Lost In Translation/Batsugun

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This page is a stub for arcade games that are part of the Lost In Translation series using information based on MAME (version 0.113u2).
For an example of preferred content and layout please refer to Out Run or The Ninja Warriors.


Batsugun
No screen shot.
Manufacturer Toaplan
Released 1993
Control
Method
8-way Joystick
2 Button(s)
Main CPU 68000 (@ 16.000 MHz)
Sound CPU Mono
YM2151 (@ 3.375 MHz)
OKI6295 (@ 4.000 MHz)
Video
Details
Raster (Vertical)
320 x 240 pixels
60.00 Hz
2,048 Palette colours
Screens 1
ROM Info 8 ROMs
7,077,888 bytes (6.75 MiB)
MAME ID batsugun · batsugna · batugnsp

About The Game

Batsugun is a vertically scrolling shoot-em-up arcade videogame.

Additional Technical Information

Players : 2

Control : 8-way joystick

Buttons : 2

=> [A] Shot, [B] Bomb

Trivia

Released in February 1993.

The title of this game translates from Japanese as 'Distinguished'.

Licensed to Taito for world distribution and to Unite Trading for Korea.

This is the last shoot-em-up and the first 'non-endless' game by Toaplan. A special version of Batsugun existed, originally it was only for the AOU show (Arcade Operators Union, an arcade game show held in Japan every year) and not for sale. After the Toaplan bankruptcy, the board started to appear on the second hand market.

Heralded by some as the first 'maniac shooter', Batsugun involved employees who would go on to form and work at Cave and continue to work in this subgenre. Batsugun saw an evolution in the use of complex bullet and enemy patterns and player fire power and hit-box.

The scoring trick on the fourth boss (destroy the two giant laser cannons, let the tanks appearing from the hangars fill the ramps and become red, bomb for 59,630 points a tank) was one source of inspiration for "Battle Garegga"'s gameplay.

Pony Canyon released a limited-edition soundtrack album for this game (Batsugun - PCCB-00151) on 18/03/1994.

Updates

In the special version :

  • Differents colours for all stages.
  • Some sprites have different colors.
  • The title screen/demo & the ship selection screen have different colors.
  • The 4-lap end is different.
  • The power-ups are different.
  • The collision detection area is tighter than the original.
  • The smart-bombs are bigger and nicer looking. They also do more dammage.
  • You get 8 credits instead of 4 to complete the game.

So basically the 'Special ver.' is an easier version.

Tips and tricks

Hidden Functions

If the 'Invulnerability dip switch' is enabled, you are invulnerable but you may also 'Pause' the game with P2 Start and restart with P1 Start.

Staff

Excecutive Producer
Yuko Tataka
Programmers
Suki! Suki! Kohchan No-Make
Sigue Hayasato
Tsuneki Ikeda (Ikeda In Naeba)
Yoshitatsu Sakai (the 3rd)
Graphic Design
Yuko Tataka
Takeshi Kamamoto
Junya Inoue (Joker Jun)
Characters Designed By
Junya Inoue (Joker Jun)
Musics Composed By
Yoshitatsu Sakai (the 3rd)

Cabinet and Artwork

Ports

Consoles
Sega Saturn (1996)

Soundtrack Releases

Album Name Catalogue No. Released Publisher Comments
BATSUGUN PCCB-00151[1] 1994-03-18 Pony Canyon/Scitron CD version.

References

The contents of this page are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.
The sources used include MAME (version 0.113u2) and history.dat (revision 1.28 - 2008-10-18).
Please see http://www.arcade-history.com for credits.