The Steel Empire

n/a

The Steel Empire

Publisher: HOT-B, Flying Edge (US/Europe)

Developer: HOT-B

Sound driver: Cube/Noriyuki Iwadare

Genre: Shoot-'em-Up

Number of players: 1

Release	Date	RRP	Code
JP	1992-03-13	¥7,8007,800	T-28033
US	1992-06^[1]		T-81046
EU	1992-07		T-80146-50
AU	1992

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The Steel Empire, called Empire of Steel in Europe and Koutetsu Teikoku (鋼鉄帝国) in Japan, is a 1992 shoot-'em-up for the Sega Mega Drive developed by HOT-B and published in the US and Europe by Acclaim-owned Flying Edge. A Game Boy Advance port was released in Japan and Europe in 2004.

In the US, the game was originally set to be published by Sage's Creation under the title Battlewings, before handing the license to Acclaim.

Story

The game presents itself as an old-time war film produced by the "HOT-B Film Corporation". In the film, the future is the Steel Age, where a military dictatorship called Motorhead enslaved the human population. The only hope for freedom is the Republic of Silverhead, who managed to remain independent, and who alone has the weapons to take out Motorhead.

Gameplay

You control one of two Silverhead aircraft, the Striker and the ZEP-01. Striker is a military aircraft that can go fast but is somewhat weak. ZEP-01 is a zeppelin that is considerably slower but can handle much more damage. shoots to the right, shoots to the left, and launches a Super Bomb, which shoots lightning upon every enemy on screen. There are weapon enhancements, much like most other shooters, however they can be leveled up by collecting emblems throughout the level to fill up your EX bar (filling it up then getting one more levels up once).

Items

50px	Bomb
50px	Extra Lightning Bomb
50px	Point
50px	100 points
50px	Vitality
50px	Energy bonus
50px	1up
50px	Extra life
50px	Speed
50px	Speed boost
50px	Option
50px	Adds outrigger planes
50px	EXP
50px	Adds experience

Stages

	Stage 1 - The Mine City of Rahl

	Stage 2 - The Liedengel Caverns

	Stage 3 - Sky District Zektor

	Stage 4 - Gardandi Beach

	Stage 5 - Dama City

	Stage 6 - Germburn Fortress

	Stage 7 - Lunar Space

Versions

Localised names

Also known as
Language	Localised Name	English Translation
English	Empire of Steel	Empire of Steel
English (US)	The Steel Empire	The Steel Empire
Japanese	鋼鉄帝国	Koutetsu Teikoku

Production credits

As the game pretends it's a film, some of the staff roles make little sense in this game. In situations where the actual role is known, it is parenthesized after the role given in the game.

Director: N.Yamaguchi
Co-Director: Y.Satake
Producer: A.Tomonaga
Executive Producer: J.Kuriyama
Screenplay: K.Asai
Based on the Novel by: Carr.H.Schitch: (ↄ)"Steel Empire" 1819
Music: Cube Co., Ltd.
Music Composer: I.Mizoguchi, Y.Kubotera, N.Iwadare
Special Sound Effectes: [sic] M.Hikichi
Re-Recording Engineer: Dougen.Sibuya
Production Supervisor: A.Tomonaga
Operating Cameramen: Y.Hirasawa, T.Suzuki
Location Director of Photography: (co-programmer): K.Endoh
Conceptual Artist: Kemono I.
Art Director: S.Hatsuya
Set Director: K.Nishi
Mattepainting Supervisor: V.Bestie
Modelshop Supervisor: S.Riot.H
Construction Manager: [sic] M.Yorozuya
Head Effects Animation: N.Yamaguchi
Steadicam(R) Plate Photography: K.Suganuma, N.Nakane, A.Tomonaga
Translation Assist: Sarah.Y

Source:

In-game credits

Other credits

Cover Illustration: Marc William Ericksen

Magazine articles

Main article: The Steel Empire/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

120x120px

ES print advert

Print advert in Sega Visions (US) #8: "May/June 1992" (1992-xx-xx)

Print advert in Sega Visions (US) #8: "May/June 1992" (1992-xx-xx)
also published in:

Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #36: "July 1992" (1992-xx-xx)^[3]
GamePro (US) #36: "July 1992" (1992-xx-xx)^[4]

Print advert in Beep! MegaDrive (JP) #1991-10: "October 1991" (1991-09-07)

Print advert in Beep! MegaDrive (JP) #1991-11: "November 1991" (1991-10-08)

Artwork

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average

Publication

Version

Score

1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)

40

^[19]

Beep! MegaDrive (JP)

NTSC-J

73

^[20]

Consoles + (FR)

82

^[21]

Computer & Video Games (UK)

90

^[22]

Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK)

79

^[23]

Famitsu (JP)

NTSC-J

65

^[24]

GamePro (US)

NTSC-U

85

^[25]

Games-X (UK)

70

^[26]

Game Zone (UK)

79

^[27]

Hippon Super (JP)

NTSC-J

50

^[28]

Hobby Consolas (ES)

89

^[29]

Joypad (FR)

NTSC-J

82

^[30]

Joypad (FR)

PAL

82

^[31]

Joystick (FR)

NTSC-J

72

^[11]

Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK)

PAL

84

^[32]

Mega Drive Fan (JP)

NTSC-J

68

^[33]

Mega Fun (DE)

NTSC-U

82

^[34]

Mega Play (US)

NTSC-U

70

^[35]

MegaTech (UK)

NTSC-J

85

^[36]

Mean Machines (UK)

70

^[37]

Mean Machines Sega (UK)

70

^[38]

Player One (FR)

85

^[39]

Power Play (DE)

56

^[40]

Sega Power (UK)

PAL

54

^[41]

Sega Pro (UK)

NTSC-J

72

^[16]

Sega Pro (UK)

PAL

60

^[42]

Sega Force (SE)

86

^[43]

Sega Force (UK)

PAL

72

^[44]

Sega Saturn Magazine (JP)

NTSC-J

81

^[45]

Supergame (BR)

NTSC-J

86

^[17]

Tricks 16 bit (RU)

44

^[46]

VideoGames & Computer Entertainment (US)

NTSC-U

60

^[47]

Video Games (DE)

63

^[48]

	72
Based on 33 reviews

The Steel Empire

Mega Drive, US
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, EU
Cover
Cart

Mega Drive, JP
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, SE (Rental)

References

[:File:SegaVisions_US_08.pdf_p58-1] File:SegaVisions US 08.pdf, page 58

[:File:SegaForce_UK_08.pdf_p87-2] Sega Force, "August 1992" (UK; 1992-07-09), page 87

[:File:EGM_US_036.pdf_p78-3] Electronic Gaming Monthly, "July 1992" (US; 1992-xx-xx), page 78

[:File:GamePro_US_036.pdf_p8-4] GamePro, "July 1992" (US; 1992-xx-xx), page 8

[:File:BeepMD_JP_1992-03.pdf_p38_.2836.29-5] Beep! MegaDrive, "March 1992" (JP; 1992-02-08), page 36 (38)

[:File:SSM_JP_19950901_1995-09.pdf_p85-6] File:SSM_JP_19950901_1995-09.pdf, page 85

[:File:ConsolesPlus_FR_007.pdf_p82_.2882.2F83.29-7] Consoles +, "Mars 1992" (FR; 1992-0x-xx), page 82/83 (82)

[:File:CVG_UK_126.pdf_p62_.2862.2F63.29-8] Computer & Video Games, "May 1992" (UK; 1992-04-15), page 62/63 (62)

[:File:HobbyConsolas_ES_014.pdf_p104_.28112-115.29-9] Hobby Consolas, "Noviembre 1992" (ES; 1992-xx-xx), page 112-115 (104)

[:File:Joypad_FR_008.pdf_p90_.2890.2F91.29-10] Joypad, "Mai 1992" (FR; 1992-04-1x), page 90/91 (90)

[:File:Joystick_FR_026.pdf_p150-11] 11.0 ^11.1 Joystick, "Avril 1992" (FR; 1992-0x-xx), page 150

[:File:MeanMachines_UK_20.pdf_p96_.2896-98.29-12] Mean Machines, "May 1992" (UK; 1992-04-28), page 96-98 (96)

[:File:PlayerOne_FR_025.pdf_p90_.2894.2F95.29-13] Player One, "Novembre 1992" (FR; 1992-11-10), page 94/95 (90)

[:File:SegaForce_SE_1992_02.pdf_p8_.288.2F9.29-14] Sega Force, "2/92" (SE; 1992-11-19), page 8/9 (8)

[:File:SegaForce_UK_08.pdf_p86_.2886.2F87.29-15] Sega Force, "August 1992" (UK; 1992-07-09), page 86/87 (86)

[:File:SegaPro_UK_07.pdf_p43-16] 16.0 ^16.1 Sega Pro, "May 1992" (UK; 1992-04-16), page 43

[:File:Supergame_BR_12.pdf_p16-17] 17.0 ^17.1 Supergame, "Julho 1992" (BR; 1992-07-xx), page 16

[:File:VideoGames_DE_1992-06.pdf_p46_.2848.29-18] Video Games, "6/92" (DE; 1992-05-29), page 48 (46)

[19] 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 223

[:File:BeepMD_JP_1992-03.pdf_p38-20] Beep! MegaDrive, "March 1992" (JP; 1992-02-08), page 38

[:File:ConsolesPlus_FR_007.pdf_p82-21] Consoles +, "Mars 1992" (FR; 1992-0x-xx), page 82

[:File:CVG_UK_126.pdf_p62-22] Computer & Video Games, "May 1992" (UK; 1992-04-15), page 62

[:File:MeanMachinesEssentialSegaGuide_Book_UK.pdf_p41-23] Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 41

[:File:Famitsu_JP_0170.pdf_p39-24] Famitsu, "1992-03-20" (JP; 1992-03-06), page 39

[:File:GamePro_US_035.pdf_p56-25] GamePro, "June 1992" (US; 1992-xx-xx), page 56

[:File:GamesX_UK_48.pdf_p22-26] Games-X, "26th March-1st April 1992" (UK; 1992-03-26), page 22

[:File:GameZone_UK_10.pdf_p64-27] Game Zone, "August 1992" (UK; 1992-07-xx), page 64

[28] Hippon Super, "February 1992" (JP; 1992-01-07), page 96

[:File:HobbyConsolas_ES_014.pdf_p112-29] Hobby Consolas, "Noviembre 1992" (ES; 1992-xx-xx), page 112

[:File:Joypad_FR_008.pdf_p90-30] Joypad, "Mai 1992" (FR; 1992-04-1x), page 90

[:File:Joypad_FR_015.pdf_p166-31] Joypad, "Décembre 1992" (FR; 1992-1x-xx), page 166

[:File:MDAG_UK_05.pdf_p91-32] Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1993" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 91

[:File:Mdfan_JP_1992-06.pdf_p83-33] Mega Drive Fan, "June 1992" (JP; 1992-05-08), page 83

[:File:MegaFun_DE_1992-06.pdf_p27-34] Mega Fun, "06/92" (DE; 1992-0x-xx), page 27

[:File:MegaPlay_US_0304.pdf_p64-35] Mega Play, "August 1992" (US; 1992-0x-xx), page 64

[:File:MegaTech_UK_05.pdf_p36-36] MegaTech, "May 1992" (UK; 1992-04-20), page 36

[:File:MeanMachines_UK_20.pdf_p96-37] Mean Machines, "May 1992" (UK; 1992-04-28), page 96

[:File:MeanMachinesSega01UK.pdf_p138-38] Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 138

[:File:PlayerOne_FR_025.pdf_p94-39] Player One, "Novembre 1992" (FR; 1992-11-10), page 94

[:File:PowerPlay_DE_1992-06.pdf_p146-40] Power Play, "6/92" (DE; 1992-05-13), page 146

[:File:SegaPower_UK_33.pdf_p36-41] Sega Power, "August 1992" (UK; 1992-07-02), page 36

[:File:SegaPro_UK_18.pdf_p67-42] Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 67

[:File:SegaForce_SE_1992_02.pdf_p8-43] Sega Force, "2/92" (SE; 1992-11-19), page 8

[:File:SegaForce_UK_08.pdf_p86-44] Sega Force, "August 1992" (UK; 1992-07-09), page 86

[:File:SSM_JP_19950901_1995-09.pdf_p85-45] Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 85

[46] Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 178

[:File:VG.26amp.3BCE_US_42.pdf_p111-47] VideoGames & Computer Entertainment, "July 1992" (US; 1992-0x-xx), page 111

[:File:VideoGames_DE_1992-06.pdf_p48-48] Video Games, "6/92" (DE; 1992-05-29), page 48

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The Steel Empire

From Sega Retro

Contents

Story

Gameplay

Items

Stages

Versions

Localised names

Production credits

Other credits

Magazine articles

Promotional material

Artwork

Physical scans

References