Difference between revisions of "Metal Black"

From Sega Retro
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| otherformats={{NonSega|Arcade}}
 
| otherformats={{NonSega|Arcade}}
 
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'''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' (メタルブラック) is a [[Sega Saturn]] horizontal shoot-'em-up developed and published by [[Ving]]. A port of the titular 1991 [[Taito]] arcade game ''[[wikipedia:Metal Black (video game)|Metal Black]]'', it was released exclusively in Japan in May 1996, and later received a [[Satakore]] budget label re-release in July 1998.
+
'''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' (メタルブラック) is a [[Sega Saturn]] horizontal shoot-'em-up developed and published by [[Ving]]. It is a port of the 1991 [[Taito]] arcade game ''[[wikipedia:Metal Black (video game)|Metal Black]]''. It was released exclusively in Japan in May 1996, and it later received a [[Satakore]] budget label re-release in July 1998.
  
 
==Story==
 
==Story==
−
In the future, earth is attacked by aliens that possess the ability to harness the power of "Newalone", a strange, molecule like structure. Earth counters by buidling it's own fleet also based on "Newalone" technology, but freezes the project on favour of peace with the alien. The contract is very oneside and earth is dying. A single solider breaks into a military complex and manages to steal a "Black Fly", a space ship designed to use "Newalone"
+
In the future, Earth is attacked by aliens that possess the ability to harness the power of "Newalone," a strange, molecule-like structure. Earth counters by building its own fleet also based on "Newalone" technology, but it freezes the project on favour of peace with the aliens. The contract is very one-sided and Earth is dying. A single solider breaks into a military complex and manages to steal a "Black Fly," a space ship designed to use "Newalone."
  
 
==Gameplay==
 
==Gameplay==
−
In typical shooting game manner, Metal Black uses a two button setup, with one being used for standard shots, and the onther one for beam attacks. Both attacks can be powered up by collecting Newalone, which floats around freely in stages.
+
''Metal Black'' is a side-scrolling shoot-'em-up wherein players pilot a "Black Fly" space fighter in a last-ditch effort to save humanity from hostile alien invaders. It can be played as one player or by two players simultaneously. The second player can enter the game at any point by pressing {{Start}} on a second control pad. Rather than collecting special weapons or having bombs, the Black Fly has a single weapon that can be powered up by grabbing the Newalone molecules that float throughout the stages. Collecting Newalone molecules gradually increases the ship's beam meter and strengthens its attack. The Black Fly can expend its beam meter to unleash a large beam that obliterates enemies caught within its blast. Bosses have beam weapons as well and compete with the Black Fly to consume Newalone to power their own beams. If the player and the boss fire their beams simultaneously, one overpowers the other depending on which beam has a higher power level, starting a "beam duel."
−
The beam weapon becomes a screen covering burst attack when the maximum amount of Newalone has been collected. The Burst can be refocused to a beam by holding down the beam button.
 
  
−
Bosses also use beam attacks, and one can duel with the bosses by countering with a beam attack. The outcome of these duels depends on the accumulated Newalone.
+
The Black Fly moves in any direction using the D-Pad. It fires its primary weapon by pressing {{A}} or {{C}}, which can be held for rapid-fire. The strength of the weapon grows with the beam level, which increases as the ship collects Newalone particles. The beam level starts at 0 but can increase to level 5 and then to "max" level.
  
−
Two special stages exist where one has to lock onto enemies in a pseudo 3D space and fire missiles. The random nature of these stages, combined with the fact that score largely depends on fast lockons, has been the target of criticism.
+
If the beam level is at least 2, the Black Fly can unleash its beam weapon by pressing {{B}}. The beam covers a large area and can penetrate through multiple enemies and terrain. The beam meter starts draining once the ship starts firing its beam and stops when the meter is fully drained (consequently reverting the main weapon to its base power). Players can prolong the duration by collecting more Newalone particles. Like the main weapon, the beam is larger and more powerful at higher levels. At max level, the beam spreads into rays of lightning that attack enemies and neutralizes enemy projectiles in all directions, but it can be focused into a beam by holding {{B}}. It also reverts to a beam once the beam meter has drained to level 3.
  
−
An alternative ending can be viewed by dying and not continuing on the last stage.
+
The ship is destroyed if it is hit by an enemy or collides with terrain. It revives in place if the player has extra lives remaining. Extends are given at 70,000 points, then every 150,000 points after that. The game ends if the player runs out of lives but can be continued a limited number of times (with the score reset). There are four difficulty levels (Easy, Normal, Hard, and Very Hard), and players can set the starting number of lives (between 1 and 4).
 +
 
 +
===Items===
 +
{{InfoTable|
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Newalone
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Metal Black Saturn, Power-Up.png | 3}}
 +
| desc=Collect to increase the ship's beam meter.
 +
}}
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
===Rounds===
 +
{{InfoTable|imagewidths=320|
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Down to Earth
 +
| screenshot=Metal Black Saturn, Stage 1-1.png
 +
| screenshot2=Metal Black Saturn, Stage 1-2.png
 +
| screenshot3=Metal Black Saturn, Stage 1-3.png
 +
| screenshot4=Metal Black Saturn, Stage 1-4.png
 +
| tabs=yes
 +
| desc=
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Cry for the Moon
 +
| screenshot=Metal Black Saturn, Stage 2-1.png
 +
| screenshot2=Metal Black Saturn, Stage 2-2.png
 +
| screenshot3=Metal Black Saturn, Stage 2-3.png
 +
| screenshot4=Metal Black Saturn, Stage 2-4.png
 +
| tabs=yes
 +
| desc=
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Dream Land
 +
| screenshot=Metal Black Saturn, Stage 3-1.png
 +
| screenshot2=Metal Black Saturn, Stage 3-2.png
 +
| screenshot3=Metal Black Saturn, Stage 3-3.png
 +
| screenshot4=Metal Black Saturn, Stage 3-4.png
 +
| tabs=yes
 +
| desc=
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Crystal Lize
 +
| screenshot=Metal Black Saturn, Stage 4-1.png
 +
| screenshot2=Metal Black Saturn, Stage 4-2.png
 +
| screenshot3=Metal Black Saturn, Stage 4-3.png
 +
| screenshot4=Metal Black Saturn, Stage 4-4.png
 +
| tabs=yes
 +
| desc=
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Nemesis Crisis
 +
| screenshot=Metal Black Saturn, Stage 5-1.png
 +
| screenshot2=Metal Black Saturn, Stage 5-2.png
 +
| screenshot3=Metal Black Saturn, Stage 5-3.png
 +
| screenshot4=Metal Black Saturn, Stage 5-4.png
 +
| tabs=yes
 +
| desc=
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=A Mirage of Mind: Gaia
 +
| screenshot=Metal Black Saturn, Stage 6-1.png
 +
| screenshot2=Metal Black Saturn, Stage 6-2.png
 +
| screenshot3=Metal Black Saturn, Stage 6-3.png
 +
| screenshot4=Metal Black Saturn, Stage 6-4.png
 +
| tabs=yes
 +
| desc=An alternative ending can be viewed by dying and not continuing on this stage.
 +
}}
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
===Bonus stages===
 +
After the first and third rounds, players play a bonus stage in which a group of enemies must be destroyed by locking on the moving targets using the D-Pad and launching cluster missiles with {{A}} or {{C}}. There is a time limit of 30 seconds for the first bonus stage and 60 seconds for the second bonus stage. Bonus points are awarded for the number of targets successfully destroyed. Sprite scaling is used to simulate a 3D space.
 +
{{gallery|widths=200|screens=yes|
 +
{{gitem|Metal Black Saturn, Bonus Stage 1.png|Over Ride}}
 +
{{gitem|Metal Black Saturn, Bonus Stage 2.png|Black Out}}
 +
}}
  
 
==History==
 
==History==
 
===Development===
 
===Development===
−
The game is also titled '''''Project Gun Frontier 2''''', although there are no connections to ''[[Gun Frontier]]'' content-wise. Allegedly, content from a canceled ''Darius'' sequel was also reused for this game, supported by the fish and crustacean enemies found in the game. The beam mechanic was also used in ''G-Darius'', which was not released on [[Sega]] hardware.
+
The game is also titled '''''Project Gun Frontier 2''''' because it was made by many of the staff members as ''[[Gun Frontier]]'', though there are no story or gameplay connections to that game. Allegedly, content from a canceled ''Darius'' sequel was also reused for this game, supported by the fish and crustacean enemies found in the game. The beam mechanic was also used in ''G-Darius'', which was not released on [[Sega]] hardware.
  
 
The game was a major inspiration for ''[[Border Down]]''; both that game and ''Metal Black'' share a composer.
 
The game was a major inspiration for ''[[Border Down]]''; both that game and ''Metal Black'' share a composer.
Line 72: Line 145:
 
*'''Presented by:''' [[Ving]]
 
*'''Presented by:''' [[Ving]]
 
| source=In-game credits
 
| source=In-game credits
−
| pdf=MetalBlack_Saturn_JP_SSEnding.pdf
+
| pdf=MetalBlack Saturn JP SSEnding.pdf
 
| console=SAT
 
| console=SAT
 
}}
 
}}
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| back=MetalBlack Saturn JP Box Back.jpg
 
| back=MetalBlack Saturn JP Box Back.jpg
 
| square=yes
 
| square=yes
−
| spinecard=MetalBlack_Saturn_JP_Spinecard.jpg
+
| spinecard=MetalBlack Saturn JP Spinecard.jpg
−
| disc=MetalBlack_Saturn_JP_Disc.jpg
+
| disc=MetalBlack Saturn JP Disc.jpg
 
}}{{Scanbox
 
}}{{Scanbox
 
| console=Saturn
 
| console=Saturn

Revision as of 11:54, 16 December 2024

n/a

MetalBlack title.png

Metal Black
System(s): Sega Saturn
Publisher: Ving
Developer:
Licensor: Taito
Original system(s): Taito F2 System
Sound driver: SCSP/CD-DA (21 tracks)
Genre: Shooting[1][2]

















Number of players: 1-2
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Saturn
JP 		¥5,800 (5,974)5,800e[3] T-19902G
Sega Rating: All Ages
Sega Saturn
JP
(Satakore) 		¥2,8002,800 T-19909G
Sega Rating: All Ages
Non-Sega versions

Metal Black (メタルブラック) is a Sega Saturn horizontal shoot-'em-up developed and published by Ving. It is a port of the 1991 Taito arcade game Metal Black. It was released exclusively in Japan in May 1996, and it later received a Satakore budget label re-release in July 1998.

Story

In the future, Earth is attacked by aliens that possess the ability to harness the power of "Newalone," a strange, molecule-like structure. Earth counters by building its own fleet also based on "Newalone" technology, but it freezes the project on favour of peace with the aliens. The contract is very one-sided and Earth is dying. A single solider breaks into a military complex and manages to steal a "Black Fly," a space ship designed to use "Newalone."

Gameplay

Metal Black is a side-scrolling shoot-'em-up wherein players pilot a "Black Fly" space fighter in a last-ditch effort to save humanity from hostile alien invaders. It can be played as one player or by two players simultaneously. The second player can enter the game at any point by pressing  START  on a second control pad. Rather than collecting special weapons or having bombs, the Black Fly has a single weapon that can be powered up by grabbing the Newalone molecules that float throughout the stages. Collecting Newalone molecules gradually increases the ship's beam meter and strengthens its attack. The Black Fly can expend its beam meter to unleash a large beam that obliterates enemies caught within its blast. Bosses have beam weapons as well and compete with the Black Fly to consume Newalone to power their own beams. If the player and the boss fire their beams simultaneously, one overpowers the other depending on which beam has a higher power level, starting a "beam duel."

The Black Fly moves in any direction using the D-Pad. It fires its primary weapon by pressing A or C, which can be held for rapid-fire. The strength of the weapon grows with the beam level, which increases as the ship collects Newalone particles. The beam level starts at 0 but can increase to level 5 and then to "max" level.

If the beam level is at least 2, the Black Fly can unleash its beam weapon by pressing B. The beam covers a large area and can penetrate through multiple enemies and terrain. The beam meter starts draining once the ship starts firing its beam and stops when the meter is fully drained (consequently reverting the main weapon to its base power). Players can prolong the duration by collecting more Newalone particles. Like the main weapon, the beam is larger and more powerful at higher levels. At max level, the beam spreads into rays of lightning that attack enemies and neutralizes enemy projectiles in all directions, but it can be focused into a beam by holding B. It also reverts to a beam once the beam meter has drained to level 3.

The ship is destroyed if it is hit by an enemy or collides with terrain. It revives in place if the player has extra lives remaining. Extends are given at 70,000 points, then every 150,000 points after that. The game ends if the player runs out of lives but can be continued a limited number of times (with the score reset). There are four difficulty levels (Easy, Normal, Hard, and Very Hard), and players can set the starting number of lives (between 1 and 4).

Items

Metal Black Saturn, Power-Up.png
 Newalone
Collect to increase the ship's beam meter.

Rounds

Metal Black Saturn, Stage 1-1.png

Metal Black Saturn, Stage 1-2.png

Metal Black Saturn, Stage 1-3.png

Metal Black Saturn, Stage 1-4.png

  • Metal Black Saturn, Stage 1-1.png

  • Metal Black Saturn, Stage 1-2.png

  • Metal Black Saturn, Stage 1-3.png

  • Metal Black Saturn, Stage 1-4.png

Down to Earth

Metal Black Saturn, Stage 2-1.png

Metal Black Saturn, Stage 2-2.png

Metal Black Saturn, Stage 2-3.png

Metal Black Saturn, Stage 2-4.png

  • Metal Black Saturn, Stage 2-1.png

  • Metal Black Saturn, Stage 2-2.png

  • Metal Black Saturn, Stage 2-3.png

  • Metal Black Saturn, Stage 2-4.png

Cry for the Moon

Metal Black Saturn, Stage 3-1.png

Metal Black Saturn, Stage 3-2.png

Metal Black Saturn, Stage 3-3.png

Metal Black Saturn, Stage 3-4.png

  • Metal Black Saturn, Stage 3-1.png

  • Metal Black Saturn, Stage 3-2.png

  • Metal Black Saturn, Stage 3-3.png

  • Metal Black Saturn, Stage 3-4.png

Dream Land

Metal Black Saturn, Stage 4-1.png

Metal Black Saturn, Stage 4-2.png

Metal Black Saturn, Stage 4-3.png

Metal Black Saturn, Stage 4-4.png

  • Metal Black Saturn, Stage 4-1.png

  • Metal Black Saturn, Stage 4-2.png

  • Metal Black Saturn, Stage 4-3.png

  • Metal Black Saturn, Stage 4-4.png

Crystal Lize

Metal Black Saturn, Stage 5-1.png

Metal Black Saturn, Stage 5-2.png

Metal Black Saturn, Stage 5-3.png

Metal Black Saturn, Stage 5-4.png

  • Metal Black Saturn, Stage 5-1.png

  • Metal Black Saturn, Stage 5-2.png

  • Metal Black Saturn, Stage 5-3.png

  • Metal Black Saturn, Stage 5-4.png

Nemesis Crisis

Metal Black Saturn, Stage 6-1.png

Metal Black Saturn, Stage 6-2.png

Metal Black Saturn, Stage 6-3.png

Metal Black Saturn, Stage 6-4.png

  • Metal Black Saturn, Stage 6-1.png

  • Metal Black Saturn, Stage 6-2.png

  • Metal Black Saturn, Stage 6-3.png

  • Metal Black Saturn, Stage 6-4.png

A Mirage of Mind: Gaia
An alternative ending can be viewed by dying and not continuing on this stage.

Bonus stages

After the first and third rounds, players play a bonus stage in which a group of enemies must be destroyed by locking on the moving targets using the D-Pad and launching cluster missiles with A or C. There is a time limit of 30 seconds for the first bonus stage and 60 seconds for the second bonus stage. Bonus points are awarded for the number of targets successfully destroyed. Sprite scaling is used to simulate a 3D space.

Metal Black Saturn, Bonus Stage 1.png

Over Ride
Metal Black Saturn, Bonus Stage 1.png

Metal Black Saturn, Bonus Stage 2.png

Black Out
Metal Black Saturn, Bonus Stage 2.png

History

Development

The game is also titled Project Gun Frontier 2 because it was made by many of the staff members as Gun Frontier, though there are no story or gameplay connections to that game. Allegedly, content from a canceled Darius sequel was also reused for this game, supported by the fish and crustacean enemies found in the game. The beam mechanic was also used in G-Darius, which was not released on Sega hardware.

The game was a major inspiration for Border Down; both that game and Metal Black share a composer.

Legacy

In 2023, the Saturn version of the game received a re-release by City Connection called Metal Black S-Tribute for the Xbox One and Steam.[4] It was originally announced for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 as well,[5] but these releases were canceled as the company Hamster had already re-released the arcade version for these platforms as part of their Arcade Archives series.[6]

Versions

Aside from unavoidable load times introduced by the compact disc format, Metal Black is otherwise a perfect port of the original arcade release.

Production credits

Project Gun Frontier 2
  • Producer: Senba Takatsuna, Hori Takamasa
  • Game Design: Senba Takatsuna, Hori Takamasa, Kuroki Naoya, Ohno Tomohiro, Seguchi Takashi, Mizobe Kumi, Watanabe Yasuhisa, Sawaki Jun, Katsuhisa Ishikawa
  • Thanks: Kimura Chiho, Taniyama Norihito, Miyazawa Takayuki
  • Art Director: Senba Takatsuna, Ohno Wepokichi
  • Programmer: Tarabar, Kuroki Naoya, Seguchi Takashi
  • Hardware Engineer: Sawaki Jun, Takeda Tomio
  • Decorator: Mizobe Kumi
  • Sound Director: Yack. (Zuntata), Babio Ishikawa (Zuntata)
  • Bit Pattern: Moriyama Yoshihiro, Tanaka Kuniaki, Yoshikatsu Nakahara, Tsuneoka Masatoshi, Vap-Awave
  • Cast: Ho Lee Chan, Zuntata, John Neianik 6Th, Sakou Menme
  • Special Thanks: 3D Master, Mar., Karu, Wiz. Master, Nomura Akio, Mihara Hiromitsu, Tajima Kazunari, Fujita Tsukasa$, Zak Munn, Kouno Yoshiaki, Ogata Masaki, Fujisue Ichirou, Fujiwara Hidehito, Sakou Hiroyuki, Yagi Chan, Yoshida Sayuri, Sekiguchi Satomi, Shirou Imaoka, Yuki Hisao, Shimizu Shigenobu, Ohishi Kenji, Shimizu Fumihiko, Shintaku Satoyuki, Naomitsu Abe, Ishii Hide, Ushiroda Tatsuya, Yasukouchi Daisuke, Kurabayashi Akira, Takaaki Tomita, Nakamura Taicho, Ootsuki Akira, Sugiyama Kazuhiko, Default Members
Saturn'S Staff
  • Programmer: Takahiro Kuribayashi, Satoru Morikawa, Jun Takemoto
  • Promotion & Manual Writer: Ryusei Baba
  • Director: Takashi Noto
  • President: Ryozo Sugawara
  • Programmed by: Ving Sapporo
  • Presented by: Ving
Source:
In-game credits
MetalBlack Saturn JP SSEnding.pdf
[7]

Magazine articles

Main article: Metal Black/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

MetalBlack Saturn JP Flyer.jpg
Flyer
MetalBlack Saturn JP Flyer.jpg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) #1996-05: "1996-05 (1996-03-22)" (1996-03-08)
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) #1996-06: "1996-06 (1996-04-12)" (1996-03-22)
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) #1996-07: "1996-07 (1996-04-26)" (1996-04-12)
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) #1996-08: "1996-08 (1996-05-10,24)" (1996-04-26)
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) #1996-09: "1996-09 (1996-06-14)" (1996-05-24)
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
Famitsu (JP) NTSC-J
50
[8]
Fun Generation (DE) NTSC-J
40
[9]
Intelligent Gamer (US) NTSC-J
83
[10]
Joypad (FR) NTSC-J
20
[11]
MAN!AC (DE) NTSC-J
47
[12]
Mega Force (FR) NTSC-J
77
[13]
neXt Level (DE) NTSC-J
65
[14]
Playmag (FR) NTSC-J
62
[15]
Saturn Fan (JP) NTSC-J
69
[16]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
73
[17]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
86
[18]
Sega Saturn
 61
Based on
11 reviews

Metal Black

Saturn, JP
MetalBlack Saturn JP Box Back.jpgMetalBlack Saturn JP Box Front.jpg
Cover
MetalBlack Saturn JP Spinecard.jpg
Spinecard
MetalBlack Saturn JP Disc.jpg
Disc
Saturn, JP (Satakore)
MetalBlack Saturn JP Box Back Satakore.jpgNospine-small.pngMetalBlack Saturn JP Box Front Satakore.jpg
Cover

Technical information

Main article: Metal Black/Technical information.

References

  1. ↑ File:MetalBlack Saturn JP Box Back.jpg
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 https://sega.jp/fb/segahard/ss/soft_licensee2.html (Wayback Machine: 2020-03-20 23:05)
  3. ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "1996-05 (1996-03-22)" (JP; 1996-03-08), page 27
  4. ↑ https://www.segasaturnshiro.com/2023/02/01/metal-black-bust-a-move-collection-s-tribute-release-on-modern-platforms/ (Wayback Machine: 2023-02-01 23:54)
  5. ↑ https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2023/01/classic-taito-games-get-enhanced-re-releases-on-switch-in-february (Wayback Machine: 2023-01-05 19:25)
  6. ↑ https://www.gematsu.com/2023/01/metal-black-s-tribute-cancelled-for-ps4-and-switch-priced-to-match-arcade-archives-release (Wayback Machine: 2023-01-25 20:49)
  7. ↑ File:MetalBlack Saturn JP SSEnding.pdf
  8. ↑ Famitsu, "1996-05-31" (JP; 1996-05-17), page 1
  9. ↑ Fun Generation, "08/96" (DE; 1996-07-10), page 79
  10. ↑ Intelligent Gamer, "August 1996" (US; 1996-0x-xx), page 85
  11. ↑ Joypad, "Juillet/Août 1996" (FR; 1996-0x-xx), page 72
  12. ↑ MAN!AC, "09/96" (DE; 1996-08-14), page 48
  13. ↑ Mega Force, "Été 1996" (FR; 1996-0x-xx), page 79
  14. ↑ neXt Level, "August 1996" (DE; 1996-07-10), page 64
  15. ↑ Playmag, "Juillet/Août 1996" (FR; 1996-0x-xx), page 128
  16. ↑ Saturn Fan, "1996 No. 15" (JP; 1996-07-05), page 81
  17. ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "1996-09 (1996-06-14)" (JP; 1996-05-24), page 231
  18. ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "Readers rating final data" (JP; 2000-03), page 11


Metal Black

MetalBlack title.png

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