Twin Cobra

From Sega Retro

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TwinCobra MDTitleScreen.png

Twin Cobra
System(s): Sega Mega Drive
Publisher: Treco (US Sega though Treco is credited)
Developer:
Genre: Shoot-'em-Up

















Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code

Twin Cobra, known as Kyuukyoku Tiger (究極タイガー) in Japan, is a 1987 arcade shoot-'em-up by Toaplan ported to the Sega Mega Drive in 1991 and released in Japan, the US and Brazil.

This Mega Drive variant of the game is slightly misleading. The name "Twin Cobra" (or Twin Cobra: Desert Attack Helicopter as listed on the packaging) originates from the localised arcade name for Kyuukyoku Tiger, but the "twin" implies "two", when it is in fact only a one-player game. In Japan, the arcade Kyuukyoku Tiger was originally released in a single-player only-form - a product which did not make it to the US, but is what this Mega Drive port is derived from.

In Brazil this was partially rectified by simply calling the game Desert Attack Helicopter on its packaging, though it uses the Twin Cobra name in-game.

Gameplay

The game auto scrolls like most shoot'em ups, A boss awaits at the end of each stage. The game loops after clearing it.

B shoots. A and C drop bombs (which is available in a limited supply). These have very big radius and power, furthermore absorb all bullets while the explosion lasts, but also have a (intentional) delay. Autofire cab be turned on or off. Using an autofire controller can give higher firing rates than the game's internal autofire.

Powerups are collected in the usual manner but are scarce as only green helicopters drop them. Compared to other game's power up carriers, these are exceptionally well armored. It's worth mentioning that weapons and weapon power ups are different items.

Weapons

  • Red: Standard straight shot, widening the more you power up
  • Green: narrow, strong laser
  • Blue: Spread shot
  • Yellow: forward and sideway shot, becomes cross shaped when powered up

Mega Drive version

By default the Mega Drive port of Twin Cobra is harder than its arcade counterpart, but this difficulty it can be adjusted in the options menu. Its overall presentation (complete with the "insert coin screen"), gameplay, levels layout and enemy patterns are faithful to the arcade original, unlike a rival PC Engine version which stripped its gameplay down and offers simplified presentation and stage design.

The Mega Drive Twin Cobra has a very simplistic way of handling colour, choosing a 64 colour palette at the start of the game and sticking with it regardless of what is happening on screen. This leads to some curious design choices, such as the tanks in stage 1 being bright yellow, as their palette is shared with explosions. On top of this, 16 of those colours are reserved for hit confirmation effects (yellow/red flashing when hitting an enemy), giving even less choice for stages and objects.

The helicopter in all home versions of the game is grey as opposed to the original red colour scheme. There is also some noticable load times before boss fights

History

Legacy

The game was also ported to several others systems of different generations like the NES; FM-Towns and PlayStation as part as Toaplan Shooting Battle Vol.1, the latter being the most faithful port.

In 1995 it received a sequel, Twin Cobra II/Kyuukyoku Tiger II, which would be ported exclusively to the Sega Saturn and released in Japan as Kyuukyoku Tiger II Plus.

A boss in Namco's shoot'em up Dangerous Seed is called "Ultimate Tiger", which is a direct translation of Twin Cobra's name. This could be a deliberate reference.

Production credits

Kyuukyoku Tiger

© 1991 All Rigths Reserved

Source:
In-game credits

Twin Cobra

© 1991 All Rights Reserved

Source:
In-game credits

Magazine articles

Main article: Twin Cobra/Magazine articles.

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
88 №1, p38/39[1]
66 №114, p76[2]
78 №15, p127
78 №5, p95
39 №5, p95
32 №5, p95
81 №1, p81[3]
80 №23, p55
60 №23, p55
60 №23, p55
87 №6, p31[4]
28 №18, p68
50 №18, p68
80 №18, p68
71 №8, p90/91[5]
Sega Mega Drive
 65
Based on
15 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
70
[6]
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
40
[7]
Aktueller Software Markt (DE)
67
[8]
Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J
60
[9]
The Complete Guide to Sega (UK) NTSC-J
88
[1]
Console XS (UK) NTSC-J
80
[10]
Computer & Video Games (UK)
66
[2]
Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U
75
[11]
Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1 (RU)
60
[12]
Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK)
78
[13]
Famitsu (JP) NTSC-J
53
[14]
Hippon Super (JP) NTSC-J
20
[15]
Joystick (FR) NTSC-J
78
[16]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) NTSC-J
55
[17]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) NTSC-U
39
[17]
Mega Drive Fan (JP) NTSC-J
65
[18]
Mega Play (US) NTSC-U
75
[19]
MegaTech (UK) NTSC-J
81
[3]
Mean Machines Sega (UK)
81
[20]
Power Play (DE)
80
[21]
Sega Power (UK) NTSC-J
63
[22]
Sega Power (UK) NTSC-U
50
[22]
Sega Pro (UK)
87
[4]
Sega Pro (UK) NTSC-J
54
[23]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
50
[23]
Sega Force (UK) PAL
71
[5]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
54
[24]
Tilt (FR)
70
[25]
Tricks 16 bit (RU) NTSC-U
46
[26]
Tricks 16 bit (RU) NTSC-J
70
[27]
Video Games (DE)
80
[28]
Sega Mega Drive
 65
Based on
31 reviews

Twin Cobra

Mega Drive, US
TwinCobra MD US Box.jpg
Cover
TwinCobra MD US Cart.jpg
Cart
Twin Cobra MD US Manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, JP
TwinCobra MD JP Box.jpg
Cover
TwinCobra MD JP CartTop.jpg
TwinCobra MD JP Cart.jpg
Cart
TwinCobra MD jp manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, BR
TwinCobra MD BR Box.jpg
Cover
TwinCobra MD BR Cart.jpg
Cart
Necretro-round.svg
NEC Retro has more information related to Kyuukyoku Tiger

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 File:TheCompleteGuideToSega UK.pdf, page 38 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:TheCompleteGuideToSega UK.pdf_p38" defined multiple times with different content
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 File:CVG UK 114.pdf, page 76 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:CVG UK 114.pdf_p76" defined multiple times with different content
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 File:MegaTech UK 01.pdf, page 81 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MegaTech UK 01.pdf_p81" defined multiple times with different content
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 File:SegaPro UK 06.pdf, page 31 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:SegaPro UK 06.pdf_p31" defined multiple times with different content
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 File:SegaForce UK 08.pdf, page 90 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:SegaForce UK 08.pdf_p90" defined multiple times with different content
  6. ↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 322
  7. ↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 252
  8. ↑ Aktueller Software Markt, "Mai 1991" (DE; 1991-04-26), page 128
  9. ↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "March 1991" (JP; 1991-02-08), page 34
  10. ↑ Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 136
  11. ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "June 1991" (US; 1991-xx-xx), page 22
  12. ↑ Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1, "" (RU; 1999-xx-xx), page 365
  13. ↑ Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 113
  14. ↑ Famitsu, "" (JP; 1991-0x-xx), page 1
  15. ↑ Hippon Super, "March 1991" (JP; 1991-02-04), page 42
  16. ↑ Joystick, "Avril 1991" (FR; 1991-0x-xx), page 127
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1993" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 95
  18. ↑ Mega Drive Fan, "May 1991" (JP; 1991-04-08), page 95
  19. ↑ Mega Play, "May/June 1991" (US; 1991-0x-xx), page 43
  20. ↑ Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 142
  21. ↑ Power Play, "5/91" (DE; 1991-04-12), page 139
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 55
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 68
  24. ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 87
  25. ↑ Tilt, "Juin 1991" (FR; 1991-0x-xx), page 75
  26. ↑ Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 208
  27. ↑ Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 27
  28. ↑ Video Games, "2/91" (DE; 1991-06-07), page 91
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