Arrow Flash

Arrow Flash (Japanese: アローフラッシュ, Hepburn: Arō Furasshu) is a horizontally scrolling shooter video game developed by Sega and published by Sega in Japan and Europe and by Renovation Products in the United States for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis in 1990. The game's main character pilots a prototype transformable fighter-mecha left from her grandfather to fight against an alien attack on humankind. The game is mostly a horizontal shooter, with one down scrolling stage.

Arrow Flash
European cover art
Developer(s)ITL Co., Ltd.
Publisher(s)
Producer(s)Kenichi Hiza
Platform(s)Genesis
Release
  • JP: December 20, 1990
  • NA: 1990
  • EU: 1991
Genre(s)Scrolling shooter
Mode(s)Single-player

Gameplay

Like many scrolling shooters, the player initially has a basic shot, which can be upgraded and/or exchanged for different weapons, as well as gain smaller ships that follow the player's ship around and copy its attacks. As is usual, these power-ups are distributed throughout the levels. They are retained when advancing to the next stage but lost entirely when the player loses a life.

Two additional mechanics differentiate Arrow Flash from similar scrolling shooters, one of which is that the ability to transform the player's ship. The two forms available are a humanoid mech form and a fighter jet form. The player's weapons change depending on the form. The jet form only shoots forward but intensely, it can fly faster horizontally and the helper ships follow the jet in a snakelike pattern. The mech form has a wider shooting angle, sometimes even firing backwards upon getting enough upgrades. It has a faster vertical speed and the helper ships remain in a fixed formation whilst in this form. Missiles will also home on enemies in mech form, whereas they only travel directly forward in jet form. Regardless of form, the ship is killed in only one hit unless the player picks up an energy shield which can sustain three hits.

The game's titular "Arrow Flash" is a highly powerful attack for each form; the jet fires five large blasts forward, while the mech form becomes engulfed in flame, rendering it immune to attack for a short while. In the default "Stock" mode, arrow flashes are instant but limited and must be used sparingly. The other mode "Charge" allows arrow flashes to be used infinitely but with a weaker effect and must be 'charged up' before use.

Plot

Arrow Flash follows the protagonist Zana Keene (named Anna Schwinn in the European release, and Starna Oval in the Japanese release) as she fights against hostile aliens. The game contains references to Gundam and Macross.

Reception

Arrow Flash received mixed reviews, including 32/50 from ASM,[1] 3/10 from Génération 4,[2] 24% from Mega,[3] 90% from Player One,[4] 73% from RAZE,[5] and 69% from Zero.[6]

References
  1. "DIE Kult-Seite über die alten Spiele-Magazine und Retro-Games!". Kultboy.com. 2013-10-28. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
  2. "Génération 4 issue 28 - December 1990". www.abandonware-magazines.org. Retrieved 2015-11-07.
  3. Mega issue 9, page 23. Future Publishing, June 1993.
  4. "Player One issue 10 - June 1991". www.abandonware-magazines.org. Retrieved 2015-11-07.
  5. "RAZE - Issue 10 (1991-08)(Newsfield Publishing)(GB)". Archive.org. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
  6. "Arrow Flash review from Zero 23 (Sep 1991) - Amiga Magazine Rack". Amr.abime.net. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
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