Kaitei Daisensou (Japan)

Arcade Video game published 32 years ago:

Kaitei Daisensou (c) 1993 Irem Corp.

Kaitei Daisensou is a horizontally-scrolling shoot-em-up for one or two players in which an organization known as the 'Dark Anarchy Society' (also referred to as D.A.S.) used magnetic doomsday machines to melt the polar ice-caps and decimate the world. Although much of the world now lies underwater, some societies survived.

Upon learning of a new D.A.S. super-weapon being developed, the survivors organize a rebellion force using a newly developed submarine known as the 'Granvia'. The Granvia’s mission is to dive into D.A.S. enforced waters and fight its way through the massed defences to the D.A.S. headquarters itself, to finally destroy D.A.S. and free the world of its tyranny.

Players take control of a submarine and must shoot their way through waves of enemy craft and gun emplacements, as they are attacked from both beneath the water in which the Granvia moves as well from above the water-line, by battleships, jet fighters and helicopters.

With the Granvia submarine under constant attack from both above and below, its weapons systems have been designed to deal with this threat. In addition to forward-firing torpedos, the submarine has a secondary weapon system. When fired, this sends rockets or bullets vertically upwards while simultaneously dropping depth charges from its underside. Destroying some enemy craft releases power-ups that can be picked up to boost both the sub's primary and secondary weapons.

Spiked mines are often chained to the bottom of the sea, these are deadly to the touch but can be destroyed. At certain points during a stage, progress may be blocked by part of the scenery, such obstacles include icebergs and submerged skyscrapers. These must be blasted through before the sub can progress.

Kaitei Daisensou has six stages with a tough end-of-level boss that must be destroyed to progress to the next stage.

- TECHNICAL -

Irem M-92E system hardware

Main CPU : V33 (@ 9 Mhz), V30 (@ 7.15909 Mhz)
Sound Chips : Yamaha YM2151 (@ 3.579545 Mhz), GA20 (@ 3.579545 Mhz)

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

- TRIVIA -

The title of this game translates from Japanese as 'Great Underwater War'.

This is a superb game, created by the same team behind the legendary R*Type series. The superbly-rendered graphics are very similar in style to Irem's R*Type Leo, released a year earlier. Kaitei Daisensou would prove to be Irem's last 'traditional' arcade shoot'em up, although two further R*Type sequels were released for home consoles (see R*Type Series section for more info).

This game is known in outside Japan as "In The Hunt".

NAG, the game designer didn't like shoot'em ups with forced scrolling. The idea of the submarine came one day when it feel asleep in a park and was woke up by the sound of a near fountain.

- TIPS AND TRICKS -

There are four endings to the game. You get two of them if you beat the game in 1 Player mode without using a continue or using at least one.
The other two endings are obtained by playing in 2 Player mode. Once you beat the last boss, both players will have a battle. If either win, you get an ending, but if you let the timer run out, you get another ending.

- STAFF -

Designers : Akio, Susumu, Tomohiro, Ken Kui, Kozo, Takeshi
Programmer : Nobu, Wanderer
Sound creator : Ai Ai
Publicity staff : S. Sakomizu (Sakomizu)
Planner : Tobi_Nag
Assistants : Watashiha Sekaino, Honda Chitsujyo, Nanoda Yotte, Kono Oounabarani, Ikitoshi Ikerumono, Sono Chino, Itteki Mademo, Subete Watashino, Mono Nanoda

- PORTS -

* CONSOLES:
[JP] Sony PlayStation (1995) "Kaitei Daisensou [Model SLPS-00086]"
[JP] Sega Saturn (1995) "Kaitei Daisensou [Model T-15006G]"

- CONTRIBUTE -

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