Batsugun

A vertical-scrolling arcade shoot-'em-up, heralded as the earliest example of the "manic shooter" (or "bullet hell") sub-genre.

Saturn

Arcade

Xbox One

PlayStation 4

Nintendo Switch

Overview

Batsugun is a vertical-scrolling sci-fi shoot-'em-up developed and released by Toaplan for arcades on February 1993, with an overseas release by Taito on December 1993. It also received a Korean release by Unite Trading.

The last game released by Toaplan prior to their bankruptcy, Batsugun is considered to be the earliest progenitor of the "bullet hell" (or "danmaku") sub-genre, as players will sometimes have to carefully navigate around complex barrages of enemy bullets.

Similar to Toaplan's earlier shoot-'em-ups, Fire Shark and Truxton, Batsugun feature three different types of weapons players have access to (a "spread shot", a "continuous shot", and a "straight shot"). However, these are now fixed to three different ship types chosen at the beginning of the game. Along with standard firepower power-ups, the game also features a separate meter for further leveling up their firepower (which is kept on dying and continuing).

The game's lore takes place on a distant Earth-like planet, with players controlling one of six elite pilots (known as the Skull Hornets) of special submersible fighter jets as they push back the military force of the dictator Renoselva A. Gladebaran VII. It features several endings based on the pilots chosen by both players.

An enhanced revision of the game, known as Batsugun Special Ver., was showcased at trade shows but was never released due to Toaplan's bankruptcy. This version features a number of changes, including multiple game loops, smaller ship hitboxes, and improved screen-clearing bombs. Despite being unreleased, the arcade board found its way to the secondary market and was later included in most game ports.

Ports & Re-Releases

The game received a port for the Sega Saturn in Japan on October 25, 1996. Developed by Gazelle and published by Banpresto, this port includes both original and Special versions and an arranged soundtrack. This version was later ported to the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC on May 25, 2023 as Batsugun Saturn Tribute Boosted. Developed and digitally released by City Connection as part of the Saturn Tribute series, this version features a "Boost Up HUD" that displays game stats on the game's pillarbox. The PC version is the only one released overseas, while the Switch and PS4 versions also received retail releases.

It later received a remastered arcade port by exa-Arcadia TEAM EXA-AM1 on June 16, 2023 for PC-based exa-Arcadia hardware. Known as Batsugun EXA LABEL, this version features new status displays (for pillarboxing and letterboxing), new arranged game modes (alongside both original and Special), a new arranged soundtrack (along with both original and Saturn arranged soundtracks), and new voice acting by well-known anime VA. It also boasts one-frame delay due to the hardware.

The original arcade version was also included in the Astro City Mini V miniconsole.

Gameplay

Ships & Pilots

The game includes three ships to choose from, each with their own weaponry.

Type-A ships fire barrages of thinly-grouped bullets (the "Megaway Shot"). Further upgrades increase the amount of barrages in a "spread shot" pattern while adding a wide arc of missiles. Unlike other ships, players cannot continuously fire with these ships by holding down the Fire button. Its pilots are either the male pilot Jeeno (P1 side, blue ship) or the old man pilot Schneider (P2 side, red ship).

Type-B ships fires continuous streams of lightning (the "Thunder Spark Laser"), which can be held indefinitely by holding down the Fire button. Further upgrades increase the lightning's potency while adding multiple types of blasts alongside the stream (including homing blasts). Holding down the Fire button allows the ship to shoot continuously. Its pilots are either the female pilot Beltiana (P1 side, pink ship) or the young mechanic Alteeno (P2 side, green ship).

Type-C ships fires multiple large shots in a wide arc (the "Spread Wave"), and holding down the Fire button condenses these shots into continuous, narrower "wave shots". Further upgrades increase the size, and spread of these shots while adding small helper ships on both sides (each one firing laser blasts) and adding homing shots. It's pilots are either lone wolf Iceman (P1 side, black ship) or the antagonist's son Olisis (P2 side, purple ship).