Vapor Trail: Hyper Offence Formation

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Vapor Trail: Hyper Offence Formation

System(s): Sega Mega Drive

Publisher: Telenet Japan (JP), Renovation (US)

Developer: Data East,

RIOT

Genre: Shoot-'em-Up

Number of players: 1-2

Release	Date	RRP	Code

Vapor Trail: Hyper Offence Formation, called Kuuga: Operation Code "Vapor Trail" (空牙) in Japan, is a 1989 shoot-'em-up by Data East, originally released internationally in arcades before being ported to the Sega Mega Drive by Telenet Japan studio RIOT in 1991; this release would only come out in the US and Japan. Two sequels were released — Wolf Fang: Kuuga 2001 (1991, ported to Saturn 1997) and Skull Fang: Kuuga Gaiden (1996, ported to Saturn 1997).

Unidentified forces have taken over New York City, and a network of airborne military fleet is manned to reclaim the city. You play as one of three ships in the network: Sliph, a medium-speed attacker/fighter, Valkyrie, a low-speed attacker, and Seylen, a high-speed fighter. A second player can man a second ship for two-player combat.

Gameplay

Each of your jets has three main attacks: a single shot (), rapid fire (), and "Roll Bom" (). Roll Bom appears is a charge with a trail effect left behind that does not to do damage but grants temporal invincibility. Each fighter's regular shot is in a certain configuration: Silph shoots three shots straight ahead, Valkyrie fans four shots out in front of it, and Seylen shoots two shots straight ahead and two shots straight behind it.

Some levels, such as the first level, have a form of depth; certain enemies, like tanks, are on the ground and you cannot get hurt by running into them (though their missiles can hurt you), while running into other jets will hurt you.

A total of 6 stages need to be cleared to complete the game. Unlike other shoot'em ups of that time, this game doesn't go to another loop after clearing it.

Weapons

V - standard vulcan spread shot
B - straight missile, the explosion radius can eliminate enemy bullets (including stage 3 boss' laser attack)
H - homing missile
D - circular attack
S - ship specific super weapon. Can also be sacrificed using the for a full screen bomb, which also negates enemy bullets

Trivia

After picking up the "S" power up, shots don't fire at rapid speed, pushing the buttons rapidly gives a higher firing rate than holding them down

Version differences

Aside from the expected and unavoidable graphical and sound differences, there are some other differences compared to the arcade version

Enemies don't 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 it's own
The first boss fight doesn't take place in front of a skyscraper
The rocket in stage 3 doesn't 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 sepparated
The ending is different

Promotional Material

VaporTrail MD US PrintAdvert.jpg

US print advert

Physical Scans

Sega Retro Average

Publication

Version

Score

1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)

30

^[3]

Aktueller Software Markt (DE)

63

^[4]

Beep! MegaDrive (JP)

NTSC-J

70

^[5]

Consoles + (FR)

92

^[6]

Console XS (UK)

NTSC-J

79

^[7]

Electronic Gaming Monthly (US)

NTSC-U

58

^[8]

Famitsu (JP)

NTSC-J

68

^[9]

Games-X (UK)

80

^[10]

Game Zone (UK)

PAL

50

^[11]

Hippon Super (JP)

NTSC-J

30

^[12]

Joystick (FR)

PAL

71

^[13]

Mega Drive Fan (JP)

NTSC-J

67

^[14]

MegaTech (UK)

70

^[15]

Mean Machines Sega (UK)

70

^[16]

Player One (FR)

67

^[17]

Power Play (DE)

59

^[18]

Sega Pro (UK)

PAL

75

^[19]

Sega Pro (UK)

75

^[20]

Sega Pro (UK)

NTSC

57

^[21]

Sega Saturn Magazine (JP)

NTSC-J

75

^[22]

Tilt (FR)

85

^[23]

Tricks 16 bit (RU)

71

^[24]

	66
Based on 22 reviews

Vapor Trail: Hyper Offence Formation

Mega Drive, US
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, JP
Cover
Cart

↑ File:Megatech UK 01.pdf, page 81
↑ File:Segapro UK 01.pdf, page 54
↑ 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, "November 1991" (UK; 1991-xx-xx), page 54
↑ 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

[:File:Megatech_UK_01.pdf_p81-1] File:Megatech UK 01.pdf, page 81

[:File:Segapro_UK_01.pdf_p54-2] File:Segapro UK 01.pdf, page 54

[3] 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 255

[:File:ASM_DE_1991-12.pdf_p140-4] Aktueller Software Markt, "Dezember 1991" (DE; 1991-11-15), page 140

[:File:BeepMD_JP_1991-08.pdf_p35-5] Beep! MegaDrive, "August 1991" (JP; 1991-07-08), page 35

[:File:ConsolesPlus_FR_002.pdf_p74-6] Consoles +, "Octobre 1991" (FR; 1991-10-05), page 74

[:File:Console_XS_UK_01.pdf_p136-7] Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 136

[:File:EGM_US_028.pdf_p24-8] Electronic Gaming Monthly, "November 1991" (US; 1991-1x-xx), page 24

[9] Famitsu, "1991-08-16" (JP; 1991-08-02), page 1

[:File:GamesX_UK_18.pdf_p40-10] Games-X, "22nd-28th August 1991" (UK; 1991-08-22), page 40

[:File:GameZone_UK_03.pdf_p49-11] Game Zone, "January 1992" (UK; 1991-12-18), page 49

[12] Hippon Super, "August 1991" (JP; 1991-07-04), page 89

[:File:Joystick_FR_019.pdf_p144-13] Joystick, "Septembre 1991" (FR; 1991-0x-xx), page 144

[:File:Mdfan_JP_1991-10.pdf_p107-14] Mega Drive Fan, "October 1991" (JP; 1991-09-xx), page 107

[:File:MegaTech_UK_01.pdf_p81-15] MegaTech, "Xmas 1991" (UK; 1991-12-06), page 81

[:File:MeanMachinesSega01UK.pdf_p142-16] Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 142

[:File:PlayerOne_FR_015.pdf_p99-17] Player One, "Décembre 1991" (FR; 1991-xx-xx), page 99

[:File:PowerPlay_DE_1991-12.pdf_p175-18] Power Play, "12/91" (DE; 1991-11-13), page 175

[:File:SegaPro_UK_01.pdf_p54-19] Sega Pro, "November 1991" (UK; 1991-xx-xx), page 54

[:File:SegaPro_UK_06.pdf_p31-20] Sega Pro, "April 1992" (UK; 1992-03-19), page 31

[:File:SegaPro_UK_18.pdf_p68-21] Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 68

[:File:SSM_JP_19950901_1995-09.pdf_p85-22] Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 85

[:File:Tilt_FR_097.pdf_p38-23] Tilt, "Décembre 1991" (FR; 1991-1x-xx), page 38

[24] Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 216

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Vapor Trail: Hyper Offence Formation

From Sega Retro

Contents

Gameplay

Weapons

Trivia

Version differences

Promotional Material

Physical Scans