Vapor Trail: Hyper Offence Formation
From Sega Retro
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Vapor Trail: Hyper Offence Formation | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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System(s): Sega Mega Drive | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Publisher: Riot (JP), Renovation Products (US) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Developer: Data East | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Original system(s): Arcade boards | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Genre: Shooting[1][2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Number of players: 1-2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Vapor Trail: Hyper Offence Formation, known in Japan as Kuuga: Operation Code "Vapor Trail" (空牙), is a Sega Mega Drive shoot-'em-up developed by Data East. It is a port of the developer's titular 1989 arcade game Vapor Trail: Hyper Offence Formation. It was originally published in Japan by Riot in August 1991, and was later published in the United States by Renovation Products two months later.
A United Kingdom release, scheduled to be published by Ubisoft in November 1991 for £44.99, was planned[6] but eventually cancelled.
Contents
Story
In 1999, a terrorist organization known only as DAGGER has occupied the city of New York where they have hacked into military defenses world-wide, established their own military command and gained access to nuclear missile silos. They hold the world hostage in this position and promise to cancel their threats of destroying the Earth only until the world's governments relinquish their power to DAGGER.
A Special Forces Air Unit is called in to attack DAGGER and cripple their strongest defenses and headquarters in New York. Until then, the city remains silent. The organization name was changed from Ragnarok in the Japanese original.
Gameplay
The game is a vertically scrolling shoot-'em-up. The player can select from three different jets with different classes of speeds and firepower. A second player can man a second ship for two-player simultaneous combat. Jets are moved in any direction with the D-Pad and fire a single shot with or rapid-fire with . Every jet is equipped with a roll device that allows them to dodge projectiles and hostiles with . The roll grants temporal invincibility and must be recharged after every use.
There are numerous different weapons that can be collected and equipped. The player can also upgrade the jet's attack power and movement speed through collecting power-ups. Additionally, players can collect the S-Unit, a weapon attachment that empowers the jet's firing no matter which weapon is picked up previously. Every jet's S-Unit attack differs from the others. Once the S-Unit is equipped, the player cannot use their previous weapons unless the S-Unit is detonated. Detonating the S-Unit does not harm the player, but it does harm the enemy as the unit will detonate in a large and powerful explosion.
Some levels, such as the first level, have a form of depth; certain enemies, like tanks, are on the ground. The player can fly over them harmlessly, though their missiles can attack the player.
The player's jet has three hit points and loses one whenever it takes damage from enemy fire or collides with an enemy. The jet is destroyed if it loses all of its hit points, costing the player a life. The game ends if the player runs out of lives.
Jets
Silph | |
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The Silph is a medium-speed attacker/fighter. Its regular shot is shooting three shots straight ahead. It has balanced speed and attack power. | |
Valkyrie | |
The Valkyrie is a low-speed attacker. Its regular shot is a fan of four shots in front of it. It is the slowest of the three jets but has the most powerful shot. | |
Seylen | |
The Seylen is a high-speed fighter. Its regular shot is two shots straight ahead and two shots straight behind. It is the fastest jet and the only one that can shoot in both directions initially, but its shots are weaker. |
Weapons
Items
Power-Up | |
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Upgrades the attack power of the weapon, up to three times. | |
Speed-Up | |
Increases the movement speed of the jet, up to three times. | |
Life Recovery | |
Recovers one point of life or gives the player 2,500 points if already at full life. | |
S-Unit | |
Equips the ship-specific special attack. | |
Weapon Change | |
Changes the ship's weapon. Shoot to cycle between weapons. |
Stages
Stage 1 | |
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Stage 2 | |
Stage 3 | |
Stage 4 | |
Stage 5 | |
Stage 6 | |
History
Legacy
Two sequels were released: Wolf Fang: Kuuga 2001 (1991, ported to Saturn in 1997) and Skull Fang: Kuuga Gaiden (1996, ported to Saturn in 1997).
Versions
Aside from the expected and unavoidable graphical and sound differences, there are some other differences compared to the arcade version:
- Enemies do not flash white when being hit.
- The female navigator in the opening sequence has been redrawn.
- The aircraft selection screen is missing some images, like the launch sequence.
- After clearing a stage, your ship is not picked up by a green carrier ship but flies away on its own.
- The first boss fight does not take place in front of a skyscraper.
- The rocket in Stage 3 does not attack, the way to the rocket has been made longer and more enemies were added.
- The carrier in Stage 4 (reused Stage 2 boss asset) is not present, although the graphics are already in the game as demonstrated by Stage 2 boss
- Stage 5 is largely different. The city section is much longer, while the underground base part is missing. Enemy layout has also been drastically changed. The stage boss is a recolored Stage 1 boss instead of a the defense facility.
- The final boss is missing one attack phase before the cockpit section gets separated.
- The ending is different.
Localised names
Language | Localised Name | English Translation |
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English (US) | Vapor Trail: Hyper Offence Formation | Vapor Trail: Hyper Offence Formation |
Japanese | 空牙 | Kuuga: Operation Code "Vapor Trail" |
Production credits
- Program: Kazunori Ishiguri, Yasuhiro Matsuda, Toshiyuki Sakai, Syuji Ishimaki, Hiroyasu Fujimaru
- Graphic: Manapu Yokoi, Yukie Shiraiwa, Mao, Megumi Shinya, Mutunori Sato
- Game Design: Eisuke Tsuzawa
- Special Thanks: Hozumi Yoshida, Hiroshi Inoue, Kohji Sasamoto, Akira Ohtani, Ayumi Kitazawa, Mari Matsuzaka, H.Ohta
- Sound: Shogo Sakai, Naoki Matumuru, Daisuke Inoue at Joe Down Studio
- Director: Yasuro Koideya
- Program: MIN, HAL, HYA, HMD
Magazine articles
- Main article: Vapor Trail: Hyper Offence Formation/Magazine articles.
Promotional material
Physical scans
Sega Retro Average | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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66 | |
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Based on 22 reviews |
Technical information
- Main article: Vapor Trail: Hyper Offence Formation/Technical information.
References
- ↑ File:VaporTrail MD JP Box.jpg
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 https://sega.jp/history/hard/megadrive/software_l.html (Wayback Machine: 2020-07-02 23:21)
- ↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "June 1991" (JP; 1991-05-08), page 19
- ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "October 1991" (US; 1991-xx-xx), page 113
- ↑ https://www.amusement-center.com/project/egg/game/?product_id=1569
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Sega Pro, "November 1991" (UK; 1991-xx-xx), page 54
- ↑ File:Vapor Trail MD credits.pdf
- ↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 255
- ↑ Aktueller Software Markt, "Dezember 1991" (DE; 1991-11-15), page 140
- ↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "August 1991" (JP; 1991-07-08), page 35
- ↑ Consoles +, "Octobre 1991" (FR; 1991-10-05), page 74
- ↑ Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 136
- ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "November 1991" (US; 1991-1x-xx), page 24
- ↑ Famitsu, "1991-08-16" (JP; 1991-08-02), page 1
- ↑ Games-X, "22nd-28th August 1991" (UK; 1991-08-22), page 40
- ↑ Game Zone, "January 1992" (UK; 1991-12-18), page 49
- ↑ Hippon Super, "August 1991" (JP; 1991-07-04), page 89
- ↑ Joystick, "Septembre 1991" (FR; 1991-0x-xx), page 144
- ↑ Mega Drive Fan, "October 1991" (JP; 1991-09-xx), page 107
- ↑ MegaTech, "Xmas 1991" (UK; 1991-12-06), page 81
- ↑ Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 142
- ↑ Player One, "Décembre 1991" (FR; 1991-xx-xx), page 99
- ↑ Power Play, "12/91" (DE; 1991-11-13), page 175
- ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1992" (UK; 1992-03-19), page 31
- ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 68
- ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 85
- ↑ Tilt, "Décembre 1991" (FR; 1991-1x-xx), page 38
- ↑ Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 216
Vapor Trail: Hyper Offence Formation | |
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Main page | Comparisons | Maps | Hidden content | Magazine articles | Reception | Region coding | Technical information | Bootlegs
Prototypes: 1991-05-26
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Kuuga games for Sega systems | |
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Vapor Trail: Hyper Offence Formation (1991) | Wolf Fang SS Kuuga 2001 (1997) | Skull Fang: Kuuga Gaiden (1997) |