Summary

• Release Year: 1990
• Genres: Arcade, Shooter
• Platforms: Arcade, Atari Jaguar, Atari Lynx, DOS, FM Towns, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 3, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Super Famicom, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, TurboGrafx-16/PC Engine, Turbografx-16/PC Engine CD
• Developers: Seibu Kaihatsu
• Publishers: Atari Corporation, Bignet, Electro Brain, Hudson Soft, KID Corp., Mumin Corporation, NEC Technologies, Tec Toy, Tecmo, Telegames, Toei Animation

Raiden (1990)

Raiden is a vertical scrolling shooter arcade game developed by Seibu Kaihatsu and published by Tecmo in 1990. The player controls the R-99 Raiden fighter craft and must battle through eight stages of increasingly difficult enemies, including robots, tanks, aircraft, and warships. Raiden was a critical and commercial success, and is considered to be one of the best vertical scrolling shooters of all time.

Gameplay

Raiden is a vertically scrolling shooter in which the player controls the R-99 Raiden fighter craft. The player’s goal is to destroy all of the enemies on each stage and progress to the next stage. The player’s fighter craft is equipped with a Vulcan cannon and can also fire missiles. The player can collect power-ups to increase the firepower of their fighter craft and to gain access to special weapons, such as homing missiles and lasers.

The enemies in Raiden are varied and challenging. Some enemies will fire bullets at the player, while others will drop bombs or kamikaze into the player’s fighter craft. The player must use their skills and reflexes to dodge the enemy fire and destroy the enemies before they can destroy the player’s fighter craft.

Stages

Raiden consists of eight stages, each with its own unique set of enemies and challenges. The first stage is set in a city, and the player must battle through waves of enemy aircraft and tanks. The second stage is set in a forest, and the player must battle through waves of enemy robots and ground troops. The third stage is set in a mountain range, and the player must battle through waves of enemy aircraft and warships. The fourth stage is set in a desert, and the player must battle through waves of enemy tanks and aircraft. The fifth stage is set in a sea, and the player must battle through waves of enemy warships and submarines. The sixth stage is set in a space station, and the player must battle through waves of enemy robots and aliens. The seventh stage is set in a volcano, and the player must battle through waves of enemy robots and lava monsters. The eighth and final stage is set in a boss rush, and the player must battle through waves of all of the previous bosses in the game.

Power-Ups

There are a variety of power-ups that the player can collect in Raiden. These power-ups can increase the firepower of the player’s fighter craft, grant the player access to special weapons, or provide the player with other benefits. Some of the most common power-ups include:

• Vulcan Cannon Power-Up: This power-up increases the firepower of the player’s Vulcan cannon.
• Missile Power-Up: This power-up gives the player access to missiles, which can be fired at enemies to deal heavy damage.
• Laser Power-Up: This power-up gives the player access to lasers, which can be fired at enemies to deal even more damage than missiles.
• Option Power-Up: This power-up gives the player a pair of僚機 (option) fighters that will follow the player’s fighter craft and fire at enemies.
• Barrier Power-Up: This power-up gives the player a temporary barrier that will protect the player’s fighter craft from enemy fire.
• Speed Power-Up: This power-up increases the speed of the player’s fighter craft.

Bosses

Each stage in Raiden features a boss battle at the end. The bosses in Raiden are large and powerful, and they require the player to use all of their skills and resources to defeat them. Some of the most iconic bosses in Raiden include:

• Stage 1 Boss: The Stage 1 boss is a giant robot that fires lasers and missiles at the player.
• Stage 2 Boss: The Stage 2 boss is a giant snake that fires fireballs at the player.
• Stage 3 Boss: The Stage 3 boss is a giant UFO that fires homing missiles at the player.
• Stage 4 Boss: The Stage 4 boss is a giant tank that fires shells and lasers at the player.
• Stage 5 Boss: The Stage 5 boss is a giant warship that fires torpedoes and missiles at the player.
• Stage 6 Boss: The Stage 6 boss is a giant alien spaceship that fires lasers and bombs at the player.
• Stage 7 Boss: The Stage 7 boss is a giant lava monster that fires fireballs and rocks at the player.
• Stage 8 Boss: The Stage 8 boss is the final boss of the game, and it is a giant robot that fires lasers, missiles, and bombs at the player.

Legacy

Raiden was a critical and commercial success, and is considered to be one of the best vertical scrolling shooters of all time. The game has been ported to numerous home platforms, and it has been included in several video game compilations. Raiden has also been the inspiration for several sequels and spin-offs.

The Raiden series is still going strong today, with the latest installment, Raiden V, being released in 2016. The series has sold over 10 million copies worldwide, and it is one of the most popular vertical scrolling shooter series of all time.

Conclusion

Raiden is a classic vertical scrolling shooter that is still enjoyed by gamers today. The game’s fast-paced action, challenging gameplay, and catchy soundtrack make it a must-play for fans of the genre. If you’re looking for a great vertical scrolling shooter to play, then you should definitely check out Raiden.

Review Score

8.5/10

Art

Cover Art

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