Batsugun

From Sega Retro

n/a

Batsugun title.png

Batsugun
System(s): Sega Saturn
Publisher: Banpresto
Developer:
Licensor: Toaplan
Original system(s): Arcade boards
Developer(s) of original games: Toaplan
Sound driver: SCSP/CD-DA (33 tracks)
Genre: Shooting[1][2]

















Number of players: 1-2
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Saturn
JP
¥5,800 (5,974)5,800e[3] T-20605G
Sega Rating: All Ages
Non-Sega versions

Batsugun (バツグン) is a "bullet hell" shooter developed by Toaplan and Gazelle. After a 1993 arcade release, it was ported to the Sega Saturn and released exclusively in Japan in 1996. The game is considered the pioneer of the bullet hell genre; its designers would move on to form Cave, one of the leading developers in the genre. This port was released as the first of Toaplan legendary series, but this series was never released later.

Gameplay

A is the standard shot, B is for bombs and C is for autofire. There are five stages. The Saturn port adds the ability to play in a horizontal screen orientation.

Player ship has three forms, based on the experience points collected. You power up gradually by collecting P icons and by destroying enemies which grant experience points, an unusual design for a shooting game; dying takes away a certain amount of power but gives you a free P icon. After fully powering up, gathering further experience points adds bombs and restores the ship's hitpoints (Special version only)

The game features many hidden score opportunities, which are sometimes so obscure that they can't be fully understood without external documentation, e.g. when certain parts of the stage 4 boss, Battleship Jupiter, are destroyed, it starts releasing tanks. When there are enough tanks onscreen, they turn red. Destroying these red tanks with a bomb yields a very high score bonus. More scoring opportunities have been added for the special version.

Player

You can choose one of three ships; each ship has a different attack range/frequency. Pilots are different for 1 and 2 player. With the combination of pilots, the dialogue at the stage clearing will change.

Batsugun Saturn JP SSPlayer1A.png

Jeeno
Player 1 Type A (Sky Mirage)

Batsugun Saturn JP SSPlayer1B.png

Beltiana
Player 1 Type B (Dragons Whisper)

Batsugun Saturn JP SSPlayer1C.png

Iceman
Player 1 Type C (Judgment flasher)
This character is said to be based on the game's designer Joker JUN.

Batsugun Saturn JP SSPlayer2A.png

Schneider
Player 2 Type A (Sky Mirage)

Batsugun Saturn JP SSPlayer2B.png

Alteeno
Player 2 Type B (Dragons Whisper)

Batsugun Saturn JP SSPlayer2C.png

Olisis
Player 2 Type C (Judgment flasher)

Stages

Batsugun Saturn JP SSStage1.png

Batsugun Saturn JP SSStage1Boss.png

Stage 1
Boss: Deep Purple

Batsugun Saturn JP SSStage2.png

Batsugun Saturn JP SSStage2Boss.png

Stage 2
Boss: Madzella

Batsugun Saturn JP SSStage3.png

Batsugun Saturn JP SSStage3Boss.png

Stage 3
Boss: Mad Steel Darkness

Batsugun Saturn JP SSStage4.png

Batsugun Saturn JP SSStage4Boss.png

Stage 4
Boss: Jupiter

Batsugun Saturn JP SSStage5.png

Batsugun Saturn JP SSStage5Boss.png

Stage 5
Boss: Ground of the Galaxy

Extra features

The Saturn port includes the rare "Special" version of the game, which features modified bombs (covering a larger area), smaller hitboxes for the player ships, allows the player to take an additional hit before being destroyed and loops after clearing the last stage, each loop becoming increasingly difficult. Other extra features are the inclusion of both the original and a rearranged soundtrack.

Tips and tricks

Cleanup.svg
This article needs cleanup.
This article needs to be edited to conform to a higher standard of article quality. After the article has been cleaned up, you may remove this message. For help, see the How to Edit a Page article.

Further information: This section needs moving to the hidden content page.

  • Credit increase: Credit increase up to a nine.
In gameplay, pause game and ABABXAB.

Versions

The Saturn port runs with much less slowdown than the Arcade version, making it more difficult.

Production credits

Original Staff
  • Programming: Tsuneki Ikeda, Seiji Iwakura, Satoshi Kohyama
  • Graphic Design: Yuko Tataka, Takeshi Kawamoto, Junya Inoue
  • Music Composer: Yoshitatsu Sakai
Segasaturn Staff
  • Programming: Yoshihiro Matsumoto
  • Special Ver. Support: Hideyuki Murata
  • Music Arranger: Shingo Hirate
  • Package Design: Kenji Teraoka
  • Planner: Koji Ishitani
  • Director: Hiroyuki Fujimoto
Thank You For Your Playing
© Toaplan 1993
© Banpresto 1996
Reprogrammed Game © Gazelle
Source:
In-game credits
Batsugun Saturn JP SSEnding.pdf
[4]

Magazine articles

Main article: Batsugun/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) #1996-18: "1996-18 (1996-10-25)" (1996-10-11)
Logo-pdf.svg

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
{{{{{icon}}}|L}} Division by zero.
Based on
0 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Edge (UK) NTSC-J
70
[5]
Famitsu (JP) NTSC-J
63
[6]
Joypad (FR) NTSC-J
80
[7]
MAN!AC (DE) NTSC-J
50
[8]
Saturn Fan (JP) NTSC-J
68
[9]
Saturn Fan (JP) NTSC-J
67
[10]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
73
[11]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
85
[12]
Sega Saturn
69
Based on
8 reviews

Batsugun

Saturn, JP
Batsugun Saturn JP Box Back.jpgBatsugun Saturn JP Box Front.jpg
Cover
Batsugun Saturn JP Spinecard.jpg
Spinecard
Batsugun Saturn JP Disc.jpg
Disc
BatsugunSaturnJPManual.pdf
Manual
BatsugunSaturnJPCSC.pdf
Reg Card

Technical information

Main article: Batsugun/Technical information.

ROM dump status

System Hash Size Build Date Source Comments
Sega Saturn
CRC32
MD5
SHA-1
615,417,264 1996-09-12 CD-ROM (JP) T-20605G V1.001

Track list

1. Data track  
2. Banpresto: Toaplan Legendary Series (0:10) 
3. Heart Beat (1:32) 
Composed by: Yoshitatsu Sakai
4. Skim The Surface Of The Sea (1:22) 
Composed by: Yoshitatsu Sakai
5. Bomber Dance (1:39) 
Composed by: Yoshitatsu Sakai
6. Complimentary Ticket (3:42) 
Composed by: Yoshitatsu Sakai
7. Geo Frontier (4:02) 
Composed by: Yoshitatsu Sakai
8. Dark Echo (2:19) 
Composed by: Yoshitatsu Sakai
9. King Bird (2:19) 
Composed by: Yoshitatsu Sakai
10. Psycho Paranoia (2:19) 
Composed by: Yoshitatsu Sakai
11. Premonition (2:19) 
Japan 予感
Composed by: Yoshitatsu Sakai
12. Final Attack (2:19) 
Composed by: Yoshitatsu Sakai
13. Shooting Star (0:39) 
Composed by: Yoshitatsu Sakai
14. Stage Clear (0:10) 
Composed by: Yoshitatsu Sakai
15. Hymnody Of Soldiers (1:02) 
Japan 戦士達の賛美歌
Composed by: Yoshitatsu Sakai
16. Game Over (0:06) 
Composed by: Yoshitatsu Sakai
17. Name Entry (0:29) 
Composed by: Yoshitatsu Sakai
18. Blue Illumination (1:23) 
Composed by: Yoshitatsu Sakai
19. Heart Beat (Arrange) (1:32) 
Composed by: Yoshitatsu Sakai
Arranged by: Shingo Hirate
20. Skim The Surface Of The Sea (Arrange) (1:22) 
Composed by: Yoshitatsu Sakai
Arranged by: Shingo Hirate
21. Bomber Dance (Arrange) (1:39) 
Composed by: Yoshitatsu Sakai
Arranged by: Shingo Hirate
22. Complimentary Ticket (Arrange) (4:02) 
Composed by: Yoshitatsu Sakai
Arranged by: Shingo Hirate
23. Geo Frontier (Arrange) (4:02) 
Composed by: Yoshitatsu Sakai
Arranged by: Shingo Hirate
24. Dark Echo (Arrange) (2:19) 
Composed by: Yoshitatsu Sakai
Arranged by: Shingo Hirate
25. King Bird (Arrange) (2:19) 
Composed by: Yoshitatsu Sakai
Arranged by: Shingo Hirate
26. Psycho Paranoia (Arrange) (2:19) 
Composed by: Yoshitatsu Sakai
Arranged by: Shingo Hirate
27. Premonition (Arrange) (2:19) 
Japan 予感 (Arrange)
Composed by: Yoshitatsu Sakai
Arranged by: Shingo Hirate
28. Final Attack (Arrange) (2:19) 
Composed by: Yoshitatsu Sakai
Arranged by: Shingo Hirate
29. Shooting Star (Arrange) (0:39) 
Composed by: Yoshitatsu Sakai
Arranged by: Shingo Hirate
30. Stage Clear (Arrange) (0:11) 
Composed by: Yoshitatsu Sakai
Arranged by: Shingo Hirate
31. Hymnody Of Soldiers (Arrange) (2:05) 
Japan 戦士達の賛美歌 (Arrange)
Composed by: Yoshitatsu Sakai
Arranged by: Shingo Hirate
32. Game Over (Arrange) (0:07) 
Composed by: Yoshitatsu Sakai
Arranged by: Shingo Hirate
33. Name Entry (Arrange) (0:29) 
Composed by: Yoshitatsu Sakai
Arranged by: Shingo Hirate
34. Blue Illumination (Arrange) (1:24) 
Composed by: Yoshitatsu Sakai
Arranged by: Shingo Hirate
Running time: 56:58

References


Batsugun

Batsugun title.png

Main page | Comparisons | Magazine articles | Reception


No results