Twin Cobra

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Twin Cobra
System(s): Sega Mega Drive
Publisher: Sega (US), Treco (JP)
Developer: Toaplan, GRC
Original system(s): Arcade boards
Developer(s) of original games: Toaplan
Genre: Shoot-'em-Up
Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code JP 1991-02-22 ¥7,5007,500 T-24033 US 1991-06 1128 BR 199x
Non-Sega versions Arcade FM Towns Nintendo Entertainment System PC Engine X68000

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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.

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.

shoots. and 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

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.

Versions

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

Localised names

Also known as

Language	Localised Name	English Translation
English (US)	Twin Cobra	Twin Cobra
Japanese	究極タイガー	Kyuukyoku Tiger
Portuguese (Brazil)	Desert Attack Helicopter	Desert Attack Helicopter

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.

Production credits

Kyuukyoku Tiger

• Publisher: Hajime Satomi
• Producer: Hiromitsu Kususe
• Assistant Producer: Tatsuhiko Tsuchida, Takashi Ohga, Midori Sawada, Takashi Kuroda, Akihiro Murayama
• Program Designer: Hyakumangoku Hamada, Oshiete Kawacyan
• Art Creator: Numataroh, Etoh Shiwasu, Kencyan Arumon Mark-2, Harada Riku-Shicyoh, Arumon Puls, Hashiuri Yuki, Kidokoro Mai
• Music Arranger: Raika no Papa
• Super Data Maker: Dotsukanpo Itoh
• Executive Director: Yoshiaki Sawada
• Special Thanks: Damenanoyo-N Shigecyan, Silpheed, Silence Takahashi, Dadida Syohji, Tetorisu Kudasai Maccyan, Bakkin Tamayama, Yukimi Papa, Urakureani Man 7, Egawa Bucyoh, Yamanaka San, Hex Dec Bin Imoto
• Presented by: Treco

© 1991 All Rights Reserved

Source:

In-game credits

Twin Cobra

• Publisher: Hajime Satomi
• Producer: Hiromitsu Kususe
• Assistant Producer: Tatsuhiko Tsuchida, Takashi Ohga, Midori Sawada, Takashi Kuroda, Akihiro Murayama
• Program Designer: Hyakumangoku Hamada, Oshiete Kawacyan
• Art Creator: Numataroh, Etoh Shiwasu, Kencyan Arumon Mark-2, Harada Riku-Shicyoh, Arumon Puls, Hashiuri Yuki, Kidokoro Mai
• Music Arranger: Raika no Papa
• Super Data Maker: Dotsukanpo Itoh
• Executive Director: Yoshiaki Sawada
• Special Thanks: Damenanoyo-N Shigecyan, Silpheed, Silence Takahashi, Dadida Syohji, Tetorisu Kudasai Maccyan, Bakkin Tamayama, Yukimi Papa, Urakureani Man 7, Egawa Bucyoh, Yamanaka San, Hex Dec Bin Imoto
• Presented by: Sega Enterprises Ltd.

© 1991 All Rights Reserved

Source:

In-game credits

Magazine articles

Main article: Twin Cobra/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Print advert in Beep! MegaDrive (JP) #1990-12: "December 1990" (1990-11-08)
also published in:

• Beep! MegaDrive (JP) #1991-01: "January 1991" (1990-12-08)
• Beep! MegaDrive (JP) #1991-02: "February 1991" (1991-01-08)
• Mega Drive Fan (JP) #12: "January 1991" (1990-12-08)
• Mega Drive Fan (JP) #13: "February 1991" (1991-01-08)

Print advert in Beep! MegaDrive (JP) #1991-03: "March 1991" (1991-02-08)
also published in:

• Mega Drive Fan (JP) #14: "March 1991" (1991-02-08)

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

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Based on 0 review

Sega Retro Average

Publication Version Score 1700 igr dlya Sega (RU) 70 1700 igr dlya Sega (RU) 40 Aktueller Software Markt (DE) 67 Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J 60 The Complete Guide to Sega (UK) NTSC-J 88 Console XS (UK) NTSC-J 80 Computer & Video Games (UK) 66 Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U 75 Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1 (RU) 60 Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK) 78 Famitsu (JP) NTSC-J 53 Hippon Super (JP) NTSC-J 20 Joystick (FR) NTSC-J 78 Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) NTSC-J 55 Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) NTSC-U 39 Mega Drive Fan (JP) NTSC-J 65 Mega Play (US) NTSC-U 75 MegaTech (UK) NTSC-J 81 Mean Machines Sega (UK) 81 Power Play (DE) 80 Sega Power (UK) NTSC-J 63 Sega Power (UK) NTSC-U 50 Sega Pro (UK) 87 Sega Pro (UK) NTSC-J 54 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 50 Sega Force (UK) PAL 71 Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J 54 Tilt (FR) 70 Tricks 16 bit (RU) NTSC-U 46 Tricks 16 bit (RU) NTSC-J 70 Video Games (DE) 80

	65
Based on 31 reviews

Twin Cobra

Mega Drive, US
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, JP
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, BR
Cover
Cart

Technical information

ROM dump status

System	Hash	Size	Build Date	Source	Comments
✔	CRC32 2c708248 MD5 0006c0c0db9b334b79f1ed20eeb8b9bf SHA-1 c386c617703a3f5278d24b310c6bc15e3e180bdf	640kB	1991-04	Cartridge (US)
✔	CRC32 61276d21 MD5 c7a3369029237556a342532ffc786a18 SHA-1 cbe207732c6ce5e5e5846e44847ce902315f2bc3	640kB	1991-01	Cartridge (JP)

References

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