Difference between revisions of "Pop Breaker"

From Sega Retro

(added story, gameplay, credits)
(added tiles, enemies, items)
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{{sub-stub}}'''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' (ポップブレイカー) is a shooting game for the [[Sega Game Gear]]. It was only released in Japan.
+
'''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' (ポップブレイカー) is a shooting game for the [[Sega Game Gear]]. It was only released in Japan.
  
 
==Story==
 
==Story==
Line 23: Line 23:
 
The game is a puzzle-based shooter. The player controls Yuki's hovercraft Diana from an overhead perspective and navigates through a board-like environment. The playfield is a large grid with different blocks and tiles that affect Diana's movement or weapon. The D-pad changes the direction that the craft faces or moves the craft in the direction it is already facing. The movement of the craft is fixed to the grid. The craft can fire an energy bullet with {{1}} but must stop before firing. The craft can move backwards without changing direction by pressing {{2}}. It can fire while moving backwards, which is the only way it can fire while moving. Diana is a 3x3 square on the grid; before the game starts, the player can choose to mount the turret on the top-left, middle, or top-right of the craft.
 
The game is a puzzle-based shooter. The player controls Yuki's hovercraft Diana from an overhead perspective and navigates through a board-like environment. The playfield is a large grid with different blocks and tiles that affect Diana's movement or weapon. The D-pad changes the direction that the craft faces or moves the craft in the direction it is already facing. The movement of the craft is fixed to the grid. The craft can fire an energy bullet with {{1}} but must stop before firing. The craft can move backwards without changing direction by pressing {{2}}. It can fire while moving backwards, which is the only way it can fire while moving. Diana is a 3x3 square on the grid; before the game starts, the player can choose to mount the turret on the top-left, middle, or top-right of the craft.
  
−
The goal of each stage is to destroy a green machine. The machine returns fire very quickly, so the player must quickly evade it. There are also turrets and mines that are hostile to the player. Diana is destroyed by a single hit from any enemy. The layout of the stage may require the player to clear the way to the machine or to use the behavior of the tiles to attack the machine. Blocks prevent movement; some are breakable and some are unbreakable. Arrows on the ground push the tank in a direction when the player drives over them, and triangular bumpers deflect the player's shots at right angles. Some stages contain power-up items that can be collected by driving over them.
+
The goal of each stage is to destroy a green machine. The machine returns fire in the direction of the player very quickly, so the player must quickly evade it. The layout of the stage may require the player to clear the way to the machine or to use the behavior of the tiles to attack the machine. Blocks prevent movement; some are breakable and some are unbreakable. Some blocks and enemies require multiple hits to destroy. Arrows on the ground push the tank in a direction when the player drives over them, and triangular bumpers deflect the player's shots at right angles.
 +
 
 +
There are also various enemies that are hostile to the player. Enemies do not harm the player from contact but most have weapons. Diana can also be harmed by the explosion when enemies are destroyed. All shots are considered equivalent, so enemy shots can destroy blocks and the player's own shots can destroy Diana if deflected. Diana is destroyed by a single hit, in which case the stage restarts. The player has limited lives. The game ends if the player runs out of lives. The player has unlimited continues, but the game starts at the beginning of the previously completed stage after continuing.
 +
 
 +
Some stages contain power-up items that can be collected by driving over them. Diana's weapon is initially yellow but can be upgraded to red (twice as powerful) and blue (three times as powerful). The weapon level is retained from stage to stage until the player loses a life.
 +
 
 +
Before the stage begins, the player can look around the entire stage using the D-pad. After starting the stage, the player can pause the game at any time by pressing {{Start}} and pan around the stage again.
 +
 
 +
===Tiles===
 +
====Blocks====
 +
{{InfoTable|imagewidths=50|
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Unbreakable Block
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Pop Breaker, Tiles.png | 2 | crop_width=8 | crop_height=8 | crop_x=0 | crop_y=0}}
 +
| desc=These blocks serve as barriers and cannot be destroyed.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Blue Block
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Pop Breaker, Tiles.png | 2 | crop_width=8 | crop_height=8 | crop_x=8 | crop_y=8}}
 +
| desc=These blocks can be destroyed in one standard hit.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Green Block
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Pop Breaker, Tiles.png | 2 | crop_width=8 | crop_height=8 | crop_x=8 | crop_y=0}}
 +
| desc=These blocks turn into blue blocks when hit, taking two standard hits in total to destroy.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Pink Block
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Pop Breaker, Tiles.png | 2 | crop_width=8 | crop_height=8 | crop_x=0 | crop_y=8}}
 +
| desc=These blocks turn into green blocks when hit, taking three standard hits in total to destroy.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Chevrons
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Pop Breaker, Tiles.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=0 | crop_y=16}}
 +
| desc=Pushes Diana in the direction of the arrow when driven over.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Deflector
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Pop Breaker, Tiles.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=16 | crop_y=16}}
 +
| desc=Deflects shots at a right angle if hit on the inside (on the hypotenuse). It can be destroyed if hit on the outside.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Mine
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Pop Breaker, Tiles.png | 2 | crop_width=8 | crop_height=8 | crop_x=16 | crop_y=0}}
 +
| desc=This terrain explodes immediately when the player drives over it.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Explosion
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Pop Breaker, Tiles.png | 2 | crop_width=8 | crop_height=8 | crop_x=16 | crop_y=8}}
 +
| desc=This terrain explodes shortly after it has been driven over, destroying anything that remains in the area of effect. The blast area stretches partly outside of the marked terrain.
 +
}}
 +
}}
 +
====Power-Ups====
 +
{{InfoTable|imagewidths=50|
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=T Bullet
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Pop Breaker, Items.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=0 | crop_y=0}}
 +
| desc=Upgrades Diana to a red shot, which is twice as powerful as the standard yellow shot. This item has no effect if the player already has the superior blue shot.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=P Bullet
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Pop Breaker, Items.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=0 | crop_y=16}}
 +
| desc=Upgrades Diana to a blue shot, which is three times as powerful as the standard yellow shot.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Gathering
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Pop Breaker, Items.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=16 | crop_y=0}}
 +
| desc=Strikes an entire row or column of the board with 3x3 bombs, from the one end to the other. The row or column passes through the location of the item.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Bomber
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Pop Breaker, Items.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=16 | crop_y=16}}
 +
| desc=Strikes random locations on the board with 3x3 bombs, destroying blocks, enemies, or the player if caught in the blast.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Destroy
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Pop Breaker, Items.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=32 | crop_y=0}}
 +
| desc=Removes all blocks on the board, including special terrain, leaving enemies and power-ups.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=1-Up
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Pop Breaker, Items.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=32 | crop_y=16}}
 +
| desc=Gives the player an extra life, up to a maximum of 99.
 +
}}
 +
}}
 +
====Enemies====
 +
{{InfoTable|imagewidths=50|
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Pop Breaker, Enemies.png | 2 | crop_width=32 | crop_height=32 | crop_x=64 | crop_y=0}}
 +
| desc=The objective of each stage. Yuki must destroy this machine. It fires three shots back in the direction of the player whenever it is hit.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Pop Breaker, Enemies.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=0 | crop_y=0}}
 +
| desc=This enemy moves left and right and fires up and down.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Pop Breaker, Enemies.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=32 | crop_y=0}}
 +
| desc=This enemy moves up and down and fires left and right.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Pop Breaker, Enemies.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=16 | crop_y=0}}
 +
| desc=This enemy is immobile and shoots a single shot from its turret.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Pop Breaker, Enemies.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=16 | crop_y=16}}
 +
| desc=This enemy is immobile and shoots in random directions from the turrets on its corners.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Pop Breaker, Enemies.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=0 | crop_y=16}}
 +
| desc=This enemy is immobile and shoots a flame that spans three squares.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Pop Breaker, Enemies.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=48 | crop_y=0}}
 +
| desc=This enemy shoots two shots in every direction after it has been attacked.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Pop Breaker, Enemies.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=32 | crop_y=16}}
 +
| desc=This enemy moves around randomly but has no weapon.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Pop Breaker, Enemies.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=48 | crop_y=16}}
 +
| desc=This enemy moves around randomly but has no weapon. It resembles a power-up item.
 +
}}
 +
}}
  
 
==Production credits==
 
==Production credits==

Revision as of 04:07, 2 March 2022

n/a

PopBreaker title.png

Pop Breaker
System(s): Sega Game Gear
Publisher: Microcabin
Developer:
Peripherals supported: Gear-to-Gear Cable
Genre: Shooting[1][2]

















Number of players: 1-2
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Game Gear
JP 		¥3,800 (3,914)3,800e[3] T-51017

Pop Breaker (ポップブレイカー) is a shooting game for the Sega Game Gear. It was only released in Japan.

Story

Pop Breaker, Intermission.png

Yuki

Yuki Takeshita is a high school student who is taking the entry exam for FSWAT, a newly formed defense force. In the simulation, she pilots a hovertank named Diana.

Gameplay

The game is a puzzle-based shooter. The player controls Yuki's hovercraft Diana from an overhead perspective and navigates through a board-like environment. The playfield is a large grid with different blocks and tiles that affect Diana's movement or weapon. The D-pad changes the direction that the craft faces or moves the craft in the direction it is already facing. The movement of the craft is fixed to the grid. The craft can fire an energy bullet with 1 but must stop before firing. The craft can move backwards without changing direction by pressing 2. It can fire while moving backwards, which is the only way it can fire while moving. Diana is a 3x3 square on the grid; before the game starts, the player can choose to mount the turret on the top-left, middle, or top-right of the craft.

The goal of each stage is to destroy a green machine. The machine returns fire in the direction of the player very quickly, so the player must quickly evade it. The layout of the stage may require the player to clear the way to the machine or to use the behavior of the tiles to attack the machine. Blocks prevent movement; some are breakable and some are unbreakable. Some blocks and enemies require multiple hits to destroy. Arrows on the ground push the tank in a direction when the player drives over them, and triangular bumpers deflect the player's shots at right angles.

There are also various enemies that are hostile to the player. Enemies do not harm the player from contact but most have weapons. Diana can also be harmed by the explosion when enemies are destroyed. All shots are considered equivalent, so enemy shots can destroy blocks and the player's own shots can destroy Diana if deflected. Diana is destroyed by a single hit, in which case the stage restarts. The player has limited lives. The game ends if the player runs out of lives. The player has unlimited continues, but the game starts at the beginning of the previously completed stage after continuing.

Some stages contain power-up items that can be collected by driving over them. Diana's weapon is initially yellow but can be upgraded to red (twice as powerful) and blue (three times as powerful). The weapon level is retained from stage to stage until the player loses a life.

Before the stage begins, the player can look around the entire stage using the D-pad. After starting the stage, the player can pause the game at any time by pressing  START  and pan around the stage again.

Tiles

Blocks

Pop Breaker, Tiles.png
 Unbreakable Block
These blocks serve as barriers and cannot be destroyed.
Pop Breaker, Tiles.png
 Blue Block
These blocks can be destroyed in one standard hit.
Pop Breaker, Tiles.png
 Green Block
These blocks turn into blue blocks when hit, taking two standard hits in total to destroy.
Pop Breaker, Tiles.png
 Pink Block
These blocks turn into green blocks when hit, taking three standard hits in total to destroy.
Pop Breaker, Tiles.png
 Chevrons
Pushes Diana in the direction of the arrow when driven over.
Pop Breaker, Tiles.png
 Deflector
Deflects shots at a right angle if hit on the inside (on the hypotenuse). It can be destroyed if hit on the outside.
Pop Breaker, Tiles.png
 Mine
This terrain explodes immediately when the player drives over it.
Pop Breaker, Tiles.png
 Explosion
This terrain explodes shortly after it has been driven over, destroying anything that remains in the area of effect. The blast area stretches partly outside of the marked terrain.

Power-Ups

Pop Breaker, Items.png
 T Bullet
Upgrades Diana to a red shot, which is twice as powerful as the standard yellow shot. This item has no effect if the player already has the superior blue shot.
Pop Breaker, Items.png
 P Bullet
Upgrades Diana to a blue shot, which is three times as powerful as the standard yellow shot.
Pop Breaker, Items.png
 Gathering
Strikes an entire row or column of the board with 3x3 bombs, from the one end to the other. The row or column passes through the location of the item.
Pop Breaker, Items.png
 Bomber
Strikes random locations on the board with 3x3 bombs, destroying blocks, enemies, or the player if caught in the blast.
Pop Breaker, Items.png
 Destroy
Removes all blocks on the board, including special terrain, leaving enemies and power-ups.
Pop Breaker, Items.png
 1-Up
Gives the player an extra life, up to a maximum of 99.

Enemies

Pop Breaker, Enemies.png
The objective of each stage. Yuki must destroy this machine. It fires three shots back in the direction of the player whenever it is hit.
Pop Breaker, Enemies.png
This enemy moves left and right and fires up and down.
Pop Breaker, Enemies.png
This enemy moves up and down and fires left and right.
Pop Breaker, Enemies.png
This enemy is immobile and shoots a single shot from its turret.
Pop Breaker, Enemies.png
This enemy is immobile and shoots in random directions from the turrets on its corners.
Pop Breaker, Enemies.png
This enemy is immobile and shoots a flame that spans three squares.
Pop Breaker, Enemies.png
This enemy shoots two shots in every direction after it has been attacked.
Pop Breaker, Enemies.png
This enemy moves around randomly but has no weapon.
Pop Breaker, Enemies.png
This enemy moves around randomly but has no weapon. It resembles a power-up item.

Production credits

  • Program: Mick, Ron Ando, Hory
  • Music: Dragon, Nas
  • Debug: Ito Jr
  • Amuse: Papa, Hidemaro
  • Thanks: Kantoku
Source:
In-game credits

Magazine articles

Main article: Pop Breaker/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Logo-pdf.svg
"Next Spring" advertisement in Beep! MegaDrive (JP) #1990-12: "December 1990" (1990-11-08)
also published in:
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
"Coming soon" advertisement in Beep! MegaDrive (JP) #1991-02: "February 1991" (1991-01-08)
also published in:
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
"Coming 2/23" advertisement in Beep! MegaDrive (JP) #1991-03: "March 1991" (1991-02-08)
also published in:
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
"For sale now" advertisement in Mega Drive Fan (JP) #15: "April 1991" (1991-03-08)
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
Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J
60
[8]
Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J
55
[9]
Console XS (UK) NTSC-J
68
[10]
Hippon Super (JP) NTSC-J
70
[11]
Hippon Super (JP) NTSC-J
70
[12]
Joystick (FR)
68
[13]
Power Play (DE)
38
[14]
Sega Pro (UK)
79
[15]
Sega Pro (UK) NTSC-J
68
[16]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
53
[17]
Sega Game Gear
 63
Based on
10 reviews

Pop Breaker

Game Gear, JP
PopBreaker GG JP Box Back.jpgNospine-small.pngPopBreaker GG JP Box Front.jpg
Cover
PopBreaker GG JP Cart.jpg
Cart
PopBreaker GG JP Manual.pdf
Manual

Technical information

ROM dump status

System Hash Size Build Date Source Comments
Sega Game Gear
 ?
CRC32 71deba5a
MD5 e0e2fbd5834c04574795c923b0147f39
SHA-1 9c358504d3c106dd62bd8981132b47cdb95903de
128kB Cartridge (JP)

References

  1. ↑ File:PopBreaker GG JP Box Front.jpg
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 http://sega.jp/fb/segahard/gg/soft_licensee.html (Wayback Machine: 2013-01-01 20:24)
  3. ↑ Mega Drive Fan, "April 1991" (JP; 1991-03-08), page 92
  4. ↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "January 1991" (JP; 1990-12-08), page 26
  5. ↑ Mega Drive Fan, "January 1991" (JP; 1990-12-08), page 34
  6. ↑ Mega Drive Fan, "February 1991" (JP; 1991-01-08), page 92
  7. ↑ Mega Drive Fan, "March 1991" (JP; 1991-02-08), page 104
  8. ↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "February 1991" (JP; 1991-01-08), page 85
  9. ↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "March 1991" (JP; 1991-02-08), page 35
  10. ↑ Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 149
  11. ↑ Hippon Super, "February 1991" (JP; 1991-01-07), page 43
  12. ↑ Hippon Super, "March 1991" (JP; 1991-02-04), page 43
  13. ↑ Joystick, "Avril 1991" (FR; 1991-0x-xx), page 125
  14. ↑ Power Play, "6/91" (DE; 1991-05-10), page 136
  15. ↑ Sega Pro, "March 1992" (UK; 1992-02-20), page 21
  16. ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 74
  17. ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 88


Pop Breaker

PopBreaker title.png

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