Mars Wants Cheerleaders

Following a fortnight of run ‘n’ gun motion and top-tier puzzling, we’re going again to the celebrities with Hamster’s favourite style, the shmup — Out there on PS4 and Nintendo Change, it’s the Arcade Archives’ latest entry, Taito’s Megablast!

Launched to the coin-op market in 1989, Megablast is one among a tidal wave of (admittedly forgotten) shmups that stuffed out smoky arcade facilities up and down the nation. Whereas the motion is pretty typical of the period, the storyline is one for the ages. Basically, World Peace has been achieved on Earth, however the planet has been ravaged by an en masse disappearance of ladies. Because it seems, a dying intergalactic populace referred to as the Zancs can not interbreed, and is as an alternative abducting Earth’s girls to be able to assist it repopulate its personal race. Large ol’ yikes on that one, Taito.
And there’s no signal of Roddy Piper wherever.

Take a look at the motion within the video under, courtesy of YouTuber World of Longplays.

And thus, fighter pilots Dawnson and Bogey are dispatched to confront the Zancs, pace up the extinction course of, and convey again the planet’s women, one among whom is Dawnson’s personal gal pal. What follows is normal horizontally-scrolling shmup motion, depicted in Taito’s usually outsized and kinda vulgar vogue. Energy-ups will be gathered to be able to enhance the gamers’ weaponry. Not defined is how our heroes plan to carry the entire girls again to Earth of their two tiny, one-man vessels. But when ask too many questions, then the minute of this rigorously crafted narrative begins to return undone. So don’t.

Megablast is out there to obtain now on PS4 and Nintendo Change, priced at $8.

Chris Moyse

Senior Editor – Chris has been taking part in video video games for the reason that Eighties and writing about them for the reason that Eighties. Graduated from Galaxy Excessive with honors. Twitter: @ChrisxMoyse

Extra Tales by Chris Moyse