The Steel Empire

For the aftermarket re-release, see Steel Empire (Strictly Limited Games).

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The Steel Empire
System(s): Sega Mega Drive
Publisher: HOT-B (Japan), Flying Edge (US, Europe)
Developer: HOT-B
Distributor: Ecofilmes (PT), Datart International (CZ)
Sound driver: Cube/Noriyuki Iwadare
Genre: Shooting
Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code JP 1992-03-13 ¥7,8007,800 T-28033 US 1992-06 $49.9549.95 T-81046 EU 1992-07 T-80146-50 PT 199x MD81046 UK 1992-11-12 £39.9939.99 T-80146-50 SE (Rental) 199x CZ 199x AU 1992
Non-Sega versions No results

The Steel Empire, called Empire of Steel in Europe and Koutetsu Teikoku (鋼鉄帝国) in Japan, is a 1992 shoot-'em-up for the Sega Mega Drive developed by HOT-B and published in the US and Europe by Acclaim-owned Flying Edge.

In the US, the game was originally set to be published by Sage's Creation under the title Battlewings, before handing the license to Acclaim.

Story

The game presents itself as an old-time war film produced by the "HOT-B Film Corporation". In the film, the future is the Steel Age, where a military dictatorship called Motorhead enslaved the human population. The only hope for freedom is the Republic of Silverhead, who managed to remain independent, and who alone has the weapons to take out Motorhead.

Gameplay

Plane select

The game is a horizontally scrolling shoot-'em-up that takes place in an alternate late 19th century world. Aircraft and weaponry have a "steampunk" aesthetic, with propeller-based aircraft, biplanes, dirigibles, and heavily armored steam trains featuring as enemy designs. The player can choose between two Silverhead aircraft, the Striker and the ZEP-01. The Striker is a nimble propeller plane, and the ZEP-01 is bulky but durable zeppelin.

The aircraft can move in any direction using the D-Pad. It shoots to the left with or shoots to the right with (but cannot shoot in both directions at the same time). In addition to firing a stream of bullets in front of or behind the aircraft, each craft also fires a secondary weapon simultaneously. The Striker drops bombs downward at ground targets, while the ZEP-01 launches bombs in an upward arc (which then plummet toward the ground if they do not hit a target). Both aircraft carry a limited supply of Lightning Bombs, which are detonated with . Lightning Bombs explode in a burst of lightning that destroys every enemy on screen (as well neutralizing enemy projectiles).

The game features a leveling system: after collecting three experience power-ups, the aircraft gains a level, increasing the strength of its primary and secondary weapons, up to a maximum of 20. The aircraft can also be equipped with two outrigger planes that follow it and add additional firepower.

The aircraft has a vitality gauge, which empties as it takes damage from enemies. The gauge flashes "WARNING!" when the aircraft is one hit away from destruction. It respawns in place if the player has extra lives remaining, retaining its experience and level. If all lives are lost, the player must use a continue, which restarts the player at either the beginning or midpoint of a stage depending on the player's progress. Continuing zeroes the player's score but keeps the aircraft's level.

Items

	Destroy to release an item.
	Destroy to release a ring of five EXP items and one Point item.
	Bomb
	Arms the aircraft with another Lightning Bomb.
	Point
	Awards 100 bonus points.
	Vitality
	Restores some vitality to the aircraft.
	Speed
	Increases the movement speed of the aircraft.
	Option
	Adds 2 outrigger planes, which are small planes that follow the aircraft and augment its fire.
	EXP
	Adds another square of experience. The aircraft levels up with every three experience points acquired, up to level 20.
	1-Up
	Gives the player an extra life.

Stages

	The Mine City of Rahl
	The Liedengel Caverns
	Sky District Zektor
	Gardandi Beach
	Dama City
	Germburn Fortress
	Lunar Space

History

Legacy

A Game Boy Advance remake was released in Japan and Europe in 2004. Another remake was released for the Nintendo 3DS eShop in 2014. It was later ported to PC and released on Steam in 2018.

Versions

Localised names

Also known as

Language	Localised Name	English Translation
English	Empire of Steel	Empire of Steel
English (US)	The Steel Empire	The Steel Empire
Japanese	鋼鉄帝国	Koutetsu Teikoku

Production credits

As the game presents itself as a film, some of the staff roles make little sense in this game. In situations where the actual role is known, it is parenthesized after the role given in the game.

• Director: N.Yamaguchi
• Co-Director: Y.Satake
• Producer: A.Tomonaga
• Executive Producer: J.Kuriyama
• Screenplay: K.Asai
• Based on the Novel by: Carr.H.Schitch: (ↄ)"Steel Empire" 1819
• Music: Cube Co., Ltd.
• Music Composer: I.Mizoguchi, Y.Kubotera, N.Iwadare
• Special Sound Effectes: [sic] M.Hikichi
• Re-Recording Engineer: Dougen.Sibuya
• Production Supervisor: A.Tomonaga
• Operating Cameramen: Y.Hirasawa, T.Suzuki
• Location Director of Photography: (co-programmer): K.Endoh
• Conceptual Artist: Kemono I.
• Art Director: S.Hatsuya
• Set Director: K.Nishi
• Mattepainting Supervisor: V.Bestie
• Modelshop Supervisor: S.Riot.H
• Construction Manager: [sic] M.Yorozuya
• Head Effects Animation: N.Yamaguchi
• Steadicam(R) Plate Photography: K.Suganuma, N.Nakane, A.Tomonaga
• Translation Assist: Sarah.Y

Source:

In-game credits

---

• Cover artist (US/EU): Marc Ericksen

Source:

Uncredited

Magazine articles

Main article: The Steel Empire/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Print advert in Sega Visions (US) #8: "May/June 1992" (1992-xx-xx)

Print advert in Sega Visions (US) #8: "May/June 1992" (1992-xx-xx)
also published in:

• Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #36: "July 1992" (1992-xx-xx)
• GamePro (US) #36: "July 1992" (1992-xx-xx)

Print advert in Beep! MegaDrive (JP) #1991-10: "October 1991" (1991-09-07)

Print advert in Beep! MegaDrive (JP) #1991-11: "November 1991" (1991-10-08)

Print advert in Mega Force (ES) #7: "Noviembre 1992" (1992-xx-xx)
also published in:

• Hobby Consolas (ES) #14: "Noviembre 1992" (1992-xx-xx)

Artwork

• 

  US/EU cover

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

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Based on 0 review

Sega Retro Average

Publication Version Score 1700 igr dlya Sega (RU) 40 Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J 73 Consoles + (FR) 82 Computer & Video Games (UK) 90 Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK) 79 Famitsu (JP) NTSC-J 65 GamePro (US) NTSC-U 85 Games-X (UK) 70 Game Zone (UK) 79 Hippon Super (JP) NTSC-J 50 Hobby Consolas (ES) 89 Joypad (FR) NTSC-J 82 Joypad (FR) PAL 82 Joystick (FR) NTSC-J 72 Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) PAL 84 Mega Drive Fan (JP) NTSC-J 68 Mega Fun (DE) NTSC-U 82 Mega Play (US) NTSC-U 70 MegaTech (UK) NTSC-J 85 Mean Machines (UK) 70 Mean Machines Sega (UK) 70 Player One (FR) 85 Power Play (DE) 56 Sega Power (UK) PAL 54 Sega Pro (UK) NTSC-J 72 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 60 Sega Force (SE) 86 Sega Force (UK) PAL 72 Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J 81 Supergame (BR) NTSC-J 86 Tricks 16 bit (RU) 44 VideoGames & Computer Entertainment (US) NTSC-U 60 Video Games (DE) 63

	72
Based on 33 reviews

The Steel Empire

Mega Drive, JP
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, US
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, EU
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, PT
Cover

Mega Drive, SE (rental; Hent; black)
Cover

Mega Drive, SE (rental; Hent; orange)
Cover

Mega Drive, CZ (Datart)
Cover
Cart Manual

Technical information

Main article: The Steel Empire/Technical information.