Hellfire

n/a

NTSC-J/PAL
NTSC-U

Hellfire

System(s): Sega Mega Drive

Publisher: Masaya (Japan), Seismic Software (US), Sega (Europe), Retro-Bit (Collector's Edition)

Developer: NCS

Licensor: Toaplan

Original system(s): Arcade boards

Developer(s) of original games: Toaplan

Genre: Shooting^[1]

Number of players: 1

Release	Date	RRP	Code
JP	1990-09-28^[1]	¥6,800 (7,004)6,800e^[2]^[3]	T-25073
US	1990-11^[4]^[5]		35036
EU	1992-05		1137
UK	1992-05	£34.9934.99^[6]^[7]	1137
SE (Rental)	199x
AU	199x
BR	199x
KR	199x
US (Retro-Bit)	2020	$44.9944.99^[8]
EU (Retro-Bit)	2020	€39.9939.99^[8]

Non-Sega versions
Arcade CD-ROM²

This short article is in need of work. You can help Sega Retro by adding to it.

Hellfire (ヘルファイアー) is a Sega Mega Drive horizontal shoot-'em-up developed by NCS and published by Taito. A port of the titular 1989 Toaplan arcade game Hellfire, it was first published in Japan by Masaya in September 1990, was brought to the United States the following November by Seismic Software, and eventually published in Europe by Sega in May 1992. Sometime later, Hellfire made its way to Brazil, South Korea, and Australia. In October 2020, the game was re-released worldwide by Retro-Bit as part of Toaplan Shooters Collector's Edition.^[9]

One of the first Toaplan games to grace the Sega Mega Drive, Hellfire has been seen as typifying the style and design of the system's early library of shoot-'em-ups, and is one of the more fondly remembered examples of the genre on Sega's 16-bit hardware.

Hellfire - along with the 1994 action platformer Earthworm Jim - is additionally notable for being one of few Mega Drive games to function improperly on different revisions of the hardware itself.

Gameplay

Hellfire does not follow the typical powerup system of most shmups of the time. Instead, your ship, the CNCS1, can fire either straight to the right (pink), straight to the left (yellow), straight up and down (green), or diagonally in four directions (blue), switching between these modes by pressing . shoots, and shoots the Hellfire, a much more powerful version of your shot which comes in limited quantities for each level.

Versions

The Japanese version has louder shots sound effect than the NTSC-U & PAL releases.

Mega Drive hardware issues

Magazine articles

Main article: Hellfire/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Main article: Hellfire/Promotional material.

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average

Publication

Version

Score

1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)

40

^[10]

ACE (UK)

PAL

60

^[11]

Complete Guide to Consoles (UK)

93

^[12]

The Complete Guide to Sega (UK)

90

^[13]

Cool Gamer (RU)

30

^[14]

Computer & Video Games (UK)

94

^[15]

Computer & Video Games (UK)

91

^[16]

Electronic Gaming Monthly (US)

NTSC-U

78

^[17]

Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK)

91

^[18]

Famitsu (JP)

NTSC-J

73

^[19]

Game Mania (UK)

92

^[20]

GamePro (US)

NTSC-U

84

^[21]

Games-X (UK)

86

^[22]

Games-X (UK)

70

^[23]

Famicom Hisshoubon (JP)

NTSC-J

60

^[24]

Hobby Consolas (ES)

94

^[25]

Joypad (FR)

PAL

95

^[26]

Joystick (FR)

97

^[27]

Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK)

PAL

72

^[28]

Mega Drive Fan (JP)

NTSC-J

68

^[29]

MegaTech (UK)

90

^[30]

MegaTech (UK)

NTSC

89

^[31]

MegaTech (UK)

93

^[7]

Micromanía (segunda época) (ES)

73

^[32]

Mean Machines (UK)

93

^[33]

Mean Machines Sega (UK)

93

^[34]

Player One (FR)

84

^[35]

Play Time (DE)

72

^[36]

Power Up! (UK)

76

^[37]

Power Play (DE)

84

^[38]

Raze (UK)

NTSC-J

82

^[39]

Score (CZ)

60

^[40]

Sega Power (UK)

NTSC

100

^[41]

Sega Power (UK)

PAL

84

^[6]

Sega Pro (UK)

PAL

94

^[42]

Sega Pro (UK)

NTSC

69

^[43]

Sega Force (SE)

91

^[44]

Sega Force (UK)

92

^[45]

Sega Saturn Magazine (JP)

NTSC-J

69

^[46]

Supergame (BR)

88

^[47]

Tricks 16 bit (RU)

59

^[48]

	80
Based on 41 reviews

Hellfire

Mega Drive, JP
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, US
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, EU
Cover
Cart PCB

Mega Drive, FR

Manual

Mega Drive, SE (Rental)
Cover

Mega Drive, AU

Mega Drive, BR
Cover
Cart

Mega Drive, KR

Cart

Mega Drive, (Retro-Bit)

Technical information

ROM dump status

System

Hash

Size

Build Date

Source

Comments

✔

CRC32	184018f9
MD5	dbdc25c40b85e488a1e817557e3e375c
SHA-1	9a91bef8a07f709e1f79f8519da79eac34d1796d

512kB

1990-06

Cartridge (US)

✔

CRC32	cf30acec
MD5	26f695adeabca0e2a31eee07ae2057c2
SHA-1	3cee325f4e8d12157b20c4ca7093bf806f5f9148

512kB

1991-09

Cartridge (EU)

✔

CRC32	8e5e13ba
MD5	1e1950f384b6c2320e6d17c381c39d62
SHA-1	17bbf3da65757cad3c7ff82c094e54cc68fd2f73

512kB

1990-06

Cartridge (JP)

References

NEC Retro has more information related to Hellfire S

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 https://sega.jp/history/hard/megadrive/software_l.html (Wayback Machine: 2020-07-02 23:21)
↑ File:Hellfire MD JP Box.jpg
↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "November 1990" (JP; 1990-10-XX), page 12
↑ https://groups.google.com/g/rec.games.video/c/aBaGQlt1rXg/m/NEWpMfkSg3cJ
↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "November 1990" (US; 1990-xx-xx), page 72
↑ ^6.0 ^6.1 Sega Power, "June 1992" (UK; 1992-05-07), page 28
↑ ^7.0 ^7.1 MegaTech, "May 1992" (UK; 1992-04-20), page 24
↑ ^8.0 ^8.1 File:TSCE Toaplan Press Release.pdf, page 2
↑ https://retro-bit.com/toaplan-shooters/ (Wayback Machine: 2021-05-15 18:27)
↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 95
↑ ACE, "January 1991" (UK; 1990-12-xx), page 101
↑ Complete Guide to Consoles, "Volume IV" (UK; 1990-11-xx), page 31
↑ The Complete Guide to Sega, "" (UK; 1991-05-xx), page 47
↑ Cool Gamer, "9" (RU; 2002-10-13), page 100
↑ Computer & Video Games, "December 1990" (UK; 1990-11-16), page 148
↑ Computer & Video Games, "June 1994" (UK; 1994-05-15), page 106
↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "March 1991" (US; 1991-xx-xx), page 18
↑ Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 57
↑ Famitsu, "" (JP; 1990-xx-xx), page 1
↑ Game Mania, "May 1993" (UK; 1993-xx-xx), page 80
↑ GamePro, "December 1990" (US; 1990-xx-xx), page 132
↑ Games-X, "14th-20th June 1991" (UK; 1991-06-14), page 35
↑ Games-X, "26th March-1st April 1992" (UK; 1992-03-26), page 24
↑ Famicom Hisshoubon, "1990-18, 19 (1990-09-21, 10-05)" (JP; 1990-09-14), page 17
↑ Hobby Consolas, "Abril 1992" (ES; 1992-0x-xx), page 56
↑ Joypad, "Avril 1992" (FR; 1992-03-1x), page 140
↑ Joystick, "Novembre 1990" (FR; 1990-1x-xx), page 134
↑ Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1993" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 92
↑ Mega Drive Fan, "December 1990" (JP; 1990-11-08), page 79
↑ MegaTech, "Xmas 1991" (UK; 1991-12-06), page 78
↑ MegaTech, "February 1992" (UK; 1992-01-20), page 23
↑ Micromanía (segunda época), "Mayo 1992" (ES; 1992-0x-xx), page 67
↑ Mean Machines, "December 1990" (UK; 1990-12-xx), page 74
↑ Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 139
↑ Player One, "Avril 1992" (FR; 1992-04-10), page 62
↑ Play Time, "5/92" (DE; 1992-04-08), page 93
↑ Power Up!, "Saturday, April 18, 1992" (UK; 1992-04-18), page 1
↑ Power Play, "12/90" (DE; 1990-11-16), page 154
↑ Raze, "January 1991" (UK; 1990-11-29), page 71
↑ Score, "Březen 1994" (CZ; 1994-03-14), page 47
↑ Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 53
↑ Sega Pro, "July 1992" (UK; 1992-06-18), page 28
↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 66
↑ Sega Force, "4/93" (SE; 1993-07-08), page 19
↑ Sega Force, "May 1992" (UK; 1992-04-16), page 56
↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 86
↑ Supergame, "Setembro 1992" (BR; 1992-09-xx), page 42
↑ Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 16

Hellfire
	Main page \| Comparisons \| Maps \| Hidden content \| Bugs \| Magazine articles \| Reception \| Promotional material \| Region coding \| Technical information \| Bootlegs No results

[https:.2F.2Fweb.archive.org.2Fweb.2F20200702232146.2Fhttps:.2F.2Fsega.jp.2Fhistory.2Fhard.2Fmegadrive.2Fsoftware_l.html-1] 1.0 ^1.1 https://sega.jp/history/hard/megadrive/software_l.html (Wayback Machine: 2020-07-02 23:21)

[:File:Hellfire_MD_JP_Box.jpg_p-2] File:Hellfire MD JP Box.jpg

[:File:BeepMD_JP_1990-11.pdf_p12-3] Beep! MegaDrive, "November 1990" (JP; 1990-10-XX), page 12

[https:.2F.2Fgroups.google.com.2Fg.2Frec.games.video.2Fc.2FaBaGQlt1rXg.2Fm.2FNEWpMfkSg3cJ-4] ttps://groups.google.com/g/rec.games.video/c/aBaGQlt1rXg/m/NEWpMfkSg3cJ

[:File:EGM_US_016.pdf_p72-5] Electronic Gaming Monthly, "November 1990" (US; 1990-xx-xx), page 72

[:File:SegaPower_UK_31.pdf_p28-6] 6.0 ^6.1 Sega Power, "June 1992" (UK; 1992-05-07), page 28

[:File:MegaTech_UK_05.pdf_p24-7] 7.0 ^7.1 MegaTech, "May 1992" (UK; 1992-04-20), page 24

[:File:TSCE_Toaplan_Press_Release.pdf_p2-8] 8.0 ^8.1 File:TSCE Toaplan Press Release.pdf, page 2

[https:.2F.2Fweb.archive.org.2Fweb.2F20210515182735.2Fhttps:.2F.2Fretro-bit.com.2Ftoaplan-shooters.2F-9] ttps://retro-bit.com/toaplan-shooters/ (Wayback Machine: 2021-05-15 18:27)

[10] 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 95

[:File:ACE_UK_40.pdf_p101-11] ACE, "January 1991" (UK; 1990-12-xx), page 101

[:File:CGtC_UK_04.pdf_p31-12] Complete Guide to Consoles, "Volume IV" (UK; 1990-11-xx), page 31

[:File:TheCompleteGuideToSega_UK.pdf_p47-13] The Complete Guide to Sega, "" (UK; 1991-05-xx), page 47

[14] Cool Gamer, "9" (RU; 2002-10-13), page 100

[:File:CVG_UK_109.pdf_p148-15] Computer & Video Games, "December 1990" (UK; 1990-11-16), page 148

[:File:CVG_UK_151.pdf_p106-16] Computer & Video Games, "June 1994" (UK; 1994-05-15), page 106

[:File:EGM_US_020.pdf_p18-17] Electronic Gaming Monthly, "March 1991" (US; 1991-xx-xx), page 18

[:File:MeanMachinesEssentialSegaGuide_Book_UK.pdf_p57-18] Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 57

[19] Famitsu, "" (JP; 1990-xx-xx), page 1

[:File:GameMania_UK_05.pdf_p80-20] Game Mania, "May 1993" (UK; 1993-xx-xx), page 80

[:File:GamePro_US_017.pdf_p132-21] GamePro, "December 1990" (US; 1990-xx-xx), page 132

[:File:GamesX_UK_08.pdf_p35-22] Games-X, "14th-20th June 1991" (UK; 1991-06-14), page 35

[:File:GamesX_UK_48.pdf_p24-23] Games-X, "26th March-1st April 1992" (UK; 1992-03-26), page 24

[24] Famicom Hisshoubon, "1990-18, 19 (1990-09-21, 10-05)" (JP; 1990-09-14), page 17

[:File:HobbyConsolas_ES_007.pdf_p56-25] Hobby Consolas, "Abril 1992" (ES; 1992-0x-xx), page 56

[:File:Joypad_FR_007.pdf_p140-26] Joypad, "Avril 1992" (FR; 1992-03-1x), page 140

[:File:Joystick_FR_010.pdf_p134-27] Joystick, "Novembre 1990" (FR; 1990-1x-xx), page 134

[:File:MDAG_UK_05.pdf_p92-28] Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1993" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 92

[:File:Megadrive_Fan_1990-12.pdf_p79-29] Mega Drive Fan, "December 1990" (JP; 1990-11-08), page 79

[:File:MegaTech_UK_01.pdf_p78-30] MegaTech, "Xmas 1991" (UK; 1991-12-06), page 78

[:File:MegaTech_UK_02.pdf_p23-31] MegaTech, "February 1992" (UK; 1992-01-20), page 23

[:File:Micromania2_ES_048.pdf_p67-32] Micromanía (segunda época), "Mayo 1992" (ES; 1992-0x-xx), page 67

[:File:MeanMachines_UK_03.pdf_p74-33] Mean Machines, "December 1990" (UK; 1990-12-xx), page 74

[:File:MeanMachinesSega01UK.pdf_p139-34] Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 139

[:File:PlayerOne_FR_019.pdf_p62-35] Player One, "Avril 1992" (FR; 1992-04-10), page 62

[:File:PlayTime_DE_1992-05.pdf_p93-36] Play Time, "5/92" (DE; 1992-04-08), page 93

[37] Power Up!, "Saturday, April 18, 1992" (UK; 1992-04-18), page 1

[:File:PowerPlay_DE_1990-12.pdf_p154-38] Power Play, "12/90" (DE; 1990-11-16), page 154

[:File:Raze_UK_03.pdf_p71-39] Raze, "January 1991" (UK; 1990-11-29), page 71

[40] Score, "Březen 1994" (CZ; 1994-03-14), page 47

[:File:SegaPower_UK_23.pdf_p53-41] Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 53

[:File:SegaPro_UK_09.pdf_p28-42] Sega Pro, "July 1992" (UK; 1992-06-18), page 28

[:File:SegaPro_UK_18.pdf_p66-43] Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 66

[:File:SegaForce_SE_1993_04.pdf_p19-44] Sega Force, "4/93" (SE; 1993-07-08), page 19

[:File:SegaForce_UK_05.pdf_p56-45] Sega Force, "May 1992" (UK; 1992-04-16), page 56

[:File:SSM_JP_19950901_1995-09.pdf_p86-46] Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 86

[:File:Supergame_BR_14.pdf_p42-47] Supergame, "Setembro 1992" (BR; 1992-09-xx), page 42

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

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Hellfire

From Sega Retro

Contents

Gameplay

Versions

Mega Drive hardware issues

Magazine articles

Promotional material

Physical scans

Technical information

ROM dump status

References