TRIZEAL

Dreamcast Jap | 2005

Trizeal is the latest vertical shooter conversion from the Naomi arcade board to the Dreamcast. It is a pure and simple, pick-up and play, shoot and dodge affair.

To Destroy the waves of enemy craft your craft has 3 weapons; speadshot machine gun, homing missile and a dual laser shot. These are powered up in the classic sense by collecting power-up icons to a maximum of 5 levels. You also have the standard ‘Big Bomb’ to clear the screen. Boss ships also wait for you at the end of each stage.

Extra play modes are opened up the more you play. Apart from arcade mode there is score attack mode and some stages not in the arcade original.

Graphically the game is good with the colours being very vibrant in places and the music is ok for the most part. A nice touch is the game is in English with Japanese subtitles.

The game is made by a small Japanese programming house called Triangle Services. Hopefully success with this title will enable them to make more of the same.

Long live the DC!

STREETS OF RAGE

Mega Drive PAL 1991

An all time classic Mega Drive title. Simply put Streets of Rage is a Final Fight clone. You choose from 3 characters; Axel, Adam and Blaze and take on the scourge of the streets to rid the city from the grips of “The Syndicate” led by the foreboding Mr X.

You simply to kick the crap out of any enemies on the screen. Use your fists, kicks, throws and any weapons you can get. To assist you is a special attack from the police which will wipe out all smaller enemies on the screen.

Whilst a great game on it’s own the game is best experienced in 2-Player Co-Op Mode where you can perform some damaging attacks with your partner.

The game sports classic Mega Drive graphics (which were good for the time) and a still now funky sound track.

Streets of Rage was also released on Master System and Game Gear.

Fans (including me) have long since been waiting for an update to the series. Streets of Rage has had 2 sequels entitled Streets of Rage 2 and 3 both for the Mega Drive.

All 3 games in the series are reported to be included as bonuses in the new Sonic Gems Collection!

STREETS OF RAGE 2

Mega Drive PAL 1992

Regarded as one of the best Mega Drive games ever made (if not THE best), the sequal to Sega’s street-brawler is superior the first game in all areas.

Mr X is back and putting his plans back into action and dishing out some revenge as well. As before you clean up the streets and rid the city of “The Syndicate”. There are now 4 playable characters; Axel, Blaze, newcomers Skate and Max.

Gameplay remains mostly the same with a few new touches. Gone is the police assist and each character has 2 power moves. There is also the addition of 1 on 1 duel combat mode.

Though an excellent game on it’s own the 2 Player Co-op mode is where the most fun is had.

Upgraded graphics, funky tunes and more challenge make this game a very worthy sequel.

Streets of Rage 3 was released in 1994 for the Mega Drive.

This game was included in Sega Smash Pack Vol 1 for the Dreamcast in 2002.

THE HOUSE OF THE DEAD

Saturn PAL 1995

The House of the Dead can be easily described as Resident Evil meets Virtua Cop and is one of Sega’s most popular arcade franchises.

A mad scientist by the name of Dr Curien is resurrecting the undead and needs to be stopped.

The game is a rail shooter. In a first person perspective you are taken through an assortment of 3D environments taking aim and blasting away at the army of undead and bizarre creatures that attack you. During each stage hostages can be rescued and multiple paths can be found.

Extra features in this version are Saturn mode and Boss Mode. Saturn mode allows pay with different characters varying in strength of firepower and other factors. 2 Player co-op is a great experience with 2 guns.

The game is a reasonable challenge for a single player and more so for 2 players are the number of enemies increases.

Graphics and sound are a little off from the arcade original but forgot about when you get into the game.

The House of The Dead was originally released in the arcades Model 2B and ported to PC.

A House of the Dead Movie was completed but never released to a cinema’s because it was really awful. You can however buy the film on DVD (or download load it ^_^)

House of the Dead 2 was also released in the arcades, Dreamcast and PC. This was later adapted into The Typing of the Dead.

House of the Dead 3 was released in the arcades, X Box and PC.

A new version is planned for the next-generation of consoles though an X Box 360 version is apparently in development.