Gals Panic 4 (Japan)

Kaneko Super Nova cart. published 28 years ago:

Gals Panic 4 Yuu (c) 1996 Kaneko.

Gals Panic 4 is a variant of the classic puzzle game qix where the player works to uncover the highlighted area of the play space to reveal a girl. Players select one of seven girls at the start of the game. Each girl has three stages with each stage featuring a different background image to uncover. Players are given bombs to attack the enemies with and are rewarded with more bombs if they reveal a large section at one time. When a player reveals 80% of a girl the stage ends and the player is shown the entire background image. When a player reveals 100% of the girl in a stage, he is rewarded with a 'Showtime' interlude. Unlike in later games, 'Showtime' sequences involve no nudity, they just show the girl in a bikini. The 'Showtime' image is the same for each level featuring the girl.

There is also a 2-player vs. game where both players work on separate images on a split screen and work to reveal their image first. When a player uses a bomb in this game, instead of attacking the enemy, it sends a sub-enemy to the other player's side.

- TECHNICAL -

Kaneko Super Nova System hardware

Main CPU : SH-2 (@ 28.638 Mhz)
Sound Chips : Yamaha YMZ280B (@ 16.666666 Mhz)

Screen orientation : Horizontal
Video resolution : 320 x 240 pixels
Screen refresh : 60.00 Hz
Palette colors : 32768

Players : 2
Control : 8-way Joystick
Buttons : 2

- TRIVIA -

Released in September 1996 in Japan.

This is the first game in the series to feature 'Showtime' sequences, and the only game in the series with no mini-games between stages.

- TIPS AND TRICKS -

Bombing the enemy in rapid succession adds bonus status defects to the attack. After the third bomb the enemy is slowed down and after the fourth bomb the enemy is stopped in place. After rapidly bombing an enemy, use the opportunity to quickly clear the stage.

- SERIES -

1. Gals Panic! (1990)
2. Gals Panic II (1993)
3. Gals Panic II' - Special Edition (1994)
4. Gals Panic 3 (1995)
5. Gals Panic 4 Yuu (1996)
6. Gals Panic SS (1996, Sega Saturn)
7. Gals Panic S - Extra Edition (1997)
8. Gals Panic S2 (1999)
8. Gals Panic SU (1999)
9. Gals Panic S3 (2002)

- STAFF -

Planners : Terukazu Kanematsu, Manabu Saito
Programmers : Masahiro Honma (Fists of Fire), Terumichi Gunji (Aroha Man)
Designers : Takamitsu Nemoto, Fusayuki Watariguchi, Hideo Osawa, Norihiro Terashi (Bear-Joe Terashi), Yuzuru Suzuki
Hardware : Noboru Kouno, Masahiko Moriya
Music & Sound by : Sayoko Ueda

* CAST :
Rei Takahida : Akira Ono
Saori Shiina : Hiroko Negishi
Ajann Nakura : Keiko Onuki
Rito Tajima : Etsuko Akiyama
Konomi Iruma : Makoto Okutani
Saki Kojo : Jun Kikuchi