Zero Wing

From Sega Retro

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Zero Wing Title.png

Zero Wing
System(s): Sega Mega Drive
Publisher: Toaplan
Developer:
Original system(s): Arcade boards
Genre: Shoot-'em-Up

















Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Mega Drive
JP 		¥8,0008,000 T-40023
Sega Mega Drive
EU 		1138-50

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Zero Wing (ゼロウイング) is a 1989 arcade shoot-'em-up video game developed by Toaplan, and ported to the Sega Mega Drive in 1991 for Japan and Europe release. It is one of the few Mega Drive ports developed by Toaplan themselves.

It has a very different-sounding arrange of the original arcade soundtrack, focused around the popular Cube sound driver.

Gameplay

A and C shoot. B fires a suction beam that will trap enemies, allowing the ship to grab certain enemies. Letting go of B launches the enemy at high speeds, allowing you to destroy other enemies with it. Some heavy ships will pull the player ship down.

Enemies drop powerups when destroyed; the first powerup per life will always be subships that shoot with you but do not have the suction beam. The collectable items are:

  • red: spreadshot
  • blue: laser
  • green: homing shot
  • orb: strong bomb that can be releases by pushing B
  • speedup

The game has an autofire option, but a much higher firing rate can be achieved by rapidly tapping the buttons or using an autofire controller. Like a lot of other Toaplan games, this game also strangely defaults to the easy difficulty instead of normal

Versions

While there are no gameplay differences between the arcade version and its ports, the Mega Drive port added an in-game storyline with cutscenes. This is all well and good, but the English translator chosen was the kind of guy who "thought" he knew English. Long story short, the English introduction is ridiculous to the point where "ALL YOUR BASE ARE BELONG TO US." has become a meme that is far more popular than the game itself ever will be.

Production credits

Zero Wing Original Staff
  • 68k Side: T.Ota, H.Furukawa
  • Z80 Side: T.Uemura
  • Graphics: S.Nakaoka, N.Ogiwara, M.Hayashi, S.Nito
  • Music: T.Uemura, M.Yuge, T.Tomizawa
© Toaplan 1991.
Source:
In-game credits


Magazine articles

Main article: Zero Wing/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

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Print advert in Beep! MegaDrive (JP) #1991-03: "March 1991" (1991-02-08)
also published in:
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Print advert in Beep! MegaDrive (JP) #1991-05: "May 1991" (1991-04-08)
also published in:
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Print advert in Beep! MegaDrive (JP) #1991-06: "June 1991" (1991-05-08)
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Print advert in Beep! MegaDrive (JP) #1991-07: "July 1991" (1991-06-08)
also published in:
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Physical scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
93 [5]
80 [6]
75 №, p83[7]
70 №133, [1]
92 №9
60 №1991-05, p42
86 [8]
90 [9]
86 [10]
72 №5, p95
70 №9, p23
82 №5, p32-35
91 [11]
79 [12]
100 [13]
88 №33, p34
78 [14]
77 №18, p68
86 [15]
85 [16]
80 [17]
67 [18]
Sega Mega Drive
 81
Based on
22 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
80
[19]
Aktueller Software Markt (DE)
72
[20]
Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J
80
[21]
Console XS (UK) NTSC-J
77
[22]
Computer & Video Games (UK)
93
[23]
Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 7 (RU)
40
[24]
Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK)
87
[25]
Famitsu (JP) NTSC-J
70
[26]
Games-X (UK)
92
[27]
Hippon Super (JP) NTSC-J
60
[28]
Hobby Consolas (ES)
86
[29]
Joypad (FR) PAL
90
[9]
Joystick (FR)
86
[10]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) PAL
72
[30]
Mega Drive Fan (JP) NTSC-J
66
[31]
Mega (UK) PAL
70
[32]
Mega Force (FR)
80
[33]
MegaTech (UK)
82
[34]
MegaTech (UK) PAL
82
[35]
Mean Machines (UK)
91
[36]
Mean Machines Sega (UK)
91
[37]
Player One (FR)
79
[38]
Play Time (DE)
68
[39]
Sega Power (UK) NTSC-J
100
[13]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
88
[40]
Sega Pro (UK)
78
[14]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
77
[41]
Sega Force (UK) PAL
86
[1]
Sega Opisaniy i sekretov (RU)
66
[42]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
75
[43]
Super Gaming (US)
67
[44]
Supersonic (FR)
85
[16]
Tilt (FR)
80
[45]
Video Games (DE)
67
[46]
Sega Mega Drive
 78
Based on
34 reviews

Zero Wing

Mega Drive, EU
Zero Wing MD EU Box.jpg
Cover
ZeroWing MD EU Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, JP
Zerowing md jp cover.jpg
Cover
ZeroWing MD JP CartTop.jpg
Zerowing md jp cart.jpg
Cart
Zerowing md jp manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, SE (rental)

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Sega Force, "July 1992" (UK; 1992-06-xx), page 72
  2. ↑ Mega Drive Fan, "March 1991" (JP; 1991-02-08), page 99
  3. ↑ Mega Drive Fan, "May 1991" (JP; 1991-04-08), page 42
  4. ↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "August 1991" (JP; 1991-07-08), page 16
  5. ↑ Computer & Video Games, "August 1991" (UK; 1991-07-15), page 60-62 (60)
  6. ↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "May 1991" (JP; 1991-04-08), page 27 (29)
  7. ↑ File:SSM_JP_19950901_1995-09.pdf, page 85
  8. ↑ Hobby Consolas, "Agosto 1992" (ES; 1992-0x-xx), page 48-51 (48)
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Joypad, "Juin 1992" (FR; 1992-05-1x), page 158
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Joystick, "Juillet/Août 1991" (FR; 1991-0x-xx), page 182
  11. ↑ Mean Machines, "July 1991" (UK; 1991-06-29), page 74-76 (74)
  12. ↑ Player One, "Mai 1992" (FR; 1992-05-10), page 70/71 (70)
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 55
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Sega Pro, "April 1992" (UK; 1992-03-19), page 41
  15. ↑ Sega Force, "July 1992" (UK; 1992-06-xx), page 70/71 (72)
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Supersonic, "Mai/Juin 1992" (FR; 1992-xx-xx), page 6
  17. ↑ Tilt, "Septembre 1991" (FR; 1991-09-xx), page 53/54 (51)
  18. ↑ Video Games, "7/92" (DE; 1992-06-24), page 46 (44)
  19. ↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 349
  20. ↑ Aktueller Software Markt, "November 1991" (DE; 1991-10-11), page 139
  21. ↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "May 1991" (JP; 1991-04-08), page 27
  22. ↑ Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 137
  23. ↑ Computer & Video Games, "August 1991" (UK; 1991-07-15), page 60
  24. ↑ Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 7, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 291
  25. ↑ Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 118
  26. ↑ Famitsu, "1991-xx-xx" (JP; 1991-06-14), page 19
  27. ↑ Games-X, "21st-26th June 1991" (UK; 1991-06-21), page 36
  28. ↑ Hippon Super, "May 1991" (JP; 1991-04-04), page 42
  29. ↑ Hobby Consolas, "Agosto 1992" (ES; 1992-0x-xx), page 48
  30. ↑ Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1993" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 95
  31. ↑ Mega Drive Fan, "August 1991" (JP; 1991-07-08), page 123
  32. ↑ Mega, "June 1993" (UK; 1993-05-20), page 21
  33. ↑ Mega Force, "Mai 1992" (FR; 1992-05-05), page 76
  34. ↑ MegaTech, "May 1992" (UK; 1992-04-20), page 32
  35. ↑ MegaTech, "June 1993" (UK; 1993-05-20), page 93
  36. ↑ Mean Machines, "July 1991" (UK; 1991-06-29), page 74
  37. ↑ Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 143
  38. ↑ Player One, "Mai 1992" (FR; 1992-05-10), page 70
  39. ↑ Play Time, "(8/9)/92" (DE; 1992-07-08), page 94
  40. ↑ Sega Power, "August 1992" (UK; 1992-07-02), page 34
  41. ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 68
  42. ↑ Sega Opisaniy i sekretov, "14000 Opisaniy i sekretov" (RU; 2003-03-11), page 236
  43. ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 85
  44. ↑ Super Gaming, "Fall 1991" (US; 1991-xx-xx), page 8
  45. ↑ Tilt, "Septembre 1991" (FR; 1991-09-xx), page 53
  46. ↑ Video Games, "7/92" (DE; 1992-06-24), page 46
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