Arrow Flash
| Arrow Flash | |
|---|---|
 European cover art | |
| Developer(s) | Sega |
| Publisher(s) |
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| Artist(s) | Takashi Akaishizawa[1] |
| Platform(s) | Sega Mega Drive/Genesis |
| Release date(s) | |
| Genre(s) | Scrolling shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
| Distribution | 4-megabit cartridge |
Arrow Flash is a horizontal scrolling shooter video game developed by Sega and released by Renovation Products in the United States and by Sega in Japan (and Europe) in 1990 for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis.
Main character Zana Keene (Anna Schwinn in the European release)[2] commandeers a prototype transformable fighter-mecha left from her grandfather to fight against an alien attack force known as the Great Golems attacking humankind. The game is mostly a horizontal shooter, with one down scrolling stage.
Plot
The game has a few references to Gundam. In the 5th stage, robots looking like upper half of Jegan can be seen as enemies. Also the name "RMS-106" can be seen at the ending credits. RMS-106 is the model number of Mobile Suit Hi-Zack. Another reference is that in the intro movie, the pilot resembles Kamille Bidan from mobile suit Zeta Gundam. The game also has references to Macross. In the intro movie, the ship is launched through a docking bay similar to the ones used in the anime.
Gameplay
Like many scrolling shooters, the player initially has a basic shot, which can be upgraded and/or exchanged for different weapons, as well as gain smaller ships that follow the player's ship around and copy its attacks. As is usual, these powerups are distributed throughout the levels, and are lost entirely when the player loses a life.
Two additional mechanics differentiate Arrow Flash from similar scrolling shooters, one of which is that the ability to transform the player's ship. The two forms available are a humanoid mecha form and a typical jet form. The player's weapons change depending on the form. The jet form only shoots forward but intensely, while the mecha form can fire diagonally and sometimes even from the back; helper ships mimic the jet's actions but stay in a fixed formation behind the mecha. The jet form is also faster than the mecha, but both can be killed by only one hit unless the player picks up an energy shield which can sustain three hits. The game's titular "Arrow Flash" is a highly powerful attack for each form; the jet fires five large blasts forward, while the mecha form becomes engulfed in flame, rendering it immune to attack for a short while. Depending on the options set at the start of the game, arrow flashes are either required to be charged up with unlimited use or collected out on the field with no charge time.
Reception
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References
- ↑ Gaming Sanctuary: Arrow Flash. Retrieved on 15 October 2008.
- ↑ Zone Sega: European covers. Retrieved on 21 February 2008.
- ↑ Mega rating, issue 9, page 23, Future Publishing, June 1993