My Played Video Games Review: Arrow Flash for the Sega Genesis
Arrow Flash is a horizontal scrolling shooter video game developed by Sega of Japan for the Sega Mega Drive in Asia and Europe. It was published by Renovation Products in the U.S.A for the Sega Genesis in 1990.
This was one of the first 16-bit graphics shooter I played. I was mildly surprised it was not as difficult as the shooters on the Nintendo NES.
The Story
In the year 3000, Space Viking terrorists, led by the Great Hilagi, are plundering and destroying worlds throughout the Galaxy. Earth is their next target.
Zana Keene, trained as a test pilot at the United Government Military Academy, was given access by her dying scientist grandfather to the "Chameleon" ERX-75. A space fighter capable of combat in Nether Space, and of transforming itself into a robot. In order to save the Earth from the vicious Space Vikings.
The Graphics and Sound
The backgrounds are a mix of average and nice. Half of the levels are just black space with a few stars. Later, the game takes you through cool-looking skyscapes.
The enemies are not very colorful and awesome-looking as is the norm in space shooters. Your fighter spaceship has a decent white and blue design. The bosses have good designs too.
The sound effects are weird, but they never get to be annoying. The music is almost strange too. Although some of the music can be interesting and catchy, most of it is just average 1980's keyboard synthesizer shooter music.
The Gameplay
Your ship can select between 2 forms anywhere during the game. One is the fighter spaceship mode and the other is the robot mode. You got special moves called Arrow Flashes. In ship mode, an Arrow Flash fires a barrage of lasers in an arrow formation. In robot mode, it activates a force field that makes you indestructible and allows you to burn enemies for a few seconds.
You can choose 2 Arrow Flash styles: one mode has it so you can collect up to 16 from power-up icons, and the other mode is where you fire them by holding down the special button for 3 to 5 seconds before release). There are also a few special weapons to get during the game.
You can choose up to 7 lives in a game and even choose between rapid or manual shooting! You continue at the exact point you were in when losing a life. There are only 6 stages, but it is not too bad.
Most of the normal enemies are boring but the bosses are fun to beat.
The replay value is good. You may want to play the game again depending on the number of lives you start with or how you use the Arrow Flashes.
My Verdict
Arrow Flash is a decent space shooter. It has a unique style that is never done again in other succeeding shooters. Although a better variety of enemies would have made this a better game for sure. I still recommend this game to any retro game space shooter fans.
Go play this one on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive or on emulators.