Bloody Wolf

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Bloody Wolf
Screenshot of Bloody Wolf. (Snake appears to the left; Eagle to the right)
Developer(s)	Data East
Publisher(s)	Data East
Designer(s)	Yoshiaki Honda
Release date(s)	1988 (Arcade)
Genre(s)	Run and gun
Mode(s)	Single player, 2-player
Platform(s)	Arcade Game
Input	8-way Joystick, 3 Buttons
Arcade cabinet	Horizontal
Arcade CPU(s)	HuC6280
Arcade sound system(s)	Sound CPU : HuC6280 Sound Chips : YM2203, MSM5205, HuC6280
Arcade display	Raster, 256 x 232 pixels, 512 colors

Bloody Wolf, known in Japan as Narazumo Sentou Butai: Bloody Wolf (translates from Japanese as "Ruffian Combat Force: Bloody Wolf") and Battle Rangers in Europe, is a run and gun arcade game released by Data East in 1988. Two commandos take on an entire army with many weapons, and defeat bosses to advance levels. This game was quite notorious for its poor translation, or Engrish.

1 Story
2 Gameplay
3 Ports
4 References

[edit] Story

Two commandos of the Bloody Wolf special forces receive instructions from their commander to destroy the enemy's weapon base and rescue any allies who have been reported as Missing in Action.

[edit] Gameplay

The game uses an overhead-view and employs a multi-directional attack method similar to many other arcade games of the run and gun genre, including Guerilla War, Ikari Warriors and Mercs.

Allowing up to two players to play simultaneously, once players create their own codename using up to three initials, they receive a quick mission briefing before the mission ensues. Players automatically begin the game with a machine gun containing unlimited ammo and a knife used exclusively for close quarters combat. The mission's levels are separated into "scenes" and usually consist of one or more players running through various terrain, attacking hordes of enemy soldiers, and reaching the end of the stage to battle a boss. Amidst all the action, players have the option to rescue various hostages scattered throughout the levels to obtain new weapons or items.

[edit] Levels

Players progress through several "scenes," each ending with their own bosses.

Scene 1: Town
Scene 2: Jungle
Scene 3: River
Scene 4: Cliff
Scene 5: Base
Scene 6: Marsh
Scene 7: Detention Camp

[edit] Enemies

Enemies in the game attack in a manner that corresponds to the weapon they carry and their uniform color.

Soldier Types:

Green Soldiers: Typical enemy soldier. Attack with a rifle and grenades. Sometimes descend from the sky with a parachute.
Red Soldiers: Basically the same as Green Soldiers except they constantly charge at the player with their bayonets.
Blue Soldiers: Utilize their machine guns to employ rapid-fire attacks.
Yellow Soldiers: Strapped with explosives and willing to die for a cause, these deadly soldiers flash yellow and self-detonate upon contact with anything.

Player battling Green Soldiers

Armored Soldiers: Most bullets do little to penetrate their tough exterior. The knife on the other hand can penetrate the armor and kill the soldier.
Scuba Soldiers: Crafty swimmers who emerge from underwater for an aggressive assault.

[1]

[edit] Weapons

Throughout their mission, players may receive various weapons from rescued hostages, which will replace their Machine Gun until ammo runs out or the player dies.

Machine Gun: Initial weapon. Unlimited Ammo.
Knife: Always equipped and automatically used when player attacks an enemy at close range. Several parts of the game, such as the river raft ride in Scenario 3: River, limit the player to using only this weapon.
Gun: Basically a shotgun. Shots spread to hit multiple targets.
Bazooka: Destructive weapon that usually destroys targets with one hit.
Grenade: 20 initially equipped. Inflicts massive damage to most enemies and bosses.
Flash Bomb: Temporarily immobilizes enemies with a blinding flash.

[2]

[edit] Items

Players can use a multitude of items, which aid them with the different aspects of game play. Items can be obtained by either destroying crates, unlocking crates, or rescuing hostages who reward the player with the item.

Key: Allows player to open locked crates.
Infra-red Scope: Once obtained, infrared beams become visible in any surrounding area.
Fins: Players move through water faster.
Rosary: Capable of granting its carrier brief invincibility.
Body Armor: Reduces damage by enemies to its wearer.
Food: Slightly restores health.
Medicine: Fully restores health.

[3]

[edit] Ports

The game was ported to the Turbografx-16 in 1990 by publisher Turbo Technologies, Inc. after Data East had completed its development. The Turbografx-16 version retains much of the same gameplay elements, level designs, enemies, and items as the arcade version.

(To see a sample of gameplay footage, click here: [4])

Differences Between the Arcade and Turbografx-16 Versions

Player Names: Both versions allow the players to create their own codenames as a name entry. However, the default codenames of the two commandos in the Turbografx-16 version are Eagle and Snake (not to be confused with Solid Snake), respectively.
Number of Players: The arcade version allows up to two players to play whereas its Turbografx-16 counterpart offers only a single-player mode with the option to play as either Snake or Eagle.
Levels: The Turbografx-16 version contains one additional level, making its total to eight.
Mission Objective: The mission briefing in the Turbografx-16 port differs slighty by attempting to provide some type of backstory and changing the scenario. The player receives information that the enemy has kidnapped the President and the mission is to rescue him.
Dialogue: Interaction between the player and hostages generates much more dialogue in the Turbografx-16 version.