealed in the latest issue of Japanese publication Famitsu �is a revamped edition of the 2021 release R-Type Final 2, making the initial title of that game even more ironic than it already was. While details are incredibly slim at this stage, Famitsu reports that Final 3 Evolved will feature improved visuals, online multiplayer lobbies, a selection of mini-games, and an impressive 100 total ships as we??ll as seven all-new stages, making this one of the most feature-packed releases in the iconic Irem franchise.

In addition, Final 3 Evolved will utilize support for the upcoming PSVR2 hardware, allowing players to be immersed in The Bydo Empire battle like never before. I personally cannot wait until the famous boss character Dobkeratops is quite literally assaulting my eyeballs with their eyeballs. ??While no western localization was announced, such a release remains highly likely, given the appearance of previous titles on North American and European shores. We ?will be sure to let you know right here on Destructoid when more details are forthcoming.

R-Type Final 3 Evolved is currently in deve??lopment for PS5. It is expected to launch in Japan March 2023.

R-Type Final 3 Evolved announced for PS5 [Gematsu / Ryokutya2089]

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PC port joins console editions

Good news for PC shmuppers today, as City Connection has announced that Cave shmup Akai Katana Shin will be arriving on Steam on December 15, in alignmen?t with its previously announced re-release on PS4, Xbox One, and Nintend?o Switch.

As we have previously reported, Akai Katana Shin originally launched on Xbox 360 in 2011, itself a remaster of Cave's great 2010 arcade release. In typical Cave f??ashion the dazzling shmup features adrenaline-pumping, bullet-hell action, a beat-heavy soundtrack, and a melodramatic storyline that features a put-upon people, sick of being sacrificed to the titular totem, risin?g up against their oppressors in a bid for freedom.

Check out a preview of the re-release ??from April’s FES 2022 stream. The action starts at 33:30.

//youtu.be/yNZTTM3sZG4

The new release will feature high-resolution visuals, a widescreen presentation format, and three individual modes to please both Akai Katana veterans and newcomers. Akai Katana Origin will replicate the 2010 arcade in all of its 4:3 glory, Akai Katana Slash will feature revised enemy patterns, new mechanics, and the aforementioned 16:9 screen ratio, while Akai Katana Climax will feature a blend of the previous modes, readjusted for balance. City Connection has noted that Akai Katana Shin will support multiple languages,?? inclu??ding English, French, and Spanish.

Akai Katana Shin launches December 15 on PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. A physical release will f??ollow in 2023 on PS4 and Nintendo Switch only.

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The Silver Hawk takes flight

Following a string of relative obscurities, this week's Arcade Archives entry is no stranger to any coin-op fan worth their weight in pocket-jingling quarters �Taito's legendary shmup, Darius, is now available to dow?nload on Nintendo Switch via the eShop.

Released to arcades in 1987, before making its way to a slew of home platforms, Darius is one of the most recognizable and beloved franchises in the shmup genre, rendered iconic thanks to its dazzling visuals, exciting two-player action, typically great Taito soundtrack, and, famously, its enormous arcade cabinet, which sported a huge, three-screen panoramic display. Darius puts players in the cockpit of the mighty Silver Hawk space vessels, tasked with ??defending the titular planet from the Bels?ar Empire.

Check out the widescreen action in the video below, courtesy of YouTuber World of Longplays.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=dw2PMdIpHdE

The incredible success of these arcade and home ports would see the franchise stamp its identity as one of the all-time shmup classics. Taito would release a sequel, Darius II, in 1989, and a remixed version of the original game, Darius Plus, in 1990. Since these halcyon days, the franchise has been visited multiple times in the form of various remasters, sequels, and spin-offs. The most recent iteration, Dariusburst: Chronicle Saviours, is available now on PS4 and PC. It is also worth noting that Darius, along with several follow-up releases, is also available via the two Darius Cozmic Collections.

Darius is available to download now on Nintendo Switch,? priced at $8. It is already?? available on PS4.

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When the bough breaks...

Endless nightmares, hand-drawn weirdness, and twin-stick shmup action sound like a pretty bizarre list of ingredients for a video game concept, but that hasn't stopped Japanese indie studio Neotro from mixing 'em up and creating the fascinating new release, NeverAwake, which launches today on PC.

NeverAwake is a twin-stick shmup set within a terrifying, never-ending sleep. A young girl, Rem, is plagued by a litany of daily troubles, all of which have suddenly chosen to m??anifest themselves into her dreams as unholy nightmares. Now tra?pped within a dungeon of her own plights and worries, Rem is forced to face each and every one of her fears, conjuring up an array of firepower and other abilities to take down the nasties.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-HMu7sdhas

Be it violent neighborhood dogs, the mean girls from high school, trips to the surgeon, or even those horrid vegetables she has to eat at mealtimes, Rem must steel herself against her own brain spiders, conquering these demons once and for all if she is ever to escape this literal nightmare and return to the waking world. NeverAwake boasts around 80 looped levels of action, complete with an a?rray of grotesque bosses, hand-drawn visuals, an arsenal of dynamic weaponry, and even multiple endings, all painted against relentless, b?lood-pumping shmup action.

NeverAwake is available now on PC via Steam. You can also purchase the new title bundled with a digital artbook and the game's soundtrack. For console fans, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch ports of NeverAwake will la?unch in January 2023, with physical editio?ns to follow on both platforms.

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International Treasure

One of the quieter, but no less exciting, headlines from yesterday's Nintendo Direct presentation was the announcement that Treasure's legendary shmup Radiant Silvergun is now available on Nintendo Switch. The 1998 smash hit can be purchased from the eShop right now, priced at an admittedly hefty?? $20.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGkOxWAhjbM

The Treasure-developed classic has something of a legacy with video game fans of a certain age, as it was mostly the stuff of legend to those who were not acquainted with the import scene, or had access to a decent arcade center. While considered one of the greatest shmups ever released to that point, Radiant Silvergun was tough to l?ocate in North America and Europe, while the subsequent Sega Saturn port nev??er left Japanese shores, and would fetch high prices on the secondary market.

Eventually, the frenetic shmup would find a wider audience through its 2011 Xbox 360 rerelease, and with this new Switch port, a new generation of shmup fans can blast off into the iconic action... It looks like you'll still have to pay through the nose for the privilege, but at least we aren't dropping $250 on eBay anymore. Rumors persist of a new Radiant Silvergun project, currently in the works to coincid??e with Treasure's 30th anniversary. With Tokyo Game Show kicking off tomorrow, the truth will likely be out soon? enough.

Radiant Silvergun is available now on Nintendo Switch. (Shortly after writing this article, the listing mysteriously vanished from the North American version of the eShop,?? though it was still available for purchase elsewhere.)

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Warm up those winter fingers

NIS America has announced a release date for the western localization of flashy shmup revisit Raiden IV x MIKADO Remix �The highly adrenalized blaster will launch in North America on January 31,?? 2023, with Europe to follow a couple of days later on February 3.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaqpdPb7B3o

As previously reported, Raiden IV x MIKADO Remix is a remaster of the classic 2007 arcade blaster Raiden IV. The new edition has been bolstered with a huge variety of new features including two-player couch co-op, a selection of filters and orientation options, and a full suite of modes including Arc??ade, Practice, Boss Rush, and Overkill modes. The centerpiec??e of the remaster is a fully remixed and re-recorded score, composed and performed by artists from the Game Center Mikado collective.

Already available on Nintendo Switch, the new port will arrive on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms, and is the first in what is expected to be a full range of "x MIKADO" titles, that will revitalize arcade classics with opulent, beautifully composed scores from some of Japan's most talented gaming composers. Given the long-held love affair between shmups and frenetic, pulse-pounding beats, starting out with the legendary Raiden IV was certainly something of a no-brainer.

Raiden IV x MIKADO Remix launches i??n the west on PC and consoles January 31.

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Unearthed Treasure

Tokyo Game Show is yet to officially get underway, but already it seems that some of its surprises are just too durn exciting to keep under wraps. According to a new leak uncovered by Gematsu, legendary shmup developer Treasure is getting set to reveal a new project under the banner of one of its best-loved IPs, Radiant Silvergun.

Gematsu found evidence of a new Radiant Silvergun title after poking around the TGS website uploaded by publisher Happinet. Alongside assets and titles pulled from over 30 franchises was a brand new logo simply depicting "Radiant Silvergun," complete with a silhouette of the game's iconic starship. Treasure, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, will apparently be showcasing the new title at this year's TGS, which will no doubt get retro game fans and shmup afic??ionados into a suitable tizzy.

Radiant Silvergun was released in Japanese arcades in May 1998, before finding its way onto the Sega Saturn in the console's twilight years. For the longest of times, it would remain something of an urban legend among western players, available only via expensive imports and poor early-day emulation. The classy shmup would eventually be ported to Xbox 360 in 2011, which represented the title's first, readily available, global release. Today, Radiant Silvergun still stands proud, holding a deserved reputation as a genuin??e classic of the genre.

What form this project will take remains to be seen, but I would think a remaster or remake is more likely than a sequel. In either case, we won't have to wait too much longer to find out, as Tokyo Game Show will kick off September 15, emanating from Chiba's Makuhari Messe complex. We will bring you all of the details from Radiant Silvergun ?(and many other TGS exclus??ives) right here on Destructoid.

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Frenetic blasting action gets minor pushback

Publisher MAGES has announced that the upcoming double pack of Tachyon shmups Bullet Soul and sequel Bullet Soul: Infinite Burst has been hit with a small delay and will now laun?ch on Ninten??do Switch September 29, a little over a fortnight later than its initially stated launch of September 9.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMiWfkUfxZw

Originally released on Xbox 360 in 2011 and 2014, the Bullet Soul titles espouse the frantic bullet hell action, pulse-pounding soundtrack, and goofy anime aesthetics that are so embedded in the modern shmup market. Several notable industry veterans were involved in the game's development, with music provided by composers Kenji Ito (Romancing SaGa) and Kohata Takahashi (Ridge Racer) and colorful character art daubed by Monogatari's Akio Watanabe

Available on PC since 2017, the new Nintendo Switch port of the two titles will be the Bullet Soul series' first international console release. In Japan, the Bullet Soul Double Pack will also? receive a physical edition, which comes complete with an art book and soundtrack CD. Unfortunately, there are currently no plans to bring this edition of the game to western shores.

Bullet Soul and Bullet Soul: Infinite Burst will launch digitally on Nintendo Switch Se??ptember 29.

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2010 shmup gets set for fresh return

City Connection, the purveyor of some of history's finest shmups, has announced that Cave classic Akai Katana Shin is getting a re-release on some modern?? platforms later this year. A digital release will hit PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch in Japan on December 15, with a physical edition to follow on PS4 and Switch only.

Originally released in 2010, Akai Katana is a horizontally scrolling?? shmup that features dynamic visuals, melodramatic lore, and a pulse-pounding soundtrack that are the trademark of the Cave oeuvre. The bullet hell epic tells the story of a band of freedom fighters, sick of having their people sacrificed to the titular artifact, who rise up against their tyrannical oppressors in a bid for absolute freedom.

Check out a preview of Akai Katana Shin from A??pril's FES 2022 stream. The action starts at 33:30.

//youtu.be/yNZTTM3sZG4?t=1997

The new release will feature an authentic edition o?f the original release, alongside a fully rebalanced edition of the arcade classic complete with widescreen aspect ratio and new in-game mechanics. From these early details, it seems that this 2022 release will be similar to the Xbox 360 port, released by Rising Star Games back in 2011. While there is no official word of a western localization, City Connection ?has noted that the release will support multiple languages, including English, French, and Spanish.

Aka??i Katana Shin launches December 15 on PS4, Xbox One??, and Nintendo Switch.

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PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch ports revealed

Red Art Games has announced that frenetic, bullet hell shmup Shinorubi will launch on PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch platforms in early 2023, alongside the official release of the PC edition �which is currently available via Steam Early Access.

Shinorubi spins a tale of a precious mineral, known as "R-R." This mineral, which grants incredible power and longevity, has been greedily hoarded for over a thousand years by the aristocratic BAÄA family and its ruler, King R.LOYD III. However, legend tells of a coming solstice that will afford the opportunity to topple the rule of BAÄA, and, with the fateful day approaching, eight rebellious members of the king's own army plan to wrest the powe??r from the family's grasp, once and for all.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEBPGROX3UY

The first title from shmup-lovin' studio Last Boss 88, Shinorubi is a vertically scrolling danmaku that hopes to put even the most veteran bullet hell fans to the test. Offering up eight unique characters �each with their own distinct playstyle �players will blast their way through waves of enemy vessels before squaring off against the king's own private army of generals, led by his ruthless daughter, Nemesis. Shinorubi will offer up multiple diffi??culty settings, an array of arrange modes, and 4K/120fps visuals on PS5 and Xbox Series X.

Shinorubi launches in early 2023 on PlayStation, PC, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch platforms. It is available right now on Steam Early Access. Physical editions are currently in the works, w??ith details to follow at a later date.

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The Scales of War

We're looking to the skies once again, retro gaming fans, as Hamster has released another sky-blasting shmup to its ever-expanding Arcade Archives range. It's Namco sequel Dragon Saber, now available to download on PS4 and Nintendo Switch.

Released into arcades in 1990, Dragon Saber is the follow-up to 1987's fantasy-themed blaster Dragon Spirit, and once again sees dragon-riding heroes take to the skies to battle armies of strange, invading creatures. As Huey and Siria, one or two players can jump into all-new simultaneous co-op action, which should give you a bit of balance against the hundreds of enemies and end-of-level guardians. In addition, Dragon Saber features a selection of new power-ups, along with a continuation of the game's lore, which was something of a novelty in ??the shmup genre at the time.

Unlike its predecessor, Dragon Saber did not receive a wide range of ports, only coming home in the form of a lone PC Engine edition. Aside from appearances on Namco's previous compilations, this Arcade Archives release represents the first global release of the sequel in some years. Dragon Saber is available to downloa?d now on ??PS4 and Nintendo Switch, priced at around $8.

You can check out the button-punching action in the video below, courtesy of YouTuber World of Longplays.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Po0x3MLt2ns

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What's Shmup, Doc?

It's c-c-c-cute-'em-up time in the Arcade Archives! This week's offering from the retro lovers over at Hamster Corporation is certainly something of shmup oddity: Bally Midway's Rabio Lepus, which is available to download righ??t now on PS4 and Nintendo Sw??itch.

Launching in the coin-op market in 1987, Rabio Lepus (also known in international territories as Rabbit Punch) is an early entry in the cute-'em-up subgenre and is considered an early precursor to Midway's highly popular '90s franchise Sonic Wings. Rabio Lepus is a high-fantasy adventure that sees two robo-rabbit vessels, (the titular "Rabio? & Lepus"), jet into battle on a brave mission to rescue the land's ruler, King Kitashirakawa, and his two bunny girl daughters, Komomo & Kotomi, from a nefarious alien force.

Check out the adorable rescue mission in the video below, courtesy of YouTuber ShiryuGL.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyFp3CwZqcg

Like most titles in the genre, Rabbit Punch features large, colorful sprites battlings on equally colorful sci-fi horizons, taking on wave after wave of non-sequitur enemies including golem warriors, metallic cats, demonic elements, and giant demon head with a worm for a tongue. As you might have noticed, this entry isn't quite as cartoonish as Konami's Parodius or NMK's Hacha Mecha Fighter, but i??t still holds its own in the field of odd design. The international edition of the ?game removes the bunny girl princesses entirely. Spoilsports.

Rabio Lepus would find its way onto the home market in the form of 1990 PC Engine revamp Rabio Lepus Special, which sports expanded gameplay, new modes, enemies, and weapons. When Bally Midway's Sonic Wings series finally took flight, our long-eared heroes,? (and the princesses), were not forgotten, making several ??cameo appearances in tribute to the franchise's humble origins.

Rabio Lepus is ava?ilable to download n??ow on PS4 and Nintendo Switch, priced at around $8.

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Can't you take a Yoke?

Still on its Namco kick, the retro fun factory that is Hamster Corporation is offering up something a little special for this week's release, as the under-the-radar but surprisingly groundbreaking Thunder Ceptor is available to dow?nload right now on PS4 and Nintendo Switch.

Originally released to the arcade market in the summer of 1986, Thunder Ceptor is an into-the-screen rail shooter with shmup elements and a hyper-futuristic aesthetic. Developed and released by Namco as something as an answer to smash hit Space Harrier, the game features the fast-paced, into-the-screen shmup action as the Sega classic, complete with dazzling colors and incredibly fast-paced galactic gameplay. Check out the action in the video below, courtesy of YouTuber SidRetron.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iv4nRyFUNJA

At the time, Thunder Ceptor was by far Namco's most technically advanced and resource-heavy release yet, and is also the first-ever video game to feature a 360-degree yoke controller. Like Space Harrier, Namco's offering also boasted an impressive sit-in arcade cabinet. Not content with this all this extravagance, Namco would offer up revamp-cum-sequel 3D Thunder Ceptor II later that same year, which added stereoscopic 3D visual?s to allow for further immersion and/or headaches.

Surprisingly, however, Thunder Ceptor has not seen the same level of celebration as many of? Namco's other releases, having been frequently left off?? of multiple retro compilations, leaving the 3D shmup to fall between the cracks of the company's long-term history. While not as slick or as polished as its inspiration, the pretender still brought a few cool tricks to the arcade dance hall, and its resurrection through the Arcade Archives range has been a long time coming.

Thunder Ceptor is available to download on PS4 and Nintendo Switch now.

The post Lost Namco release Thund??er Ceptor hits the Arcade Archives appeared first on Destructoid.

The Shmupiest Place on Earth

A few days ago, our own Noelle Warner shared a piece that rejoiced in her newfound obsession with video game genre mash-ups. While experimenting with genre combinations has long been a celebrated tradition of this industry, there is something about the mashups we’ve seen in recent years that sets them apart from those that emerged in the infancy and adolescence of this medium. Neon White is easily the current poster child for the practice, but past titles like Crypt of the NecroDancer, Battle Chef Brigade, and Yoku’s Island Express show w??hat’s possible when you really think outside ??the box.

Yurukill: The Calumniation Games is yet another wild combination of two genres,? taking age-old shoot ‘em up gameplay and pairing it with the currently popular escape room narrative adventures. It’s a unique mashup for sure, but are these two tastes too different to taste great together?

Yurukill: The Calumniation Games (Nintendo Switch [reviewed], PC, PS4, PS5)
Developer: IzanagiGames, Inc., G.Rev
Publisher: NIS America
Released: July 5, 2022 (Console), July 8, 2022 (PC)
MSRP: $39.99 (Digital), $49.99 (Physical)

Dark and deadly games of survival have been a particular favorite of mine since I first escaped a flooding cabin room on the Gigantic back in 2010. There is just something about the escape room genre that always hooks me in, something that Yurukill: The Calumniation Games immediately taps into with its sinister setup. Five teams of strangers, each made up of at least one Prisoner and one Executioner, h?ave been b?rought to the hauntingly extravagant theme park Yurukill Land to play a little game. The Prisoners are people who’ve been found guilty of a heinous crime, while the Executioners are those who have some sort of connection to those misdeeds. Each Prisoner swears they’re innocent, and across the game’s several chapters, you’ll have to find the necessary evidence hidden throughout a series of escape rooms to prove that to their Executioner.

These escape rooms make up the various at?tractions teams will encounter during their visit to Yurukill Land. They're designed to dig into the characters' past and do so in a pretty predictable manner. Guiding the teams along the way is Binko, a kitsune-mask-wearing weirdo who seems like she could use an assi??stant. The goal for each of these teams is to be the last one standing, which will give the Prisoners a chance at freedom while the winning Executioner will get one of their wishes granted. Prisoners stuck on a losing team are sent back to the pokey, provided they actually survive their visit to the island. Not only can a Prisoner die trying to make it through their attraction, but each Executioner has access to a button that can instantly kill their convict companion.

The main protagonists of Yurukill are the Mass Murderers, made of up Prisoner Sengoku Shunju and Executioner Rina Azima. While you will temporarily take control of the four other teams (Crafty Killers, Death Dealing Duo, Sly Stalkers, and Peeping Toms, the intermission jesters of the game), there is an overarching storyline about Sengoku’s case that drives the narrative forward. Sengoku swears he’s innocent, but unlike the others making the same claim, he has a note allegedly written by another Prisoner that says they’re the real culprit behind his assumed? crime.

But figuring out who that is will have to wait until Sengoku can prove to Rina that she should??n’t kill him, which is a two-part process. The first part is with the escape rooms they’ll explore. Each room or set of rooms is presented as a simple point-and-click image with just a few objects you’ll be able to interact with. To make it past the central door that blocks you from proceeding through the attractions, you'll have to solve a series of puzzles that reward you with pertinent evidence or clues to other puzzles in the attractions.

Alexis Rose would do well in these rooms

Unlike some of its contemporaries, the escape rooms of Yurukill rarely present any s?ort of challenge. I was able to solve most puzzles in a matter of seconds, and those with ridiculously obtuse solutions could be figure?d out using one or two of the hints the game makes available. Equally as easy are the Maji-kill Time segments. You’ll face these just a few times throughout the game and they’re supposed to be high-pressure interrogations between Prisoner and Executioner where one wrong answer triggers that dreaded Game Over screen. In reality, they’re more a nuisance meant to pad out these escape rooms that are already pretty padded with character dialogue.

While I’d argue there are a few too many unnecessary discussions explaining how you figured out the solution to the puzzle you just solved, the dialo?gue between team members is easily a highlight of these escape room portions. These characters are well-written outside of? Binko and her “bin-this�and “bin-that�schtick. I just wish the conversations between these characters, and the story as a whole, went a bit deeper into some of the dark themes they only lightly touch on.

The best games of the genre have no problem exploring ominous and somber subjects with almost unbearable attention paid to the most gruesome of details. Such an approach is meant to unsettle the player and further immerse them into the experience. While some of the themes explored throughout Yurukill are disquieting, the writers play it far too safe with the world they’ve created, wr??apping up most of the storylines with a nice littl??e bow.

The lack of anything sinister to get under your nerves undercuts the overall impact of the narrative, but at least players who do invest themselves in the story and character dialogue are rewarded for their efforts. If you can avoid just skimming through the story to get the “good parts,�you’ll be armed with pertinent information that’ll come in handy when you complete the?? escape rooms?? of each attraction and reach the Yurukill Judgement portion of the fun.

This is where the shmup gameplay comes into effect. Yurukill Judgement takes that classic bullet-hell excitement and mixes it with evidence presentation. The Judgements are divided up into several portions, including High-Speed Quizzes that test your basic knowledge of your team, Prejudice Synapses where you’ll present the correct eviden??ce to argue your side of the matter, and Mind Mazes where you’ll sum up everything you’ve likely figured out long before you stepped foot in your jet fighter cockpit.

Shoot 'em up, bang, bang

The quizzes and the mazes make up only a fraction of t??he Yurukill Judgements. Most of your time here will be spent surviving the bullet-hell gameplay that pits Prisoner against Executioner. Taking control of the Prisoner’s ship, you’ll make your way through three vertically scrolling shoot ‘em up levels, each capped off with a boss battle against your Executioner. Once you do enough damage to the Executioner’s ship, you’ll be able to access the Prejudice Synapse and Mind Maze, both of which put a pause on the bullet hell action so you can present your case. If you ma??ke a mistake in either of these segments, you’ll lose three lives. But that’s unlikely to happen. Just like with the escape room puzzles and Maji-kill Time, presenting evidence is pretty straightforward.

If there is one thing this game likes to do, it's reiterate every single fact you’ve learned?? throughout your investigation, all but guaranteeing that information is drilled into your head long bef?ore you reach the Yurukill Judgements.

Most of the lives I lost playing through Yurukill were stripped from me during some truly insane bullet hell segments. Before you start the game, you can choose between three different difficulties to best suit your capabilities. I went normal, which presented enough of a challenge for me in those later stages that had bullets firing from all directions. There is an easy mode if you just want to enjoy the story and a hard mode for more se?asoned shmup players.

As for the actual shoot ‘em up gameplay, it’s pretty good if largely repetitive. Because each Yurukill Judgement is broken up in the same way?? with the same small number of enemies, they do tend to blend together. Thankfully there is some variety in the ships. Each Prisoner has a unique ship that utilizes the auxiliary guns you pick up in distinct ways. On the Switch controller, you shoot by holding down the A or B button, and which button you choose dictates the action of these external guns. For instance, with Sengoku’s ship, pressing B will bring all your guns in tight for concentrated shooting. If you press the A button, your auxiliary guns will spread out, allowing you to cover more area.

While there isn’t much reason to return to the game’s narrative once you’ve completed it, you can access the bullet hell stages you’ve unlocked at any time should you want to engage in a little high-score chasing. There are online leaderboards to rank your? skills against the rest of the world and when going through Score Attack Mode, you’ll have access to all the Prisoner ships, allowing you to pick the one that works best for you. For me, it was Hanaka’s pretty ?pink ship and its auxiliary guns that follow wherever it goes.

If you’re wondering how smoothly these shoot ‘em up sections run on Switch, expect to hit a few bumps. The frame rate will slow to a crawl when you drop a bomb or take damage, but outside of thos?e moments, it keeps steady whether playing in handheld mode or docked to your television. You might also experience random slowdown during the narrative portions. Loading screens aren’t too bad, but trying to access the text history always makes it feel like the game is about to crash.

Speaking of crashes, I ran into an absolutely nasty visual bug during my very first Mind Maze that caused the screen to rapidly flash bright white lights for about two minutes before crashing the game. Not only was this particularly harsh with the Mind Maze segments already looking like Atari’s Star Wars on acid when everything works correctly, but the game d??oesn’t autosave in the shmup sections and it won’t allow you to manually save either.

Shockingly, this crazy experiment actually works

Trying to sell a game that’s half escape room, half bullet hell might sound like the basis for a joke article rejected by Hard Drive, but that’s exactly what IzanagiGames and G.Rev are attempting to do here. And I really have to applaud the effort for the final product to wind up as interesting as it is. The only problem is Yurukill never quite justifies why it's mashed up shoot ‘em up action with escape room puzzles. Because this isn’t some sort of natural combination of genres, like Puzzle Quest and its mix of match-3 puzzle gameplay and role-playing mechanics. Despite the overarching task of proving your innocence that’s spread between the two gameplay halves, the escape room segments and the shmup segments are very much independent of one another and there is nothing that binds them outside of the idea that’s just how things work around?? here.

And yet, you really can’t separate them because Yurukill: The Calumniation Games is greater than the sum of its parts. The bullet hell sections are fun and challenging if a bit drab in design and variety while the escape room sections have good character interactions but are far too simple and tame for what you mi??ght expect in a game about an amusement park where people can be murdered with the push of a button. Tear them apart and you get two substandard games that likely wouldn’t be worth anybody’s time. Keep them together, however, and you’ve got a one-of-a-kind experience that’s worth checking out.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: Yurukill: The Calumniation Games appeared first on Destructoid.

Not THAT Amaterasu

Something long forgotten has been pulled from Hamster Corp's big bag 'o' retro games this week, as the Arcade Archives range has been bolstered with the addition of Nichibutsu's classic shmup Soldier Girl Amazon, now available to download on Nintendo Switch.

Released to arcades in 1986, Soldier Girl Amazon, (also known as Holy Warrior Amaterasu and, simply, Amazon), is a top-down shooter that is incredibly reminiscent of titles such as SNK's Ikari Warriors and Capcom's Commando and Gun.Smoke. Albeit with an odd fantasy/sci-fi/r??eal-world angle. In fact, it makes for a pretty strange pairing as our hero, the beautiful sun goddess Amaterasu, wields her magic sword and shield against an army of monsters, aliens, and... erm... army dudes?

Check out her holiness in action below, courtesy of this trailer from Hamster Corporation itself.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgmZLLG8vcs

Our hero battles her way through eight vertically scrolling stages, taking down a vast array of colorful enemies as well as some surprisingly creepy boss guardians. Amaterasu can gather multiple power-ups to increase her weapon's effectiveness, and can even mount a Space Motorcycle, which hilarious goes at almost the exact same speed as when she is merely walking. Worth checking out for fans of the top-shooter genre. It should also be noted that Soldier Girl Amazon has already been released on PS4 previously.

Soldier Girl Amazon is available n??ow on Nintendo S??witch, priced at around $8.

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