The Steel Empire

From Sega Retro

n/a

  • NTSC-U
  • PAL
  • NTSC-J

TheSteelEmpire MDTitleScreen.png

SteelEmpire MD EU TitleScreen.png

SteelEmpire MD JP TitleScreen.png

The Steel Empire
System(s): Sega Mega Drive
Publisher: HOT-B (Japan), Flying Edge (US, Europe)
Developer:
Sound driver: Cube/Noriyuki Iwadare
Genre: Shooting[1][2]

















Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Mega Drive
JP 		¥7,8007,800 T-28033
Sega Mega Drive
US 		T-81046
Sega Mega Drive
EU 		T-80146-50
Sega Mega Drive
PT
Sega Mega Drive
UK 		£39.9939.99[4] T-80146-50
Sega Mega Drive
SE
(Rental)
Sega Mega Drive
AU
Non-Sega versions

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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.

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.

A Game Boy Advance remake was released in Japan and Europe in 2004. Another remake was released for the Nintendo 3DS eShop in 2014. It was later ported to PC and released on Steam in 2018.

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. C shoots to the right, B shoots to the left, and A 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

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 Bomb
Extra Lightning Bomb
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 Point
100 points
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 Vitality
Energy bonus
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line-height:0px">Expression error: Unexpected < operator.px
 1up
Extra life
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 Speed
Speed boost
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 Option
Adds outrigger planes
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line-height:0px">Expression error: Unexpected < operator.px
 EXP
Adds experience

Stages

SteelEmpire MD Stage1.png

Stage 1 - The Mine City of Rahl

SteelEmpire MD Stage2.png

Stage 2 - The Liedengel Caverns

SteelEmpire MD Stage3.png

Stage 3 - Sky District Zektor

SteelEmpire MD Stage4.png

Stage 4 - Gardandi Beach

SteelEmpire MD Stage5.png

Stage 5 - Dama City

SteelEmpire MD Stage6.png

Stage 6 - Germburn Fortress

SteelEmpire MD Stage7.png

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

Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Sega Visions (US) #8: "May/June 1992" (1992-xx-xx)
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Sega Visions (US) #8: "May/June 1992" (1992-xx-xx)
also published in:
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Beep! MegaDrive (JP) #1991-10: "October 1991" (1991-09-07)
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Beep! MegaDrive (JP) #1991-11: "November 1991" (1991-10-08)
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Mega Force (ES) #7: "Noviembre 1992" (1992-xx-xx)
also published in:
Logo-pdf.svg

Artwork

  • TheSteelEmpire MD Art Cover.jpg

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
{{{{{icon}}}|L}} Division by zero.
Based on
0 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
40
[8]
Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J
73
[9]
Consoles + (FR)
82
[10]
Computer & Video Games (UK)
90
[11]
Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK)
79
[12]
Famitsu (JP) NTSC-J
65
[13]
GamePro (US) NTSC-U
85
[14]
Games-X (UK)
70
[15]
Game Zone (UK)
79
[16]
Hippon Super (JP) NTSC-J
50
[17]
Hobby Consolas (ES)
89
[18]
Joypad (FR) NTSC-J
82
[19]
Joypad (FR) PAL
82
[20]
Joystick (FR) NTSC-J
72
[21]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) PAL
84
[22]
Mega Drive Fan (JP) NTSC-J
68
[23]
Mega Fun (DE) NTSC-U
82
[24]
Mega Play (US) NTSC-U
70
[25]
MegaTech (UK) NTSC-J
85
[26]
Mean Machines (UK)
70
[27]
Mean Machines Sega (UK)
70
[28]
Player One (FR)
85
[29]
Power Play (DE)
56
[30]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
54
[31]
Sega Pro (UK) NTSC-J
72
[32]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
60
[33]
Sega Force (SE)
86
[34]
Sega Force (UK) PAL
72
[35]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
81
[36]
Supergame (BR) NTSC-J
86
[37]
Tricks 16 bit (RU)
44
[38]
VideoGames & Computer Entertainment (US) NTSC-U
60
[39]
Video Games (DE)
63
[40]
Sega Mega Drive
 72
Based on
33 reviews

The Steel Empire

Mega Drive, JP
SteelEmpire MD JP Box.jpg
Cover
SteelEmpire MD JP CartTop.jpg
SteelEmpire MD JP Cart.jpg
Cart
Steelempire md jp manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, US
TSE MD US Box.jpg
Cover
Steelempire MD US cart.jpg
Cart
Steel Empire MD US Manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, EU
EoS MD EU Box.jpg
Cover
EoS MD EU Cart.jpg
Cart
Empire Of Steel MD EU Manual.jpg
Manual
Mega Drive, PT

Mega Drive, SE (Rental)
SteelEmpire MD SE rental cover.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, CZ
EoS MD CZ Box Front.jpeg
Cover
EoS MD EU Cart.jpg
Cart

Technical information

ROM dump status

System Hash Size Build Date Source Comments
Sega Mega Drive
✔
CRC32 d0e7a0b6
MD5 9105a05e3e2e0ae261789fdafca676a2
SHA-1 45c0b9d85b4a8053c3f3432828626dae47022634
1MB 1992-02 Cartridge (US)
Sega Mega Drive
✔
CRC32 e5517b77
MD5 65585e683767e2255fbcc0103130b313
SHA-1 00109e6de5b823525b3ba519222fecc4e229f6d1
1MB 1992-02 Cartridge (EU)
Sega Mega Drive
✔
CRC32 755d0b8a
MD5 fb185d5bd814d7d51d3f15c6f20e75f3
SHA-1 7ff88050ae9b2f12afe80432781ba25aa3a15e1c
1MB 1992-12 Cartridge (JP)
Sega Mega Drive
✔
CRC32 e5517b77
MD5 65585e683767e2255fbcc0103130b313
SHA-1 00109e6de5b823525b3ba519222fecc4e229f6d1
1MB 1992-02 Page
Sega Mega Drive
✔
CRC32 097f6440
MD5 ae43c175914d53406aec1361caf810db
SHA-1 948c7dbfc37ad5504d9cfd12567a79e6323cc014
1MB 1992-03-13 CD-R disc[41] Page

References

  1. ↑ File:SteelEmpire MD JP Box.jpg
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 https://sega.jp/history/hard/megadrive/software_l.html (Wayback Machine: 2020-07-02 23:21)
  3. ↑ Sega Visions, "May/June 1992" (US; 1992-xx-xx), page 58
  4. ↑ Sega Force, "August 1992" (UK; 1992-07-09), page 87
  5. ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "July 1992" (US; 1992-xx-xx), page 78
  6. ↑ GamePro, "July 1992" (US; 1992-xx-xx), page 8
  7. ↑ Hobby Consolas, "Noviembre 1992" (ES; 1992-xx-xx), page 10
  8. ↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 223
  9. ↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "March 1992" (JP; 1992-02-08), page 38
  10. ↑ Consoles +, "Mars 1992" (FR; 1992-0x-xx), page 82
  11. ↑ Computer & Video Games, "May 1992" (UK; 1992-04-15), page 62
  12. ↑ Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 41
  13. ↑ Famitsu, "1992-03-20" (JP; 1992-03-06), page 39
  14. ↑ GamePro, "June 1992" (US; 1992-xx-xx), page 56
  15. ↑ Games-X, "26th March-1st April 1992" (UK; 1992-03-26), page 22
  16. ↑ Game Zone, "August 1992" (UK; 1992-07-xx), page 64
  17. ↑ Hippon Super, "February 1992" (JP; 1992-01-07), page 96
  18. ↑ Hobby Consolas, "Noviembre 1992" (ES; 1992-xx-xx), page 112
  19. ↑ Joypad, "Mai 1992" (FR; 1992-04-1x), page 90
  20. ↑ Joypad, "Décembre 1992" (FR; 1992-1x-xx), page 166
  21. ↑ Joystick, "Avril 1992" (FR; 1992-0x-xx), page 150
  22. ↑ Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1993" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 91
  23. ↑ Mega Drive Fan, "June 1992" (JP; 1992-05-08), page 83
  24. ↑ Mega Fun, "06/92" (DE; 1992-0x-xx), page 27
  25. ↑ Mega Play, "August 1992" (US; 1992-0x-xx), page 64
  26. ↑ MegaTech, "May 1992" (UK; 1992-04-20), page 36
  27. ↑ Mean Machines, "May 1992" (UK; 1992-04-28), page 96
  28. ↑ Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 138
  29. ↑ Player One, "Novembre 1992" (FR; 1992-11-10), page 94
  30. ↑ Power Play, "6/92" (DE; 1992-05-13), page 146
  31. ↑ Sega Power, "August 1992" (UK; 1992-07-02), page 36
  32. ↑ Sega Pro, "May 1992" (UK; 1992-04-16), page 43
  33. ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 67
  34. ↑ Sega Force, "2/92" (SE; 1992-11-19), page 8
  35. ↑ Sega Force, "August 1992" (UK; 1992-07-09), page 86
  36. ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 85
  37. ↑ Supergame, "Julho 1992" (BR; 1992-07-xx), page 16
  38. ↑ Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 178
  39. ↑ VideoGames & Computer Entertainment, "July 1992" (US; 1992-0x-xx), page 111
  40. ↑ Video Games, "6/92" (DE; 1992-05-29), page 48
  41. ↑ Hidden Palace: Steel Empire (Mar 13, 1992 build)


The Steel Empire

TheSteelEmpire MDTitleScreen.png

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Sega Mega Drive
Prototypes: Prototype | 1992-03-13
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