Hellfire (video game)
{{short description|1989 video game}}
{{about|the 1989 video game|the 1997 Diablo expansion pack|Diablo: Hellfire{{!}}Diablo: Hellfire|other uses|Hellfire (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox video game
|title = Hellfire
|image = Hellfire arcade flyer.jpg
|developer = Toaplan
|publisher = {{vgrelease|JP|Taito|NA|U.S.A. Games}}
|designer = Yuko Tataka
|artist = Kōetsu Iwabuchi
|composer = Tatsuya Uemura
|platforms = Arcade, PC Engine CD-ROM², Genesis
|released = {{vgrelease|JP|April 1989|NA|September 1989}}
|genre = Scrolling shooter
|modes = Single-player, co-op
}}
{{nihongo foot|Hellfire|ヘルファイヤー|Herufaiyā||lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is a 1989 horizontally scrolling shooter arcade video game originally developed by Toaplan and published in Japan by Taito and North America by U.S.A. Games. The first horizontal shoot 'em up title to be created by Toaplan, the game takes place in the year 2998 where a space matter known as Black Nebula created by robot dictator Super Mech spreads and threatens to engulf human-controlled galaxies, as players assume the role of Space Federation member Captain Lancer taking control of the CNCS1 space fighter craft in a surprise attack to overthrow the enemies with the fighter craft's titular weapon.
Conceived by Tatsuya Uemura during his time working at Toaplan and developed in conjunction with Truxton, Hellfire served as an experiment to translate the company's shoot 'em up gameplay style in a horizontal format but faced a problematic development cycle and went through various changes before its eventual launch to the market. Initially launched for the arcades, the game was then ported to the Sega Genesis by NCS Corporation and published worldwide by Masaya, Seismic, and Sega between 1990 and 1991, while a PC Engine CD-ROM² conversion by NEC Avenue was also published exclusively in Japan on 12 April 1991. Each version of the title features various additions and changes compared with the original release.
Hellfire was met with positive reception from video game magazines since its release in arcades, though some critics drew comparison with Irem's R-Type due to its gameplay style. The Genesis port was also met with positive response from reviewers, while the PC Engine CD-ROM² was received with similar response. Its engine would later be repurposed into Zero Wing. As of 2019, the rights to the title is owned by Tatsujin, a company founded in 2017 by former Toaplan member Masahiro Yuge and now-affiliate of Japanese arcade manufacturer exA-Arcadia alongside many other Toaplan IPs.
Gameplay
Hellfire is a science fiction-themed horizontally scrolling shoot 'em up game, where players assume the role of Captain Lancer taking control of the CNCS1 space fighter craft through six increasingly difficult levels, each with a boss at the end that must be fought before progressing any further, in a surprise attack effort to overthrow Super Mech, his army and the Black Nebula space matter as the main objective.Hellfire arcade flyer (Toaplan, JP)Hellfire arcade flyer (U.S.A. Games, US)Hellfire instruction manual (Sega Genesis, US){{cite web|url=http://shootingstar.game.coocan.jp/hellfire.html|title=HELLFIRE|publisher=Shooting Star|access-date=2019-11-22|language=ja}}{{cite web|last=Zverloff|first=Nick|url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/hellfire/|title=Hellfire|publisher=Hardcore Gaming 101|date=3 November 2011|access-date=2019-11-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190517111410/http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/hellfire/|archive-date=17 May 2019|url-status=live}} As far as horizontal scrolling shooters go, the title initially appears to be very standard, as players control their craft over a constantly scrolling background and the scenery never stops moving until the stage boss is reached.
A unique gameplay feature is the weapon system; players are equipped with four main weapons at the beginning that can be upgraded by picking up "P" icons and switch between them by pressing the change button, with each one shooting at a fixed direction no matter which way players move. Other items can also be picked up along the way such as speed increasers and "B" icons that grants a number of points, which are crucial for reaching high-scores to obtain extra lives. The Genesis version introduces the titular main weapon as a bomb capable of obliterating any enemy caught within its blast radius, as well as a shield and a satellite "option".
Depending on the settings in the arcade version, the title uses either a checkpoint system in which a downed single player will start off at the beginning of the checkpoint they managed to reach before dying, or a respawn system where their ship immediately starts at the location they died at. Getting hit by enemy fire or colliding against solid stage obstacles will result in losing a life, as well as a penalty of decreasing the ship's firepower and speed to his original state and once all lives are lost, the game is over unless the players insert more credits into the arcade machine to continue playing. Although there is an ending, the game loops back to the first stage after completing the last stage as with previous titles from Toaplan, with each one increasing the difficulty and enemies fire denser bullet patterns.
Plot
The plot summary of Hellfire varies between each version. The story takes place in 2998, where humankind has reached a great point in intergalactic travel and space colonization with the help of a peaceful society, but a mysterious space matter known as Black Nebula appeared and begins engulfing different stars before reaching latest colonized galaxy by humans. It is eventually revealed that the force behind this matter is Super Mech, a mysterious robot dictator from the farthest regions of space with the only intention to destroy any resistance that it and its massive space armada faces. A Space Federation member, Captain Lancer, decides to initiate a surprise attack against Super Mech by piloting the only available space fighter craft, the CNCS1, loaded with Hellfire, the strongest weapon available in the galaxy. In the arcade and Genesis versions, Lancer returns safely to Earth after having defeated the Black Nebula, while the PC Engine CD-ROM² version features a more poignant ending where the character Kaoru takes her own life in a heroic act of self-sacrifice in order to save the Earth.
Development
File:Hellfire art design.jpg graphics.]]
Hellfire{{'}}s creation was helmed by Tatsuya Uemura, former video game composer whose previous development works at Toaplan included Tiger-Heli, Flying Shark and Twin Cobra, becoming his first original project under the role of both producer and composer.{{cite magazine|last=Abeto|first=Kobatsu|title=東亜プランインタビュー|magazine=PSG|volume=10|publisher=F.S.G Club|date=September 1989|lang=ja}} ([http://shmuplations.com/toaplan-psg/ Translation] by Shmuplations. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170531193430/http://shmuplations.com/toaplan-psg/|date=2017-05-31}}).{{cite magazine|author1=Iona|author2=VHS|author3=K-HEX|title=東亜プラン FOREVER|magazine=Floor 25|volume=9|date=June 2009|pages=1–70|lang=ja}} ([https://www.gamengai.com/#/cmnt-info?id=2332 Translation] by Gamengai. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201010170328/https://www.gamengai.com/#/cmnt-info?id=2332|date=2020-10-10}}).{{cite web|url=https://sweeprecord.com/srin-1100/|title=東亜プラン シューティングクロニクル|work=SweepRecord|publisher=SuperSweep|date=14 November 2011|access-date=2020-02-15|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191021030143/https://sweeprecord.com/srin-1100/|archive-date=2019-10-21|url-status=live}} ([http://shmuplations.com/toaplan-chronicle/ Translation] by Shmuplations. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180711134859/http://shmuplations.com/toaplan-chronicle/|date=2018-07-11}}).{{cite magazine|last1=Kiyoshi|first1=Tane|author2=hally (VORC)|last3=Yūsaku|first3=Yamamoto|title=東亜プラン特集 - 元・東亜プラン 開発者インタビュー: 上村建也|magazine=Shooting Gameside|volume=4|publisher=Micro Magazine|date=3 February 2012|pages=33–40|lang=ja|isbn=978-4896373844}} ([http://shmuplations.com/toaplan-uemura1/ Translation] by Shmuplations. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190906023755/http://shmuplations.com/toaplan-uemura1/|date=2019-09-06}}). Serving as their first horizontal shoot 'em up game, the project was developed in conjunction with Truxton as an experiment to translate Toaplan's vertical shoot 'em up gameplay in a Gradius-style format, however the team faced several issues during the development cycle due to lack of experience, among other factors.{{cite web|url=https://sweeprecord.com/toaplan-shooting-toku/|title=東亜プラン シューティングクロニクル 特設ページ|work=SweepRecord|publisher=SuperSweep|date=27 October 2011|access-date=2020-02-15|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200215231114/https://sweeprecord.com/toaplan-shooting-toku/|archive-date=2020-02-15|url-status=live}} ([http://shmuplations.com/toaplan-chronicleqa/ Translation] by Shmuplations. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191002072400/http://shmuplations.com/toaplan-chronicleqa/|date=2019-10-02}}).
Uemura and members of the team struggled with various aspects of designing a horizontal shoot 'em up title that proved to be frustrating for them like the terrain and collision detection, as their previous experience with vertical shoot 'em up did not carried over a horizontal format. Artist Kōetsu Iwabuchi, who previously worked on Twin Cobra, was responsible for the artwork, stating in a 1990 interview with Gamest that he had no limitation when creating the designs.{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/stream/gamest0049#page/69/mode/2up|title=東亜プラン|magazine=Gamest|issue=49|publisher=Shinseisha|date=September 1990|pages=68–69|lang=ja}} ([http://shmuplations.com/toaplan-gamest/ Translation] by Shmuplations. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191107033548/http://shmuplations.com/toaplan-gamest/|date=2019-11-07}}). Uemura also requested for the project to have a puzzle element to be integrated. Both the single-player and co-op versions were also created from the beginning of development due to pressure to make two-player games at the time. Despite the difficulties and changes during the creation process, the team managed to finish the project.
The Sega Genesis version of Hellfire was developed by most of the same staff from the original arcade release.{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/beep-megadrive-1990-11/page/n88/mode/1up|title=当世ゲーム業界 働く女性事情 - ワーキング・ガール: 田高祐子•二藤早苗 (東亜プラン) Character Designer|magazine=Beep! Mega Drive|issue=14|publisher=SoftBank Creative|date=November 1990|page=87|lang=ja}} ([http://shmuplations.com/womenofgamedesign/ Translation] by Shmuplations. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191121223355/http://shmuplations.com/womenofgamedesign/|date=2019-11-21}}).{{cite journal|title=Behind The Game with Masahiro Yuge: Hellfire|journal=Toaplan Shooter's Collector's Edition|publisher=Retro-Bit|date=2020|pages=1–5}} In a 1990 interview with Japanese game magazine Beep! MegaDrive, designer Yuko Tataka stated that working with the Genesis proved to be equally difficult due to restrictions imposed by the hardware. The PC Engine CD-ROM² conversion was solely developed by NEC Avenue.
Release
Hellfire was released in arcades across Japan and North America in October 1989 by Taito and U.S.A. Games, becoming one of first releases from Toaplan to prominently feature their name in public.{{cite book|last=Akagi|first=Masumi|url=https://archive.org/stream/ArcadeGameList1971-2005#page/n44/mode/1up|title=タイトー (Taito); 東亜プラン (Toa Plan); U.S.A. Games; H|work=アーケードTVゲームリスト 国内•海外編 (1971-2005)|edition=1st|publisher=Amusement News Agency|date=13 October 2006|pages=43, 50, 139, 154|isbn=978-4990251215|language=ja}} An album containing music from the title and other Toaplan games was published exclusively in Japan by Datam Polystar in June 1989.{{cite web|url=https://vgmdb.net/album/5540|title=H24X-10005 | TATSUJIN ~TOA PLAN GAME MUSIC SCENE ONE~|work=vgmdb.net|publisher=VGMdb|access-date=2019-11-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190508223350/https://vgmdb.net/album/5540|archive-date=8 May 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite web|last=Kotowski|first=Don|url=http://www.vgmonline.net/truxton/|title=Truxton -Toaplan Game Music Scene-|website=vgmonline.net|publisher=Video Game Music Online|date=1 August 2012|access-date=2019-11-23}}
On 28 September 1990, Hellfire was ported to the Sega Genesis by NCS Corporation and first released in Japan by Masaya.{{cite web|url=http://tk-nz.game.coocan.jp/gamedatabase/software/DB_SGC2_MD1990.html|title=MEGA DRIVE Soft > 1990|publisher=GAME Data Room|access-date=2019-11-21|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181001140314/http://tk-nz.game.coocan.jp/gamedatabase/software/DB_SGC2_MD1990.html|archive-date=1 October 2018|url-status=live}} It was then released in North America by Seismic on November of the same year,{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/stream/Electronic_Gaming_Monthly_16#page/n73/mode/2up|title=Fact-Files - Genesis - Hellfire|magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly|issue=16|publisher=Sendai Publishing|date=November 1990|pages=74–75}} while Sega published the title across Europe in 1991. Both the original arcade version and the later Genesis port are similar but have a number of key differences between each other such as the latter having a smaller color palette and lower screen resolution that led to sprites being recolored and the graphics redrawn in different ways, an arranged soundtrack, new items, among other changes. The Genesis port was later re-released by independent publisher Retro-Bit in 2020.{{cite web|last=McFerran|first=Damien|url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2020/09/retro-bit_is_republishing_some_of_toaplans_best_console_shooters_in_physical_form|title=Retro-Bit Is Republishing Some Of Toaplan's Best Console Shooters In Physical Form|work=Nintendo Life|publisher=Nlife Media|date=September 15, 2020|access-date=2020-10-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200925003054/https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2020/09/retro-bit_is_republishing_some_of_toaplans_best_console_shooters_in_physical_form|archive-date=2020-09-25|url-status=live}}
On 12 April 1991, a version developed by NEC Avenue for the PC Engine Super CD-ROM² was released under the name Hellfire S,{{efn|{{nihongo|ヘルファイヤー S|Herufaiyā S}}}} containing notable differences from the other versions, including a remixed, more orchestral soundtrack, animated cutscenes and the replacement of the leading male character Lancer with a female character called Kaoru (voiced by seiyū Yumi Tōma).{{cite web|url=http://tk-nz.game.coocan.jp/gamedatabase/software/DB_NEC1_PCE1991.html|title=PC-ENGINE Soft > 1991|publisher=GAME Data Room|access-date=2019-11-21|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181001141923/http://tk-nz.game.coocan.jp/gamedatabase/software/DB_NEC1_PCE1991.html|archive-date=1 October 2018|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.pcengine.co.uk/HTML_Games/Hellfire_S.htm|title=Hellfire S|work=pcengine.co.uk|publisher=The PC Engine Software Bible|access-date=2019-11-23}}
Reception
In Japan, Game Machine listed Hellfire on their June 15, 1989 issue as being the fourteenth most-successful table arcade unit of the month, outperforming titles such as Wrestle War and Strider.{{cite magazine|title=Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル型TVゲーム機 (Table Videos)|magazine=Game Machine|issue=358|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|date=15 June 1989|page=21|lang=ja}} Den of Geek noted it to be "a rare foray into the world of horizontally-scrolling shooters" for Toaplan.{{cite web|last=Lambie|first=Ryan|url=https://www.denofgeek.com/uk/games/58480/toaplan-the-rise-and-fall-of-japans-greatest-shooting-game-company|title=Toaplan: the rise and fall of Japan's greatest shooting game company|work=Den of Geek|publisher=Dennis Publishing|date=21 June 2018|access-date=2019-11-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180621073806/http://www.denofgeek.com/uk/games/58480/toaplan-the-rise-and-fall-of-japans-greatest-shooting-game-company|archive-date=21 June 2018|url-status=live}} The Genesis version was well received.{{cite magazine|url=http://download.abandonware.org/magazines/Joystick/joystick_numerohs03/Joystick%20HS%20n%b03%20-%20Juillet%20Ao%fbt%201991%20-%20Page%20106.jpg|title=Console News - Megadrive: Hellfire|magazine=Joystick|issue=Hors-Serie 3|publisher=Anuman Interactive|date=July–August 1991|page=106|lang=fr}} MegaTech magazine said it was "a slick and very good looking blaster which oozes playability". Mega placed the game at #4 in their Top Mega Drive Games of All Time.
Legacy
After the initial release of Hellfire in arcades, Toaplan would go on to develop their second and last horizontal shoot 'em up project Zero Wing, which was released during the same year and shared the same game engine. In more recent years, the rights to the game and many other IPs from Toaplan are now owned by Tatsujin, a company named after Truxton{{'}}s Japanese title that was founded in 2017 by former Toaplan employee Masahiro Yuge, and is part of Embracer Group since 2022.{{cite web|url=http://tatsujin.tokyo/custom.html|title=ライセンス事業|publisher=TATSUJIN Co., Ltd.|date=2019|access-date=2019-11-21|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225203847/http://tatsujin.tokyo/custom.html|archive-date=2018-12-25|url-status=live}}{{cite web|last=Bravo|first=Roberto|url=https://www.gamercafe.cl/2018/09/12/nueva-compania-tatsujin-asegura-tener-gran-parte-de-las-ips-de-la-extinta-toaplan/|title=Nueva compañía "Tatsujin" asegura tener gran parte de las IPs de la extinta Toaplan|publisher=Gamercafe|date=12 September 2018|access-date=2019-11-21|language=es|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191021030437/https://www.gamercafe.cl/2018/09/12/nueva-compania-tatsujin-asegura-tener-gran-parte-de-las-ips-de-la-extinta-toaplan/|archive-date=2019-10-21|url-status=live}}{{cite web|last=Bravo|first=Roberto|url=https://www.gamercafe.cl/2019/01/25/tatsujin-los-duenos-de-toaplan-anuncian-que-estan-trabajando-para-exa-arcadia/|title=Tatsujin, los dueños de Toaplan, anuncian que están trabajando para exA-Arcadia|publisher=Gamercafe|date=25 January 2019|access-date=2019-11-21|language=es|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191021031057/https://www.gamercafe.cl/2019/01/25/tatsujin-los-duenos-de-toaplan-anuncian-que-estan-trabajando-para-exa-arcadia/|archive-date=2019-10-21|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.4gamer.net/games/408/G040821/20190125146/|title=［JAEPO2019］TATSUJINやナツメアタリの参入が発表されたexA-Arcadia。出展コーナーの模様を紹介|work=4Gamer.net|publisher=Aetas Inc.|date=26 January 2019|access-date=2019-11-21|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191021031252/https://www.4gamer.net/games/408/G040821/20190125146/|archive-date=2019-10-21|url-status=live}}{{Cite web |title=Embracer Group Announces the 11[th] Operating Group: Embracer Freemode |url=https://embracer.com/releases/embracer-group-announces-the-11th-operating-group-embracer-freemode/ |access-date=2025-02-14 |website=Embracer Group |language=en-US}}
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Portal|1980s|Japan|Video games}}
- [https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/arcade/567844-hellfire Hellfire] at GameFAQs
- [https://www.giantbomb.com/hellfire/3030-6010/ Hellfire] at Giant Bomb
- [https://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8103 Hellfire] at Killer List of Videogames
- [https://www.mobygames.com/game/hellfire- Hellfire] at MobyGames
- [http://privat.bahnhof.se/wb831590/toaplansite/allyourbase/hellfire/index.html Hellfire] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191010130816/http://privat.bahnhof.se/wb831590/toaplansite/allyourbase/hellfire/index.html |date=10 October 2019}} at The Toaplan Museum
- [https://www.mobygames.com/game/turbografx-cd/hellfire-s Hellfire S] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190410225933/https://www.mobygames.com/game/turbografx-cd/hellfire-s|date=10 April 2019}} at MobyGames
{{Sega}}
{{Toaplan}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hellfire (video game)}}
Category:Cooperative video games
Category:Horizontally scrolling shooters
Category:MegaTech Hyper Game awards winners
Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games
Category:Science fiction video games
Category:Video games developed in Japan
Category:Video games featuring female protagonists
Category:Video games scored by Masahiro Yuge
Category:Video games scored by Tatsuya Uemura
Category:Video games set in the 30th century