Difference between revisions of "Battle Squadron"

From Sega Retro

(added credits)
(expanded, need final boss but my emulator is flaking)
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| otherformats={{NonSega|Amiga}}
 
| otherformats={{NonSega|Amiga}}
 
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{{stub}}'''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is a 1990 shoot-'em-up developed by [[Innerprise Software Inc]] and published by [[Electronic Arts]] exclusively in the US and Europe for the [[Sega Mega Drive]] and Commodore Amiga. There are certain differences between the Amiga and [[Sega Mega Drive]] release.
+
'''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is a 1990 shoot-'em-up developed by [[Innerprise Software Inc]] and published by [[Electronic Arts]] exclusively in the US and Europe for the [[Sega Mega Drive]] and the [[Commodore Amiga]].
  
 
==Story==
 
==Story==
 +
{{ScreenThumb|Battle Squadron, Introduction.png|width=200|Commander Mayers and Commander Bergin}}
 
The alien Barrax Empire has been at war with Earth for centuries to gain control over the Universe. While returning from a mission to destroy all Barrax on Planet Urainia while gathering information on the empire's fleets, Commander Barry D. Mayers and Commander Lori Bergin were taken hostage by a Barrax nova cruiser, their last transmission mentioning something about being able to turn invisible for a short period of time. The mission is to rescue them.
 
The alien Barrax Empire has been at war with Earth for centuries to gain control over the Universe. While returning from a mission to destroy all Barrax on Planet Urainia while gathering information on the empire's fleets, Commander Barry D. Mayers and Commander Lori Bergin were taken hostage by a Barrax nova cruiser, their last transmission mentioning something about being able to turn invisible for a short period of time. The mission is to rescue them.
  
 
==Gameplay==
 
==Gameplay==
−
{{A}} and {{C}} shoot; with a rather slow rapidfire ability. {{B}} drops a missile which destroys enemies within a radius of your ship (there is a limited stock of missiles).
+
The game is a vertically scrolling shoot-'em-up played from the perspective of elite fighter pilots of the Earth Defense Fleet, known as the Battle Squadron. It can be played by two players simultaneously. The fighters are moved in any direction using the D-Pad. The playfield is wider than the viewable area, so the screen pans when the fighter is at the edge. Their main weapons are fired with {{A}} or {{C}} (either of which can be held for continuous fire, though it is slower than pressing the button repeatedly) and have unlimited ammunition. Weapons can be changed or upgraded by collecting power-ups. Fighters also have a finite number of Nova Smart Bombs, which are deployed with {{B}} and destroy enemies and projectiles within a radius of the ship.
−
The game offers four standard weapons:
 
−
*red: wide spreadshot, front only
 
−
*green: narrow spreadshot, front only
 
−
*blue: front and backwards shot
 
−
*orange: 5 way spreadshot
 
  
−
Unusual for the genre, the game has an overworld and three lower sections that can be entered through craters. Each of these have to be cleared to reach the final boss. Ignoring all craters makes the overworld restart from the beginning.
+
The fighters are destroyed if they are hit by enemy fire but respawn after a moment if the player has extra lives remaining. The player's weapon is downgraded two levels after losing a ship. The game ends if the player runs out of lives, but it can be continued if the player has credits remaining.
 +
 
 +
Players can choose the starting lives and credits. Instead of difficulty levels, players can set the maximum number of enemy bullets and the enemy bullet speed.
 +
 
 +
===Weapons===
 +
{{InfoTable|imagewidths=320|
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Red Magnetic Torps
 +
| screenshot=Battle Squadron, Weapons, Red.png
 +
| desc=Fires a wide spreadshot in front of the fighter.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Blue Anti-Matter Particle Beam
 +
| screenshot=Battle Squadron, Weapons, Blue.png
 +
| desc=Fires in a narrow area in the front and back of the fighter.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Orange Magma Wave
 +
| screenshot=Battle Squadron, Weapons, Orange.png
 +
| desc=Fires in front of the fighter as well as towards the sides.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Green Emerald Laser
 +
| screenshot=Battle Squadron, Weapons, Green.png
 +
| desc=Fires lasers in front that spread out when upgraded.
 +
}}
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
===Items===
 +
{{InfoTable|imagewidths=50|
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Barraxian Artillery Gunship
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Battle Squadron, Items.png | 2 | crop_width=32 | crop_height=48 | crop_x=32 | crop_y=0}}
 +
| desc=Destroy to release a weapon power-up.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=X Capsule
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Battle Squadron, Items.png | 2 | crop_width=64 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=0 | crop_y=48}}
 +
| desc=Cycles through four colors (red, blue, orange, and green). Equips the corresponding weapon or upgrades (up to 5 levels) it if already equipped.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=M Capsule
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Battle Squadron, Items.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=16 | crop_y=0}}
 +
| desc=Adds another Nova Smart Bomb to the player's arsenal.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Barraxian Jewel Cache
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Battle Squadron, Items.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=0 | crop_y=0}}
 +
| desc=Worth 1,000 points at the end of the stage.
 +
}}
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
===Stages===
 +
{{InfoTable|imagewidths=320|
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Overworld
 +
| screenshot=Battle Squadron, Stage 1.png
 +
| screenshot2=Notavailable.svg
 +
| tabs=yes
 +
| desc=Unusually for the genre, the game has an overworld with three lower sections that can be entered through craters. Players return to the overworld after completing one of the lower stages. The final boss appears in the overworld after clearing all of the other stages. Ignoring all the craters makes the overworld loop over from the beginning, so players can stay in the overworld to obtain power-ups before attempting one of the crater stages.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Stage 1
 +
| screenshot=Battle Squadron, Stage 2-1.png
 +
| screenshot2=Battle Squadron, Stage 2-1 Boss.png
 +
| screenshot3=Battle Squadron, Stage 2-2.png
 +
| screenshot4=Battle Squadron, Stage 2-2 Boss.png
 +
| tabs=yes
 +
| desc=
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Stage 2
 +
| screenshot=Battle Squadron, Stage 3-1.png
 +
| screenshot2=Battle Squadron, Stage 3-2.png
 +
| screenshot3=Battle Squadron, Stage 3-2 Boss.png
 +
| tabs=yes
 +
| desc=
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Stage 3
 +
| screenshot=Battle Squadron, Stage 4-1.png
 +
| screenshot2=Battle Squadron, Stage 4-2.png
 +
| screenshot3=Battle Squadron, Stage 4-2 Boss.png
 +
| tabs=yes
 +
| desc=
 +
}}
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
==History==
 +
===Legacy===
 +
A ''Battle Squadron II'' is teased in the ending. It was in development but was never released.
 +
 
 +
The game was later ported to [[iOS]] devices in 2011, to [[Android]] in 2012, and to [[Windows]], [[Mac OS X]], AmigaOS 4, and MorphOS in 2013.
  
 
==Versions==
 
==Versions==
−
*The Amiga version has a bit more varied background tiles and switches background colors more often
+
The [[Sega Mega Drive]] version runs faster and is harder. It has certain layers right in front of the screen, making it harder to see certain objects. The [[Amiga]] version has a bit more varied background tiles and switches background colors more often. It has an extra space background for the final boss
−
*The [[Sega Mega Drive]] version has certain layers right in front of the screen, making it harder to see certain objects
 
−
*The [[Sega Mega Drive]] version runs faster and is harder
 
−
*The Amiga version has an extra space background for the final boss
 
  
 
==Production credits==
 
==Production credits==

Revision as of 17:58, 24 March 2023

n/a

BattleSquadron MDTitleScreen.png

Battle Squadron
System(s): Sega Mega Drive
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer:
Genre: Shoot-'em-Up

















Number of players: 1-2
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Mega Drive
US 		$49.9549.95[2] 702701
Sega Mega Drive
EU 		E166SMXI
Sega Mega Drive
UK 		£39.9939.99[4][3] E166SMXI
Sega Mega Drive
AU
Sega Mega Drive
BR
Non-Sega versions

Battle Squadron is a 1990 shoot-'em-up developed by Innerprise Software Inc and published by Electronic Arts exclusively in the US and Europe for the Sega Mega Drive and the Commodore Amiga.

Story

Battle Squadron, Introduction.png

Commander Mayers and Commander Bergin

The alien Barrax Empire has been at war with Earth for centuries to gain control over the Universe. While returning from a mission to destroy all Barrax on Planet Urainia while gathering information on the empire's fleets, Commander Barry D. Mayers and Commander Lori Bergin were taken hostage by a Barrax nova cruiser, their last transmission mentioning something about being able to turn invisible for a short period of time. The mission is to rescue them.

Gameplay

The game is a vertically scrolling shoot-'em-up played from the perspective of elite fighter pilots of the Earth Defense Fleet, known as the Battle Squadron. It can be played by two players simultaneously. The fighters are moved in any direction using the D-Pad. The playfield is wider than the viewable area, so the screen pans when the fighter is at the edge. Their main weapons are fired with A or C (either of which can be held for continuous fire, though it is slower than pressing the button repeatedly) and have unlimited ammunition. Weapons can be changed or upgraded by collecting power-ups. Fighters also have a finite number of Nova Smart Bombs, which are deployed with B and destroy enemies and projectiles within a radius of the ship.

The fighters are destroyed if they are hit by enemy fire but respawn after a moment if the player has extra lives remaining. The player's weapon is downgraded two levels after losing a ship. The game ends if the player runs out of lives, but it can be continued if the player has credits remaining.

Players can choose the starting lives and credits. Instead of difficulty levels, players can set the maximum number of enemy bullets and the enemy bullet speed.

Weapons

Battle Squadron, Weapons, Red.png

Red Magnetic Torps
Fires a wide spreadshot in front of the fighter.

Battle Squadron, Weapons, Blue.png

Blue Anti-Matter Particle Beam
Fires in a narrow area in the front and back of the fighter.

Battle Squadron, Weapons, Orange.png

Orange Magma Wave
Fires in front of the fighter as well as towards the sides.

Battle Squadron, Weapons, Green.png

Green Emerald Laser
Fires lasers in front that spread out when upgraded.

Items

Battle Squadron, Items.png
 Barraxian Artillery Gunship
Destroy to release a weapon power-up.
Battle Squadron, Items.png
 X Capsule
Cycles through four colors (red, blue, orange, and green). Equips the corresponding weapon or upgrades (up to 5 levels) it if already equipped.
Battle Squadron, Items.png
 M Capsule
Adds another Nova Smart Bomb to the player's arsenal.
Battle Squadron, Items.png
 Barraxian Jewel Cache
Worth 1,000 points at the end of the stage.

Stages

Battle Squadron, Stage 1.png

Notavailable.svg

  • Battle Squadron, Stage 1.png

  • Notavailable.svg

Overworld
Unusually for the genre, the game has an overworld with three lower sections that can be entered through craters. Players return to the overworld after completing one of the lower stages. The final boss appears in the overworld after clearing all of the other stages. Ignoring all the craters makes the overworld loop over from the beginning, so players can stay in the overworld to obtain power-ups before attempting one of the crater stages.

Battle Squadron, Stage 2-1.png

Battle Squadron, Stage 2-1 Boss.png

Battle Squadron, Stage 2-2.png

Battle Squadron, Stage 2-2 Boss.png

  • Battle Squadron, Stage 2-1.png

  • Battle Squadron, Stage 2-1 Boss.png

  • Battle Squadron, Stage 2-2.png

  • Battle Squadron, Stage 2-2 Boss.png

Stage 1

Battle Squadron, Stage 3-1.png

Battle Squadron, Stage 3-2.png

Battle Squadron, Stage 3-2 Boss.png

  • Battle Squadron, Stage 3-1.png

  • Battle Squadron, Stage 3-2.png

  • Battle Squadron, Stage 3-2 Boss.png

Stage 2

Battle Squadron, Stage 4-1.png

Battle Squadron, Stage 4-2.png

Battle Squadron, Stage 4-2 Boss.png

  • Battle Squadron, Stage 4-1.png

  • Battle Squadron, Stage 4-2.png

  • Battle Squadron, Stage 4-2 Boss.png

Stage 3

History

Legacy

A Battle Squadron II is teased in the ending. It was in development but was never released.

The game was later ported to iOS devices in 2011, to Android in 2012, and to Windows, Mac OS X, AmigaOS 4, and MorphOS in 2013.

Versions

The Sega Mega Drive version runs faster and is harder. It has certain layers right in front of the screen, making it harder to see certain objects. The Amiga version has a bit more varied background tiles and switches background colors more often. It has an extra space background for the final boss

Production credits

  • Game Design: Torbin Larsen, Martin Pedersen
  • Game Graphics: Torbin Larsen
  • Programming: Martin Pedersen
  • Original Music and Sounds: Ron Klaren
  • Music Driver: Steve Hayes
  • Music Conversion: Rob Hubbard
  • Producer: Christopher Erhardt
  • Associate Producer: Roland Kippenhan
  • Assistant Producer: Michael Lubuguin
  • Product Management: Lesley Mansford, Barbara Windham
  • Package Design: James Blair
  • Package Art: Alan Okamoto
  • Documentation: Andrea Smith
  • Testing: Ed Gwynn
Source:
US manual
Battle Squadron MD US Manual.pdf
[5]

Magazine articles

Main article: Battle Squadron/Magazine articles.

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
{{{{{icon}}}|L}} Division by zero.
Based on
0 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
60
[6]
ACE (UK)
79
[7]
Console XS (UK) PAL
88
[8]
Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U
50
[9]
Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK)
85
[10]
Gamers (DE)
67
[11]
Génération 4 (FR)
83
[12]
Hobby Consolas (ES)
83
[13]
Joystick (FR)
77
[14]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) PAL
68
[15]
Mega Action (UK)
85
[16]
MegaTech (UK)
80
[17]
Micromanía (segunda época) (ES)
80
[18]
Mean Machines (UK)
85
[19]
Mean Machines Sega (UK)
80
[20]
Player One (FR)
72
[21]
Power Play (DE)
74
[22]
Raze (UK) PAL
84
[23]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
90
[24]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
75
[25]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
87
[26]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
87
[27]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
85
[28]
Tricks 16 bit (RU)
56
[29]
VideoGames & Computer Entertainment (US) NTSC-U
80
[2]
Sega Mega Drive
 78
Based on
25 reviews

Battle Squadron

Mega Drive, US
BattleSquadron MD US Box.jpg
Cover
BattleSquadron MD US cartback.jpgBattleSquadron US cart.jpg
Cart
Battle Squadron MD US Manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, EU
BattleSquadron MD EU Box.jpg
Cover
BattleSquadron MD US cartback.jpgBattleSquadron US cart.jpg
Cart
Battle Squadron MD EU Manual.jpg
Manual
Mega Drive, AU

Mega Drive, BR
BattleSquadron BR cover.jpg
Cover
BattleSquadron MD BR Cart Back.jpgBattleSquadron MD BR Cart.jpg
Cart

Technical information

ROM dump status

System Hash Size Build Date Source Comments
Sega Mega Drive
✔
CRC32 0feaa8bf
MD5 b5b815ef99b943fe0bad48dc13239b35
SHA-1 f003f7af0f7edccc317c944b88e57f4c9b66935a
512kB Cartridge (US/EU)
Sega Mega Drive
 ?
CRC32
MD5
SHA-1
1991-01-18 Page

References

  1. ↑ https://groups.google.com/g/rec.games.video/c/Z5bU24UZwms/m/Uvxnnn8EmrkJ
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 VideoGames & Computer Entertainment, "February 1991" (US; 1991-0x-xx), page 40
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Mean Machines, "January 1991" (UK; 1991-01-03), page 70
  4. ↑ ACE, "January 1991" (UK; 1990-12-xx), page 165
  5. ↑ File:Battle Squadron MD US Manual.pdf, page 10
  6. ↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 29
  7. ↑ ACE, "March 1991" (UK; 1991-02-08), page 63
  8. ↑ Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 127
  9. ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "January 1991" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 22
  10. ↑ Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 25
  11. ↑ Gamers, "Dezember/Januar 1993" (DE; 1992-11-19), page 101
  12. ↑ Génération 4, "Février 1991" (FR; 1991-xx-xx), page 91
  13. ↑ Hobby Consolas, "Noviembre 1991" (ES; 1991-1x-xx), page 72
  14. ↑ Joystick, "Février 1991" (FR; 1991-0x-xx), page 122
  15. ↑ Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1993" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 90
  16. ↑ Mega Action, "June 1993" (UK; 1993-05-20), page 65
  17. ↑ MegaTech, "Xmas 1991" (UK; 1991-12-06), page 76
  18. ↑ Micromanía (segunda época), "Marzo 1991" (ES; 1991-0x-xx), page 38
  19. ↑ Mean Machines, "January 1991" (UK; 1991-01-03), page 68
  20. ↑ Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 137
  21. ↑ Player One, "Mars 1991" (FR; 1991-xx-xx), page 44
  22. ↑ Power Play, "4/91" (DE; 1991-03-15), page 135
  23. ↑ Raze, "March 1991" (UK; 1991-01-31), page 54
  24. ↑ Sega Power, "January 1991" (UK; 1990-12-06), page 10
  25. ↑ Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 52
  26. ↑ Sega Pro, "November 1991" (UK; 1991-xx-xx), page 39
  27. ↑ Sega Pro, "July 1992" (UK; 1992-06-18), page 28
  28. ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 64
  29. ↑ Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 22


Battle Squadron

BattleSquadron MDTitleScreen.png

Main page | Comparisons | Magazine articles | Reception | Region coding | Technical information | Bootlegs


Sega Mega Drive
Prototypes: 1991-01-18
Retrieved from "https://segaretro.org/index.php?title=Battle_Squadron&oldid=863449"