Soldier Blade
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| Developer(s) | Hudson Soft |
| Publisher(s) | Hudson Soft |
| Platform(s) | TurboGrafx-16, PlayStation Network, Virtual Console |
| Release date(s) | TurboGrafx-16 1992 Virtual Console:
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| Genre(s) | Scrolling shooter |
Soldier Blade is a scrolling shooter video game released for the TurboGrafx-16 system (known as the PC Engine in Japan). It is the fourth game in the Star Soldier series and the last one for TurboGrafx-16. The player pilots the Soldier Blade fighter against the Zeograd Army, aliens bent on conquering Earth.
It is one of the games in the Star Soldier series that are available for the Nintendo Wii's Virtual Console, along with Star Soldier, Super Star Soldier, Final Soldier and Star Parodier. This particular game has also been re-released on the PlayStation Network and on the iPhone.
This game features 7 operations (stages) to play as well as a 2 minute and 5 minute challenge mode.
Story
It is the 21st century. The progress of science and civilization progress remarkably. However, the resources of Earth require more supplements as the global environment is slowly dying. The nations of Earth initiate the Star Light Plan which will search space for additional resources; a large Warp-Drive gate capable of sending multiple spaceships into other solar systems is developed for the project. The resource investigation fleet was equipped with six Security Corps and 5000 military and research personnel.
However, four months later, communication suddenly ceases between the investigation team and Earth. Three nights followed... and suddenly, the resource investigation team returns. However, their ships were severely damaged by an alien space military called the Zeograd Army. Earth’s armies retaliate, but fail with every attempt and the Zeograd take control of Earth's Warp-Gate. Soon a lone scientist named John Howard develops a space fighter called the Soldier Blade V.92 based on his research on the Zeograd. The ship was bought out by the SIA (Special Interception Airforce) and was readied to combat the Zeograd Army.
Gameplay
Soldier Blade plays similarly to many Hudson Soft vertical scrolling Shooters: players control the title ship through seven stages, each one having a mid and end-level boss collecting power-ups as they progress. Like Super Star Soldier and Blazing Lazers, the Soldier Blade could take multiple enemy hits only depending on how many power-ups the player collected. Before every power-up collection the ship was vulnerable to one hit, but after collecting three power-ups, the ship could take three hits, each hit degrading the ship's weapon power by one level. The ship has three weapons to choose from as well as a single Option, a robot that provided additional firepower.
Soldier Blade's weapon system was unique in that every weapon the player would pick-up, the previous weapon would be stocked as a Special Weapon. The Special Weapon attack was different depending on the particular weapon. The Red Weapon Special would make the ship's robot temporarily invulnerable, the Green Weapon Special would send out a homing energy blast while the Blue Weapon Special unleashed an enormous laser beam. Collecting a Weapon pick-up of the same color once the weapon in-use was fully upgraded results in a large explosion that clears the screen of smaller enemies and attacks.
Players could obtain extra lives by amassing points but once the player loses all their lives the game is over. An option to start the stage in the beginning is available. In addition, Soldier Blade also offers a Score Attack Mode where players can select a two to five minute long game based entirely on earning a high score.
External links
- Soldier Blade on Nintendolife.com Virtual Console
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