TransBot

For the Sega System E arcade game, see Transformer.

n/a

NTSC-U/PAL NTSC-J
TransBot
System(s): Sega Master System
Publisher: Sega Enterprises, Ltd. (JP, EU), Sega of America (US)
Developer: Sega R&D 2
Distributor: Ariolasoft (DE), Zegetron (GR), Tec Toy (BR)
Genre: Shooting
Number of players: 1-2 (alternating)
Release Date RRP Code JP (Card) 1985-12-22 ¥4,3004,300 C-503 US (Card) 1986-10 $34.9534.95 4004 EU 1987 MK-4504-50 EU (Card) 1987 4004 DE (Card) 1987 DM 6969 41003 PT 1996 UK (Card) 1987-08 £14.9514.95 GR 19xx AU 19xx MX 19xx BR 1992-08 021050 TW 19xx K-305

TransBot, known as Astro Flash (アストロフラッシュ) in Japan and Nuclear Creature in Brazil, is a commonly found Sega Master System game first released in 1985. It was one of the first titles to be released on Sega Card, though was later re-released on cartridge. It is a spiritual sequel to the SG-1000 game Orguss.

Story

The planet is devastated by a nuclear war in the year 2000. People are finally beginning to emerge from underground to rebuild society. However, an artificial intelligence named DALAUS, a leftover computer from the defunct regime, is creating its own empire. Only the CA-214, a transforming aircraft, can stop it.

Gameplay

The game is a side-scrolling shoot-'em-up in which the player pilots the CA-214 starfighter, which has the ability to transform into a robot. There are only two levels, with a boss at the end of the second level. Beating the boss loops the game back to the beginning with increased difficulty, which continues until the player loses or decides to stop playing. There is a two-player mode where players take turns playing.

The CA-214 moves in any direction using the D-Pad. It shoots by pressing . The game features a selection of weapons that the ship can equip, which are changed by collecting a "?" power-up. There are six choices that are cycled through on the top of the screen, which the player can stop by pressing , equipping whichever weapon is selected at that time. This means the player has limited control over the equipped weapon. Powered-up weapons only last until their energy is exhausted, in which case the ship reverts to its base weapon. The "Arm" meter in the top-right corner of the screen indicates how much energy is remaining.

The CA-214 transforms between its spaceship and robot forms depending on which weapon is equipped. The robot form is larger and thus a bigger target for enemy fire, but its weapons all do area damage to compensate.

The "Power" meter indicates how much shielding the CA-214 has left. It decreases as the ship takes damage from enemies. If it is emptied, the ship is destroyed, but it respawns in place with the default weapon equipped if the player has extra lives remaining. An extra life is awarded at 40,000 points, then every 80,000 points after that. The game ends if the player runs out of lives.

Weapons

Weapons A, B, and D are fired in spaceship mode.

Weapons C, E, and F are fired in robot mode.

	Normal Fire (A)
	The starting weapon. Shoots small, V-shaped projectiles that explode on impact. This is the only weapon that does not cost "Arm" energy, and it is re-equipped whenever the CA-214 runs out of energy with any of the other weapons.
	Beam (B)
	Shoots larger, ring-shaped projectiles rapidly.
	Sword Fire (C)
	Shoots a tall, unstoppable beam that encompasses a large vertical area.
	Cannon (D)
	Shoots small, pill-shaped projectiles that can penetrate through multiple targets. This is the only weapon that can destroy the Hiluns, which is necessary to enter the second level.
	Diffusion Beam (E)
	Shoots small, wave-like projectiles in a three-way spreadshot.
	Two Direction Fire (F)
	Shoots small, shuriken-shaped projectiles both forwards and backwards.

Items

	Arm Capsule
	When collected, a row of letters in the top of the screen cycles through seven modes (labeled A to G) until the player stops it by pressing . If it stops on a letter between A and F, the weapon corresponding to that letter is equipped. If it stops on G, the "Power" and "Arm" meters are refilled, restoring the CA-214's shielding and the energy for the currently equipped weapon.

Enemies

	Arm Carrier
	Points: 1,000
	These trucks periodically move across the ground and can be destroyed to release an Arm Capsule.
	Alapot
	Points: 120
	Ascule
	Points: 120
	Bifler
	Points: 80 (slow) or 100 (quick)
	Boasite
	Points: 240
	Elblink
	Points: 120
	Gealmea
	Points: 240
	Gelpaar
	Points: 180
	Hilun
	Points: 500
	Cross-shaped enemies that can only be destroyed by the Cannon (D) weapon. They are indestructible and respond by firing a spray of bullets when hit by any other weapon.
	Luvogue
	Points: 120
	Psyball
	Points: 100
	Zelnuc
	Points: 200
	Elgramzon
	Points: 20,000
	The "robot embodiment" of DELAUS and the only boss in the game. It is likely based on the AT-ST units from the Star Wars franchise. It is destroyed by shooting the red part of its head ten times.

Levels

	Level 1
	This stage loops indefinitely, gradually increasing in difficulty (including introducing new enemies), until the player finds the underground entrance. To do this, the player must equip the CA-214 with the Cannon (D) weapon, then use it destroy the four Hilun enemies that subsequently appear.
	Level 2

History

Legacy

Arrow Flash may be a sequel to this game due to the similar theme of gameplay and name.

Versions

Localised names

Also known as

Language	Localised Name	English Translation
English	TransBot	TransBot
English (US)	TransBot	TransBot
Japanese	アストロフラッシュ	Astro Flash
Portuguese (Brazil)	Nuclear Creature

Production credits

• NTBB

Source:

Internal ROM text

• Kotaro Hayashida

Source:

Uncredited

Hints

• 

  Master System US hints (color scan)

• 

  Master System US hints (B/W scan)

• 

  Master System US hints (with Rambo: First Blood Part II)

Magazine articles

Main article: TransBot/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

File:SMS II TV advert GR.mp4

GR TV advert

File:SMS II TV advert GR.mp4

Print advert in Atuagagdliutit (GL) #1991-05-22 (1991-05-22)

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

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Based on 0 review

Sega Retro Average
Publication Version Score Complete Guide to Consoles (UK) 75 The Complete Guide to Sega (UK) PAL 75 Computer Action (DK) 50 Console XS (UK) PAL 26 Computer & Video Games (UK) 70 Mean Machines Sega (UK) 75 S: The Sega Magazine (UK) PAL 17 Sega Power (UK) PAL 0 Sega Pro (UK) 23 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 26 Soft (DK) 40 Tilt (FR) 55

	44
Based on 12 reviews

TransBot

Master System, JP
Cover
Card

Master System, US (℠ variant)
Cover
Card Manual

Master System, US (® variant)
Cover
Manual

Master System, EU
Cover
Cart Manual

Master System, EU (Sega®)
Cover

Master System, EU (card)
Cover
Card

Master System, UK
Cover

Master System, DE
Cover
Card

Master System, PT
Cover

Master System, GR (Zegetron newer)
Cover

Master System, BX†
Cover

Master System, AU (Hotline sticker)
Cover
Cart Manual

Master System, AU (NIAL sticker)
Cover
Cart

Master System, MX

Master System, BR
Cover
Cart Manual

Master System, BR (newer)
Cover
Cart Manual

Master System, BR (Sega Special)
Cover
Cart Manual

Master System, BR (INMETRO sticker)
Cover
Cart Manual

Technical information

ROM dump status

System	Hash	Size	Build Date	Source	Comments
?	CRC32 4bc42857 MD5 93bb1e1ee14ac53adb9e6b9e0c135043 SHA-1 73273e6d44ad7aea828b642d22f6f1c138be9d2b	32kB		Cartridge (EU/US)
?	CRC32 c795182d MD5 a7462d79844a12a92941174252c9ca6e SHA-1 8370957b1192349d0a610437cd5d91ea4e3892c4	32kB		Cartridge (JP)