Forgotten Worlds

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Forgotten Worlds

Developer(s) Capcom
Publisher(s) Capcom
Platform(s) Arcade, Amiga (1988), C64 (1989), TurboDuo (1992) [Super CD-ROM2], Sega Mega Drive/Genesis (1989), ZX Spectrum (1989), Amstrad CPC (1989), Sega Master System (1991), Virtual Console
Release date July 1988-1992
Genre(s) Horizontal scrolling shooter
Mode(s) Up to two players, simultaneously
Input methods 8-way Joystick, push-down optical rotary dial
Arcade system CPS-1
Display Standard resolution (Used: 384 x 224)

Forgotten Worlds (Lost Worlds in Japan) is a horizontal scrolling shooter arcade game created in 1988 by Capcom, and is the first game to run on the Capcom Play System Hardware. The game was later ported to several home video game consoles; all the Sega ported versions were reprogrammed by Sega during release. It was released on the Mega Drive / Genesis in 1989, the Master System in 1991, and on the Turbo Duo in 1992. Of the three versions only the Genesis version offered two player simultaneous play, while the Turbo Duo version was, in many ways, closer to the arcade graphics-wise thanks to the increased memory of the CD medium. Though the Turbo Duo version lacked the parallax scrolling that the MegaDrive/ Genesis and arcade versions had.

Contents

[edit] Story

There was no actual names given in the game for any of the versions, all characters were referred to very generically. The marines did not have any names other than being known as "Superior Warriors" in the ending. The blue warrior was seen again in Marvel vs Capcom (arcade and multi-console), and in Capcom vs SNK Card Fighter's Clash on the Neo Geo Pocket System. In Marvel vs Capcom he is referred to as "The Unknown Soldier". The main enemy boss was just referred to as "evil one", although the instruction booklets of many home conversions refer to him as an alien lord named "Bios". The girl in the store is also the one praising the victory at the end of the game.

[edit] Gameplay

Forgotten Worlds is a two player game featuring a red and blue flying marines battling aliens accompanied by a floating satellite. Enemies would drop money called Zennies which you can use to upgrade your weapons and satellites in the store.

The game is similar to most shooters except the marines can rotate in a 360 degree angle allowing you to fire on all sides. The arcade original feautred both a joystick and an analog dial wheel. The wheel allow the guns and satellites to be positioned to any degrees quickly. For the ports that use a regular gamepad, a button is held to rotate the marines.

[edit] Bosses

The game features various bosses, fought at the end of each level. The boss names can be seen via the newspaper item that appears at the shop of each level.

  • The first boss is the Paramecium. Its only attacks are to summon pieces of rubble that act as a revolving shield and to create flying miniature versions of itself.
  • The second boss is the Dust Dragon (one of the creatures seen in the intro). It appears to already be fatally injured. One of its attacks consists of jutting its rib-cage out to skewer you. If you shoot the dragon's stomach it will reveal a heart, which must be destroyed to defeat the boss.
  • The third boss is the God Of War. It is roughly 3-4 screens tall. It can only be damaged when all parts of its armor are destroyed. One of his main attacks consist of a punch sweeping in from both the left and right sides of the screen.
  • The fourth boss is the Egyptian God, Ra (called "Rah" In the game). It is a large statue of a man with the head of a bird, attached to a large flying vessel. He can summon various traps to damage the player, and he can only be damaged when his head changes to an orb.
  • The fifth boss (and second Egyptian boss) is the Pharaoh. It appears to be the head of a small golden sphinx. Its head will fly off and attack the player. When destroyed, a large gold-headed centipede will come out of it.
  • The sixth boss is called Tutskanny, a flying tomb. When a certain amount of damage is done to it, the tomb will temporarily shatter, revealing its heart for a short period of time for you to attack which is the only way to actually damage this boss. The tomb pieces reunite and this cycle continues until he is defeated. Does not appear in the Megadrive port.
  • The seventh boss is the Ice Man. A large frozen head with various icicles surrounding him. When damage accumulates on each icicle, they begin to break. On an interesting note, this boss is completely immune to laser-type damage, making him difficult if you are using any laser satellites.
  • The eighth bosses are the Gods of Thunder & Wind. They resemble a pair of giant wrestlers, one blue, while the other is red. Their attacks occur tandemly. Either a flying jump kick or an electric field generated between the two of them. They are clearly based on Raiga and Fūga from Fist of the North Star. They do not appear in the Megadrive port.
  • The final boss is named Bios. He is a large, blue, winged demonic angel with furry legs. He has various attacks including a series of blue homing lasers which are very difficult to avoid.

[edit] Home Translations

  • The Mega Drive/Genesis version of Forgotten Worlds cut the sixth and eighth stages in order to fit the game in a 4-Meg cartridge.
  • The Japanese TurboDuo version of Forgotten Worlds included an Avenue Pad 3-button controller in order to be like the arcade original.
  • Mega Drive/Genesis version also has many incorrect English sentences (See : Engrish) , while Master System version has no errors at all.

[edit] Cameos

Forgotten Worlds is one of the more prolific of Capcom's titles when it comes to crossing over into other games. Known appearances of characters and themes from the title appearing in other games are detailed below.

  • Player 1 was available as a helper character in Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes under the name "Unknown Soldier". Additionally, the Gods of Thunder and Wind and the King of Gods appear in the background of one of the stages.
  • Both Players, as well as Sylphie the Shopkeeper, are playable characters in Namco x Capcom. In the game, Sylphie uses weapons and items from many different classic Capcom games, and has the ability to change into costumes of various Capcom characters and use their attacks (notably, Makoto from Street Fighter III, Michelle Heart from Legendary Wings, Linn Kurosawa from Alien vs. Predator, and Mai-Ling from Red Earth). Additionally, the Dust Dragon boss appears in two stages as background decoration (explained in-game as being brought over into these stages by the time-space distortions). The shop music is also featured in the game. Additionally, the ending reveals that the game takes place in between the second and the third stage of Forgotten World, as one of the Players mentioned that their next battle will be against the War God.
  • In SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters Clash for the Neo Geo Pocket Color, there is an amusement center in the game called Lost World. It features a large Dust Dragon statue, numerous weapons from the game behind display cases, and the music from the first stage. Also, a card shop can be accessed on the upper-right corner of the building. The shop keeper is Sylphie, and while browsing her cards it plays the shop music.
  • The War God appears in Guy's ending in Capcom Fighting Evolution.
  • Later Mega Man games such as Mega Man Legends and Mega Man Star Force would use the Zenny as in-game currency.

[edit] Trivia

  • The Player 2 character makes an appearance as a thug in Final Fight under the name "Two P.".[1]
  • The arcade version will demonstrate all 11 weapons in the demo if no coins are inserted.
  • In some American computer versions, the plot takes place in a city called Dust World. Also, the Master System version's manual states that Dust World is none other than Earth. The characters refer to coming from Dust World in Namco x Capcom.
  • Some of the home computer versions require debug modes or cheats to enable a 2 player game.
  • Sylphie is named Lucia in the Master System version and looks much more mature.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

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