Game Tengoku

From Sega Retro

n/a

GameTengoku title.png

Game Tengoku
System(s): Sega Saturn
Publisher: Jaleco
Developer:
Supporting companies:
Original system(s): Arcade boards
Sound driver: SCSP/CD-DA (10 tracks)
Genre: Shooting[1][2]

















Number of players: 1-2
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Saturn
JP 		¥5,800 (6,090)5,800e[3] T-5712G
Sega Rating: All Ages
Sega Saturn
JP
(Gokuraku Pack) 		¥7,800 (8,190)7,800e[3] T-5711G
Sega Rating: All Ages
Non-Sega versions

Game Tengoku (ゲーム天国) is 1995 arcade shoot-'em-up by Jaleco. It was ported to the Sega Saturn in Japan in 1997.

The Saturn version was available in a special "Gokuraku Pack" that included the game disc and a VHS cassette with a short anime featuring the characters from the game and interviews with the voice actors.

Story

A mad scientist named Genius Yamada (ジーニアス山田) is harnessing the power of arcade cabinets to take over the You&Me Kamiyoga video arcade. The arcade's clerk, Yuki Ito (伊藤由紀), calls upon the help of various Jaleco protagonists to stop Yamada before he takes over all of the arcades in the world.

Gameplay

Game Tengoku is a vertically scrolling shoot-'em-up taking place in an arcade that has been taken over by a mad scientist named Genius Yamada. The game is divided into multiple worlds, each themed around amusement machines and video games. Most worlds end with a fight against Yamada. The game is akin to a Jaleco equivalent to Parodius, featuring characters and settings from older Jaleco games, plus parodies of late-90s Japanese culture and references to some non-Jaleco games, including Sega's Head On.

The characters move in any direction using the D-Pad. They fire their normal shot by pressing A or C. Holding the fire button charges a more powerful special attack (which differs by character), which can then be fired by releasing the button. Alternatively, holding R rapid fires the normal shot. The normal shot can be upgraded up to seven times by collecting power-ups. Each character also has a special bomb that can clear the screen of enemies and neutralize enemy projectiles. Similar to the other weapons, the bomb operates differently depending on the selected character. Bombs are limited but can be found as items.

Characters lose a life if they are hit by an enemy but respawn after a moment if the player has extra lives left (with the weapon level reduced by one). The game ends when the player runs out of lives but can be continued for a credit (with the score reset and 1 added for each time the game has been continued). An extend is given at 2,000,000 points.

Modes

There are the following modes:

  • アーケードモード (Arcade Mode): The original arcade game. The game can be played in either a "yoko" (ヨコ画面) or "tate" (タテ画面) orientation. The yoko mode shortens the playfield to adapt the game to the horizontal orientation of consumer televisions. The tate mode preserves the arcade game's vertical presentation. In tate mode, pausing the game with  START  presents a "Control Rotate" option. When off (the default), the D-Pad directions assume that the player has rotated the screen vertically. When on, the D-Pad directions are changed to accommodate a horizontal screen (effectively making the game horizontally scrolling).
  • アレンジモード (Arrange Mode): A Saturn-exclusive mode that adds a new playable character (Miki & Misato), two new worlds (Karaoke World and Console World), a remixed soundtrack, and optional voice-acted story scenes in between every world. This mode can only be played in a horizontal orientation rather than the vertical aspect ratio of the original arcade game.

When playing in a horizontal orientation, pressing L toggles the on-screen score and lives display (to increase visibility of the stage).

In either mode, there are two ways to play:

  • ノーマルモード (Normal Mode): The player chooses any character and plays through every world in order. In Arcade Mode, there are six worlds, and the game loops over from the beginning after it is completed. It can be played by one player or by two players simultaneously, and a second player can join at any time by pressing  START . In Arrange Mode, there are eight worlds, and the game can only be played by one player.
  • タイムアタック (Time Attack): The player chooses any character and plays a single stage with the intent of obtaining the highest possible score (which is saved to the Saturn's internal memory). This mode is only for one player. It contains unique stages featuring a mix of enemies from the main game. In Arcade Mode, there is a single stage with a time limit of 180 seconds. In Arrange Mode, there is a choice of three stages: 練習ステージ (Practice Stage) has no time limit and continues endlessly, ステージ 1 (Stage 1) has a time limit of 180 seconds, and ステージ 2 (Stage 2) has a time limit of 240 seconds. There are unlimited lives in Time Attack, but the player loses points when hit instead.

In the options, the player can set the number of starting lives (3, 4, or 5) and the difficulty level (Very Easy, Easy, Normal, Hard, or Very Hard). There is also a database that contains art and information for all of the games from which the playable characters are taken and a gallery for rewatching story scenes after completing the Arrange Mode.

Playable characters

Players can choose from multiple characters, all pulled from Jaleco arcade games and having unique weapons.

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Characters, Jeynus.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Characters, Jeynus, Normal Shot.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Characters, Jeynus, Powered Shot.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Characters, Jeynus, Bomb.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Characters, Jeynus.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Characters, Jeynus, Normal Shot.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Characters, Jeynus, Powered Shot.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Characters, Jeynus, Bomb.png

Jeynus Starmine
The pilot of the Fighter EX, a futuristic starfighter, from the 1983 pseudo-3D vertical shooter Exerion. His normal shot quickly fires lasers straight ahead (initially thin but wider when upgraded), his powered shot is a wide beam that attacks all enemies in a line, and his bomb is a large explosive energy burst.

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Characters, Selia.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Characters, Selia, Normal Shot.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Characters, Selia, Powered Shot.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Characters, Selia, Bomb.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Characters, Selia.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Characters, Selia, Normal Shot.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Characters, Selia, Powered Shot.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Characters, Selia, Bomb.png

Selia
The pilot of the Poopera, a biplane, from the 1989 vertical shoot-'em-up game Plus Alpha. Her normal shot is a three-way spreadshot (which upgrades to a five-way spreadshot), her powered shot is a five-way barrage of energy blasts, and her bomb summons a volley of flying bombs.

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Characters, Z-DYNE mkII.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Characters, Z-DYNE mkII, Normal Shot.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Characters, Z-DYNE mkII, Powered Shot.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Characters, Z-DYNE mkII, Bomb.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Characters, Z-DYNE mkII.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Characters, Z-DYNE mkII, Normal Shot.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Characters, Z-DYNE mkII, Powered Shot.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Characters, Z-DYNE mkII, Bomb.png

Z-DYNE MkII
The successor to the transforming mech Expel from the 1984 horizontally scrolling shooter Formation Z. His normal shot is a laser beam that seeks enemies, his powered shot is two trails of explosive energy that move in a helical pattern, and his bomb is a bombardment of explosive energy blasts.

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Characters, Pig.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Characters, Pig, Normal Shot.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Characters, Pig, Powered Shot.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Characters, Pig, Bomb.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Characters, Pig.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Characters, Pig, Normal Shot.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Characters, Pig, Powered Shot.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Characters, Pig, Bomb.png

Pig
The protagonist of the 1987 overhead action game Butasan. His normal shot slowly lobs bombs that explode after hitting something and do additional damage, his powered shot shoots bombs in a semicircular spread that explode after they finish traveling, and his bomb drops a big bomb that explodes outward in a circle.

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Characters, Momoko.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Characters, Momoko, Normal Shot.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Characters, Momoko, Powered Shot.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Characters, Momoko, Bomb.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Characters, Momoko.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Characters, Momoko, Normal Shot.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Characters, Momoko, Powered Shot.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Characters, Momoko, Bomb.png

Momoko
The heroine of the 1986 run-and-gun game Momoko 120%. Her normal shot shoots a stream of hearts straight ahead and a side stream that seeks targets, her powered shot is a shooting star that seeks an enemy and explodes into a big star, and her bomb is a huge portrait of herself that destroys enemies that touch it.

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Characters, Miki & Misato.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Characters, Miki & Masato, Normal Shot.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Characters, Miki & Masato, Powered Shot.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Characters, Miki & Masato, Bomb.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Characters, Miki & Misato.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Characters, Miki & Masato, Normal Shot.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Characters, Miki & Masato, Powered Shot.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Characters, Miki & Masato, Bomb.png

Miki & Misato
The pilots of the Genesis-3 warship from the 1985 arcade game Field Combat. They are exclusive to the Arrange Mode. Their normal shot fires energy blasts that only hit enemies in the crosshair located a short range in front of their ship. To compensate for the limitations of this attack, the ship is accompanied by flying army men drones that autonomously fly around, hunting enemies and firing their own weapons. Their powered shot shoots a column of ring-shaped lasers straight ahead, and their bomb detonates their flying drones, wherever they may be, into a large explosion.

Items

Game Tengoku Saturn, Items.png
 Item Box
Shoot to release an item.
Game Tengoku Saturn, Items.png
Game Tengoku Saturn, Items.png
Game Tengoku Saturn, Items.png
Game Tengoku Saturn, Items.png
Game Tengoku Saturn, Items.png
Game Tengoku Saturn, Items.png
 Option
Equips an option to follow the player. Players can equip up to two options at a time. Each option is a miniature version of one of the playable characters and has a similar attack. The Miki & Misato option only appears in the Arrange Mode. This item appears in pairs, which cycle through the available choices so the player can choose which to equip. Options are always available in an item box at the beginning of a world and after losing a life.
Game Tengoku Saturn, Items.png
 Power Up
Powers up the player's weapon, up to 7 times, or awards 1,000 points if already at maximum level.
Game Tengoku Saturn, Items.png
 Bomb
Adds another bomb to the player's inventory.
Game Tengoku Saturn, Items.png
 Small Eggplant
Worth 1,000 bonus points. Each additional eggplant collected in quick succession is worth 1,000 points more than the last, up to a maximum of 10,000 points. These are dropped by some enemies when they are destroyed.
Game Tengoku Saturn, Items.png
 Medium Eggplant
Worth 48,050 points. These appear instead of small eggplants when the player has gotten the eggplant score up to 10,000 points.
Game Tengoku Saturn, Items.png
 Big Eggplant
Worth 50 points, but it explodes into six small eggplants when it is shot. It explodes into medium eggplants instead when the player has gotten the eggplant score up to 10,000 points. These are dropped by larger enemies.

Worlds

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 1-1.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 1-2.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 1-3.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 1-4.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 1-5.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 1-1.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 1-2.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 1-3.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 1-4.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 1-5.png

Arcade World

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 2-1.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 2-2.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 2-3.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 2-4.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 2-1.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 2-2.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 2-3.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 2-4.png

Crane World

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 3-1.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 3-2.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 3-3.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 3-4.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 3-1.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 3-2.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 3-3.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 3-4.png

Shoot-'em-up World

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 4-1.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 4-2.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 4-1.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 4-2.png

Karaoke World
This world only appears in the Arrange Mode. It consists of Misato singing a karaoke song while the lyrics from the song attack the player.

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 5-1.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 5-2.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 5-3.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 5-4.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 5-5.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 5-6.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 5-7.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 5-1.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 5-2.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 5-3.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 5-4.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 5-5.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 5-6.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 5-7.png

Console World
This world only appears in the Arrange Mode. The mahjong section has a character from Suchie-Pai.

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 6-1.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 6-2.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 6-3.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 6-4.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 6-1.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 6-2.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 6-3.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 6-4.png

Racing World

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 7-1.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 7-2.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 7-3.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 7-4.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 7-5.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 7-1.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 7-2.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 7-3.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 7-4.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 7-5.png

Retro World
The maze game with the cars is Head On, a 1979 arcade game by Sega.

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 8-1.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 8-2.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 8-3.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 8-4.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 8-5.png

Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 8-6.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 8-1.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 8-2.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 8-3.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 8-4.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 8-5.png

  • Game Tengoku Saturn, Arrange, Stage 8-6.png

Polygon World
In the Arcade Mode, after defeating the boss, the player can continue destroying the game credits as they appear for more points. In the Arrange Mode, there is an additional boss fight at the end.

History

Legacy

The Saturn version of the game was re-released as Game Tengoku CruisinMix by City Connection for the PlayStation 4 and Steam in 2017. It was updated with an English localization and re-released as Game Tengoku CruisinMix Special in 2018. This version was ported to the Nintendo Switch and released in Japan in 2019 and in North America and Europe in 2020.

The game received a sequel called GUNbare! Game Tengoku 2. It was released exclusively for the PlayStation in Japan in 1998. It uses 3D polygons instead of 2D sprites.

Production credits

Original mode

Staff
  • Program Leader: Akiyama Wont You! Nozomu
  • Program: Z-Donguri, Benriya Kenchan
  • Graphic Leader: Mr.Kamikaze & Mr.Hasegawa
  • Graphic Leader: ....Ya....., .....Ei....
  • Graphic: Teruhiko Watanabe, Takarod, Af4K
  • Sound Edit / Music Compose: Amie
  • Music Compose: Kenichi Arakawa
  • Voice: Mika Kanai, Hekiru Shiina, Kumiko Nishihara, Shigeru Chiba, Tomokazu Seki
  • Cast Management: Ryuuta Ishihara
  • Recording: Toshiaki Hoshino
  • Recording: Satoshi Yano
  • Publicity: Kachisato Morita
  • Illustlation: Tatsuya Souma
  • Thanks: Ishizaki, Shibu Shibu, You&You Machida, Garesso Tsudanuma
  • 2nd Direction: Kazaana Takanori
  • Production And Direction: Masahiro Arai
Thank You For Playing
We Love Shooting Too
Source:
In-game credits
GameTengoku-o Saturn JP SSEnding.pdf
[4]

Arrange mode

Cast
Staff
  • Character Design: そうま 竜也
  • Program
    • Main Game Program: 秋山 "ウォンチュー" 望
    • Scroll･OP Program: 尾澤 一史
    • Voice Demo/Anime/ED/Sound Program: 田村 "せっかくだから" 純一
    • Menu/Option Program: 三部 "ゆう" 順一
  • Graphic
    • Graphic Director/Background/Charactor Select Graphic: 山本 栄吾
    • Voice Demo Director/SD Charactor/Rare's Graphic: 高橋 将人 (タカロッド)
    • Background/Enemy Graphic: 長谷川 神風 浩司
    • Momoko Bomber/Myship Graphic: 渡辺 壱号 てるひこ
    • Background/Enemy Graphic: RF4K
    • Animation/Opening Graphic: 宮崎 章
    • Background/Menu Graphic: AHOY
    • Background/Enemy Graphic: 新谷 一樹
  • Sound
    • Sound Edit/SE/BGM/Sound Director: 西村 "あにぃ" 達也
    • BGM: 荒川 "とまぞぉ" 憲一
  • Theme Song
  • Cooperation: (有)タイムベース, 松原 健夫
  • Recording: グリーンバードスタジオ
  • Sound
  • Planners
    • Planning Support: 奈良 友人
    • Planning/Scenario Support: 笠原 太郎
    • Planning/Scenario: 風穴 尚紀
    • Director/Scenario/Producer: 荒井 正広
Source:
In-game credits
GameTengoku-a Saturn JP SSEnding.pdf
[5]

Magazine articles

Main article: Game Tengoku/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

GameTengoku Saturn JP Flyer.pdf

PDF
Flyer
GameTengoku Saturn JP Flyer.pdf
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in (JP) #1997-04: "1997-04 (1997-02-21)" (1997-02-07)
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in (JP) #1997-18: "1997-18 (1997-06-06)" (1997-05-23)
Logo-pdf.svg

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
{{{{{icon}}}|L}} Division by zero.
Based on
0 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
(JP) NTSC-J
68
[6]
(UK) NTSC-J
70
[7]
(JP) NTSC-J
80
[8]
(JP) NTSC-J
92
[9]
Sega Saturn
 77
Based on
4 reviews

Game Tengoku

Saturn, JP
GameTengoku Saturn JP Box Back.jpgGameTengoku Saturn JP Box Front.jpg
Cover
GameTengoku Saturn JP Spinecard.jpg
Spinecard
GameTengoku Saturn JP Disc.jpg
Disc
Saturn, JP (Gokuraku Pack)
GameTengoku Saturn JP Box Back GP.jpgNospine.pngGameTengoku Saturn JP Box Front GP.jpg
Cover

Technical information

Main article: Game Tengoku/Technical information.

References

  1. ↑ File:GameTengoku Saturn JP Box Back.jpg
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 https://sega.jp/fb/segahard/ss/soft_licensee3.html (Wayback Machine: 2019-07-28 12:30)
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 File:GameTengoku Saturn JP Flyer.pdf
  4. ↑ File:GameTengoku-o Saturn JP SSEnding.pdf
  5. ↑ File:GameTengoku-a Saturn JP SSEnding.pdf
  6. ↑ Famitsu, "1997-06-13" (JP; 1997-05-30), page 1
  7. ↑ Saturn Power, "December 1997" (UK; 1997-10-14), page 82
  8. ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "1997-19 (1997-06-13)" (JP; 1997-05-30), page 165
  9. ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "Readers rating final data" (JP; 2000-03), page 10


Game Tengoku

GameTengoku title.png

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