Gradius for the PC-Engine, NES, and Saturn

Gradius was my first real foray into shoot'em up games.  I first played it on the NES at my friend's house in fifth grade.  I remember it being one of the most difficult games I have ever played.  Up to this point I have only played Super Mario Bros., Pro Wrestling, and a few others, so the comparisons may have been skewed, but still.  My friend's brother played the game obsessively and mastered it; we though he was a god.  I couldn't even make it past the volcanos in stage one.  Despite its intimidating challenge, it ended up being one of the first games I bought for my NES.  I played it over and over until I could regularly get to stage 3.  Of course at the time, there were only four games to split my attention between, so I got to know each one in and out.

The Gradius series originated in the arcades, yet almost all of my experiences with it have been via home ports.  For whatever reason, it was never in an arcade that I went to.  That's ok, as I can just imagine the amount of money it would have demanded as arcades usually aren't easier that home versions.

The power up meter that would endure through the series

For those of you who aren't familiar with the series, or need a refresher, here is a primer.  The core gameplay elements that are original to Gradius are the power up system and the "core" bosses.
Power ups are attained through selecting the type of weapon from a meter.  The meter changes the type of available weapon based on how many orange capsules you collect; the more capsules, the more powerful the weapon available.  The power ups from the first game are: speed up, missles, double shot, laser, options, and shield.  These power ups would persist through nearly all subsequent entries in the series, with additions, of course. Speed was essential, as your ship initially moves like its flying through molasses. The missiles are very effective against the pesky ground cannons, as the missiles slide along the ground until they hit something.  The double shot fires forward and at a 45˚ angle upward, taking out ceiling dwellers and canons.  This was the first time I had ever seen an "option" in a game.  The option was the best offensive weapon as each one mimicked your ship's firepower, effectively doubling, tripling, etc. your firepower.  If there was a game that had this mechanic, I am not aware of it.  The question mark (?) was the shield, which could take a few hits before turning red, which meant that it could only absorb one more shot.  After that, it disappears and you are exposed again.  Did I mention that in true old-school fashion, one hit and you explode.

The only stage that people really get good at: stage 1

This is where the glaring difficult comes into play.  Its not the one-hit deaths that make the game difficult, it's the severe drop off in power and speed that takes place when you restart after checkpoint.  You could be cruising along, powered up to the max, and make a maneuvering error right into a cliff, only to restart mid-stage with nothing but your pea shooter and SLOW ship.  You may as well reset the game or shut it off at this point, because surviving the rest of the stage in such a condition is severely grueling and unlikely.  This phenomenon is so startling, so unique to this game series that is is known as "Gradius Syndrome".  You would think that would make me hate the game. Maybe, but I keep coming back.  It is such an awesome game to play when fully powered up, that the drop off is not a deterrent.  I suppose I have just accepted it as a one-life game, and became ok with it.  Later, I heard that the infamous Konami code worked on this game (actually, this was the first game to use the code as it predates Contra by a few years) to give full power ups if entered when paused.  This was a game changer.  Now, a death does not mean I have to reset the game, I can actually have chance to get through end of the stage.  This code does have its limits, though.  The number of times that it can be used varies based on stage and other factors, but it is finite.  Even still, I have not beaten the game.  Maybe one day I'll buckle down and go for it.

One thing to be mentioned about the series is the slowdown.  Since the game is so challenging, and likes to throw everything at you, there is a ton of bullets and enemy swarms flying your way.  The amount of slowdown depends on the system, but the original version on the NES and Gradius III on the SNES are notorious for it.  I actually don't mind it, as it buys me time to plot my course on the screen.

Over the years I have scrounged up a decent collection of the series, although I know there are missing entries.  I have never been much of a handheld gamer, so those Gameboy versions are out.

Life Force for the NES and Salamander for the Saturn

When Life Force was released on the NES, I thought it was the sequel to Gradius.  In a way it was, but the real sequel was not released stateside.  I was able to play it on the Gradius Deluxe Pack, for the Sega Saturn.  It's pretty hard.  I wonder if the game publishers in Japan realized this and that was the reason for not releasing it here.

It seems you haven't been flossing...

Life Force is a great game in its own right.  This game is titled "Salamander" in Japan.  I'm not sure why, as the theme of the game indicates that you are flying into some large being, with the biologial backgrounds and such.  It is pretty much the same game, except that the Japanese version forgoes the power up meter and instead you pick up power ups dropped by red enemies.  It offers two-player co-op, and supports the Konami code for 30 lives. The same power ups are present as in Gradius, except the double shot has been replaced by a ripple laser.  The game alternates between horizontal and vertical gameplay.  Due to the two-player option, your ship respawns on the spot instead of sending you back to a checkpoint.  Overall this is an easier foray and a nice choice for beginners to the series.

What a crazy way to meet the first boss

It's sequel, Salamander 2, was a Japan exclusive.  It has a home port on the Sega Saturn on the Salamander Deluxe Pack, and that may be the only home port.  It is a fantastic game, and

Gradius II (PC-Engine) and Gradius III (SNES)

Gradius III would be a launch title for the SNES, and is highly underrated in my opinion.  Yes it gets hard, and yes there is slowdown and yes Gradius Syndrome is in full effect.  But it is still a ton of fun until you die.  The Konami code works here as well, except you use the shoulder L and R buttons instead of left and right on the d pad.  If you try the code in the traditional manner, your ship explodes...nice one, Konami.  One nice feature is the ability to edit your weapons in the power meter to suit your preferences.

Gradius Gaiden is just gorgeous

Gradius Gaiden for the Playstation (Japan only, again) is what many consider the pinnacle of the series.  Even though it was being released on a system that was part of the 3D revolution, it holds to its roots with its spectacular 2D gameplay.  Another notable feature is the ability to choose your ship.


Gradius IV was ported to the Gradius III and IV Collection release on the PS2.  Here the graphics are done up in full 3D fashion, and perhaps suffer some for it.  The gameplay feels a bit tired, and the series may be losing steam as this entry seems forced.

Gradius IV utilizes polygons for the first time, and it shows

Gradius V is a masterpiece and worthy of its own post...


So I hope you enjoyed reading me ramble on about the legendary series.  Maybe you'll be tempted to pick up a controller and SHOOT THE CORE!
  

Like most people my age, my first Street Fighter game was Street Fighter 2 in the arcades.  I was in high school, and my friends and I would go to the local arcade after school and sink quarter after quarter into that game.  There was always a crowd, and challenge matches were the norm.  There was a code to follow in the arcade:  the cue of challengers is dictated by the order of quarters placed on the marquee of the arcade cabinet, and the winner stays.  Cheap throws garnered boos from onlookers, and finishing matches with specials were applauded. The first character I chose was Guile, because he looked like a badass.  Eventually I learned to appreciate other characters, and I eventually settled on Ken.

I remember being amazed at the variety of fighters, the attention to detail in the character sprites, animations, move sets, backgrounds, and music.  This was clearly a watershed moment in gaming history, and it set a new standard for fighting games.  It is definitely one of the most influential games of my generation.  Of course, Capcom realized this as well, and so the flood of revisions was spawned.  Street Fighter: Championship Edition, Street Fighter 2 Turbo, and Super Street Fighter 2 were the major revisions to hit the arcades and subsequently the home consoles.


Some years later, nearing the end of my college tenure, I stumbled across a familiar yet unrecognizable game: Street Fighter Alpha 2.  It had some familiar characters (Ryu, Ken, Dhalsim, Sagat, Zangief) and some new ones.  I was confused by the title, as at first glance it seemed like another revision of SF2.  After taking it in for a few minutes, I realized it couldn't be the same line, as there was too much that was different.  The character sprites were completely redrawn, and there seemed to be more combos and super moves, and there was this new meter at the bottom of the screen.  I didn't know what to make of it.  It played smoother and faster than the SF2 that I knew.  I played for a while and left, and eventually forgot about it.


Fast forward to adult life, and my collecting shoot'em ups for the Sega Saturn had run its course, and I was looking for another genre of games with lots of action that I could play in short bursts.  It was then that I rediscovered the Street Fighter series, this time on the Saturn.  Since I was so used to importing games from Japan, I didn't really seek out U.S. versions.  I felt that since my Saturn collection was 99% Japanese, why change now?  Plus, I hated the fragile, awkwardly long cases that U.S. Saturn games were housed in.  And like most Japanese action games on the Saturn, there was practically no language barrier preventing me from having this mindset.  Also, playing Japanese games on a North American Saturn is super easy with an Action Replay cart.


The Saturn saw five Street Fighter releases in Japan:

• Street Fighter Collection - contains Super Street Fighter II, Super Street Fighter II Turbo, and Street Fighter Zero 2 Dash (exclusive to the Saturn)
• Capcom Generations 5 - (unreleased in the U.S. on the Saturn) contains the original Street Fighter 2, Street Fighter 2 Champion Edition, and Street Fighter 2 Turbo Hyper Fighting
• Street Fighter Zero
• Street Fighter Zero 2
• Street Fighter Zero 3 (unreleased in the U.S. on the Saturn)

The "Zero" games are the "Alpha" games here in the States.  There are also a whole slew of other Capcom fighting games that may include Street Fighter characters, but that is a story for another time.

I soaked these right up, and the experience is made ten times better with a good arcade stick.  Don't get me wrong, the Saturn controller (model 2) is awesome in its own right, but for direction specific special moves that originated in the arcade, an arcade stick is a must for purists.  The clicky responsiveness of the buttons, the muscle memory of quarter circle movement, and desperation of waggling out of a hold move are all part of the Street Fighter experience, and those are lost in translation when playing on a gamepad.  My stick of choice is the Sega Virtua Stick.  I also like the Hori SS Fighting Stick.


Now from what I understand, these arcade ports are nearly perfect.  I am not the best person to judge that as it has been years since I have seen some of these in the arcades, but to me they are awesome regardless.

The Street Fighter series continues to this day on modern systems, but nostalgia is a strong factor in bringing me back to these games.  Modern, high-definition graphics, flashy animations, and down loadable content are not for me.  I guess I'm the gamer equivalent of the old man on the porch,  yelling at kids to stay off the grass.

If you own a Saturn and like fighting games, you should really check out any of the aforementioned Street Fighter releases.  It is a picture of perfection captured in time, on a system that is widely overlooked.

The TurboGrafx-16 has dramatically risen in popularity in recent years among retro game collectors. For whatever reason, it and its games command high prices in the secondary market and are rarely seen in stores.  As a kid, I didn't know anyone who had one, and was only vaguely aware of its existence.  In retrospect,  I recall seeing the commercials on T.V. and ads in comic books.  It just didn't seem real since I had never seen one.  

I was really into the Sega Saturn years ago, specifically shoot'em ups.  Actually I still am, but I feel like I've mined the best of what's available and feel accomplished and satisfied with my collection (thank goodness, as collecting shooters for the Saturn is prohibitively expensive now). During my research on Saturn shooters, I invariably stumbled upon articles posts, and YouTube videos praising PC-Engine shooters.  As I investigated, I discovered the PC-Engine is the Japanese version of the TurboGrafx-16.  My interest was piqued.

A console with a cult following; most gamers wouldn't recognize one if they saw one.

There are a number of similarities between the Saturn and TurboGrafx-16.  Both were early consoles of their generation.  While not technically a true 16-but system, The Turbo was considered part of that generation (and besides, it was way more powerful than the 8-bit systems of the time).

The Saturn was the first true 32-bit system (let's leave the 32X out of this discussion).  After hearing about the specifications of the forthcoming Sony Playstation, Sega wanted to get a jump start with the Saturn and install a fan base.  In a surprise move, Sega moved the launch date up months from the fall to the spring. This backfired tremendously, as game developers were expecting more time to refine their games, and as a result many of the initial run of games were buggy and somewhat unfinished.

Both failed to grasp a wide audience in the United States. Just as with the Saturn, the American library of games pales in comparison to the Japanese library. Many feel that if more Japanese exclusives were released here, both systems would have had a better chance to succeed.  Many of the best Japanese games require no knowledge of the Japanese language in order to play them; in fact almost all title screens, text, and voice samples are in English!  This is frustrating to think of now, but one must consider the historical context in which these decisions were made. American business executives made decisions on what games they thought would be successful based on what market research was at the time. Hindsight is 20:20, I guess.

As I read and watched more and more about the PC-Engine shooters, I decided that this was a system for me.  I made the decision early on that it would be a PC-Engine and not a Turbo-Grafx-16, as shooters were my forte.  This was an easy decision.  PC-Engine games were cheaper, and more plentiful in the Global marketplace.  The Turbo default video output was the dreaded RF signal. Also, the PC-Engines just looked neat.  But trying to figure out just which version of a PC-Engine to get was arduous.  I don't think there is another console that is as varied and multi-faceted as this one. Keep in mind that this predates the Sega Genesis' CD attachment and 32X attachment.  There's the original PC-Engine, the Core Grafx, the Core Grafx II, the CD Rom, the Super CD Rom, The PC-Engine Duo R, the PC-Engine Duo RX, the Shuttle, the PC-Engine GT, the PC-Engine LT, the SuperGrafx, and the list goes on.

The PC-Engine was the first to have a CD-Rom attachment, and that expanded its library of games. The various versions of CD-Rom attachments required system cards that would be read in the card slot while the CD was read.  In addition, the CR-Rom attachments required an interface unit.  I became apparent that assembling this piece by piece was the wrong way.  One of the PC-Engine Duos was the way to go. After finally procuring a PC-Engine Duo R, I finally got to explore a whole new world of shooters, both on Hu-card and CD.

Most people don't know just how awesome these games are.

A couple of years ago I had my PC-Engine duo modded for component output by Shawn at http://www.tg16pcemods.com/services.html.  It was one of the best decisions I ever made as it looks insanely crisp on my Sony 32" Wega Trinitron.  I can't believe accepted composite as the best it was capable of.  Anyone who is in the market for one should very seriously consider getting it modded for either RGB or component.

The component output mod is just sick...

Seriously, this picture doesn't do the video quality justice. As far as playability, I have some minor gripes. The system only has one controller port.  There are multiplayer games available of course, but you need to buy a multitap adapter.  The d-pad on the controllers is just OK.  I bought an Ascii joystick for the PC-Engine, and it is nearly identical to the NES Advantage.  I like it fine, but the base is kind of small for my lap and isn't the most comfortable.

With the surge in retro game interest, comes a surge in retro game prices.  The PC-Engine Games have been climbing to the point where some wonder just how long it can continue.  This is an opportune time to invest in a Turbo Everdrive, which is region-free.  This can play any games originally on Turbochips or Hucards, but not the CD based games. There was a great video about it on YouTube by Retro Gaming Quarterly, for more details I suggest watching it here.

So, in closing, I thought I'd just ramble on about my affinity for the PC-Engine and my journey to discover it.  If you're still reading this, thanks for making it this far.

The Sega Saturn is coveted by retro gamers for various reasons, one of which is for the excellent controller.  The initial North American model released with a blocky, large contraption best described as plastic hamburger.  This was literally a handful, and not a controller that I'd recommend.  I no longer own this model as I sold, knowing I wouldn't use it.

The model two Saturn was packaged with the Japanese version of the controller, which became the standard, and is what people are referring to when they mention "Saturn controller". What makes the controller awesome is its d-pad.  It is firm enough to offer sufficient feedback, yet smooth enough to not cause fatigue or blisters, even after hours of use.  No other d-pad before or since has offered the same comfort and effectiveness.  There are six face buttons in two rows, with the three bottom buttons larger and concave, and the three top buttons a bit smaller and slightly convex.  There are also two shoulder buttons, L and R.  A start button sits in the center of it all, underneath the logo. The overall shape is reminiscent of the six-button Genesis controller revision, which is a vary natural shape to hold.  If I had any complaint, it would be that the shoulder buttons click depth seems a bit flimsy and shallow.  Not a big deal in the grand scheme, as they are not used as much as the face buttons.  It is not hard to see why it is considered my many to be the best 2D controller ever made.  If I could, I would use it for all of my retro systems.

The gold standard

When Nights into Dreams released, it was packaged with the 3D controller.  The Overall shape is primarily round, with handle-like ridges on both sides molded into the design.  It visually very obvious that it is the predecessor to the Dreamcast's controller, but it is more comfortable to hold.  The analog pad is a mixed bag:  for being one of the first analog controls, it was decent, but it seemed like it had a dead spot in the center as the tension releases towards the center.  This analog pad was the driving force for the existence of the controller, so that it could be used in the Saturn's 3D catalog.  I guess it works for those games, but those are not favorite anyway. There are six equally-sized face buttons, and this time they are all convex.  The shoulder buttons were replaced by deep-pulling triggers that seem like they would be pressure sensitive, and I'm not sure if they are or not.  Maybe someone can let me know.  Again, the d-pad is excellent.  I rarely use the analog pad, as it is nowhere near as good as the d-pad.  I go back and forth between which controller I like better; the model 2 or the 3D.  My favorite games on the system are shoot' em ups and fighters, both of which are spectacular with either controller.

Just as fun to use as it looks

Eventually, I sought out an arcade stick for the fighters.  Even with the awesome standard controllers, the plethora of fighters on the system yearned for an arcade stick.  So I went online and quickly picked up a Virtua Stick.  It was touted as "a must have for Virtua Fighter", on the box, although I prefer 2D to 3D fighters.  This has an eight button layout (L and R are included on the front), which is 2 more than I needed.  It was a few bucks, and was a pretty minimal risk.  When it arrived, I was excited to put it through its paces.  It was fun, but I found it lacking...precision.  Gross movements were fine, but finer movements were not there.  This was made apparent while playing Street Fighter Zero 2 and 3.   While I'm not a great player, I can normally pull off special moves eight out of ten times.  This stick had me down to about five out of ten.  There had to be something better.

A starting place for beginners

I researched more thoroughly than the first time and narrowed the field down to two: the SS Hori Fighting Stick and the Sega Virtua Stick (not the aforementioned black one, the Japanese-only white arcade stick).  Both had similar ratings, accolades, and prices.  I found a good deal on the Hori and went with it.  It has a nice, tight stick with a heavy base.  The buttons are good, but not quite arcade quality.  They have microswitches in them, but don't have that punchy spring back that good arcade buttons have.  Still, its a great stick and it earned its way into my controller rotation for the Saturn.  I was satisfied for a quite a while.

Microswitches for precision movement

A couple of years later, Japanese Virtua Stick caught my attention on eBay, and was going unnoticed as far as bids.  I threw a few bucks at it, got outbid once, threw a few more at it and got it for under $20!  Of course shipping doubled that, but to get such a quality stick at a fraction of the going rate was a no-brainer.  Part of me felt like I didn't really need it, but when it arrived, that changed quickly. The stick is a bit looser, and I actually prefer that.  Microswitches are present, yet they feel less restrictive than the Hori.  The buttons are micro-switched as well, and are an improvement over the Hori as well as they have a clicky snap to them.  I prefer this stick over the Hori, for both shooters and fighters.  I'm glad to have both, though.

Just excellent.

I may as well mention there is a double-Virtua Stick, and I believe it is literally the same panel from a Japanese Sega arcade cabinet.  It is HUGE, and of course it compatible with the Saturn out of the box.  I have not seen one in person, but all online reviews state it to be top notch.  Because of its quality, size, and rarity, it carries a steep price tag.  I love the Saturn, but I don't know where I'd put this thing when playing or not.  A curiosity for sure, but the line has to be drawn somewhere.  Or, never say never I guess.

A few years ago I was curious about driving games for the Saturn.  There are a lot of them, and like shooters and fighters, no Japanese literacy is required.  These are dirt cheap, as there were so many and its not the hot topic on the Saturn, so they are currently overlooked.  After playing a few, I realized the excellent Saturn controllers were just not up to the task of the microsteering necessary in some of these racing games.  Low and behold, the Saturn racing wheel.  Its not actually a wheel, more like a racing handle?  Again, its not in high demand so it wasn't pricey at the retro game shop that I frequent.  It has a base that you sit between your legs, and the wheel/handle telescopes outward, and is adjustable.  It works better if you are sitting on a firm surface, as a soft seat will make the base of the wheel feel unstable and wobbly.  It definitely makes the driving games more fun and more responsive.  There's not much worse than constantly oversteering into wall after wall while driving 150 mph.

Makes driving at high speeds possible.

I knew about the Mission Stick controller, but wasn't quite sure what it was for.  I was watching an episode of Game Sack on YouTube, and they were covering the Saturn and Joe was playing Space Harrier with it.  Of course!  Space Harrier and After Burner were meant to be played with a pilot-like stick with a trigger.  This thing wasn't really cheap, mainly due to its rarity and size.  It has a large base, and packing it would be awkward, needing a larger box than you'd think you need, driving up the postage.  I did see a Saturn bundle on Shopgoodwill.com, which included a Saturn, controller, Mission Stick, and a third-party joystick called the Eclipse Stick.  This lot was about $40, plus $20 shipping.  I kept the sticks and flipped the system on eBay, coming out ahead.  The Mission Stick takes some getting used to.  While I though it would be so intuitive, my muscle memory of playing these games on a standard controller did not translate well to the Mission Stick.  While I do remember playing these games in the arcade, that was a long time ago and my hands have forgotten. Maybe I'll give it a few more tries, but I think I like the regular controllers here.

Accommodates left or right handed players

The Eclipse stick that came along for the ride is just another third party stick.  It's meh.  Ok, that's not fair.  At this point I already have the Virtua Arcade stick and the Hori, so there is no reason to use this.  It controls fine, the buttons are typical, and there is a programmable button feature, but I wasn't inclined to use it.  The base is small, so if you're setting it on your lap, its not very comfortable as you have to keep your legs together to support it.

Its okay.

I also have the Sega Stunner light gun, and its fine, but that's not really for this post.

I hope this was helpful in some way, and maybe someone decides to buy a controller mentioned based on this post.  Have a good day.

In my earlier posts, I had mentioned that shoot'em ups for the Saturn was my favorite genre. Those posts had mentioned the big name games for the system, and many of them are well known.  With retro prices forever on the rise, and the global online market for games shrinking the world, I thought I would review one of my favorites that represents the genre and Saturn well, but won't break the bank.  This is Strikers 1945.

Strikers 1945 was originally released for arcades in 1995, and ported to the Saturn and Playstation in 1996.  The game was developed by Psikyo, and published by Atlus.  If the developer sounds familiar, that's because they were responsible for Gunbird, Sengoku Blade, and one of my favorites: Zero Gunner 2.  Being a huge fan of shooters, but not very good at them, I personally like the option to adjust the difficulty.  They let you know that you are disappointing them with the easier settings, as the two easiest settings are referred to as "child" and "monkey".

The plane selection screen offers some statistical information as well as the subweapon type.

I'm not sure what the story is, as I cannot read the Japanese manual for my Saturn copy, but I'm not sure that it matters too much.  What is odd is that your choice of fighter plane varies from American, Japanese, British, and German models.  So... a common enemy perhaps?  This leads to one of the strengths of the game: the variety of fighters and their attributes.  While each plane differs visually in sprite design, the real differences are in how the plane attacks.  there are three methods of attack:

1 - Basic fire - in most cases, this is a straight-forward vulcan canon (the R button is set to rapid fire).  It can be powered up to three times by collecting the bullet icons released by red enemies.

Some shot patterns are angles, and some are straight-on.

2 - charge attack - If you hold the shot button, you can align your options (if you're powered up) and unleash a specialized attack unique to each fighter.  This is incredibly useful as its usage is unlimited, but there is a drawback - you cannot fire during the charging period, leaving you vulnerable for a few seconds.  Strategic use is necessary against bosses if you want to progress farther into the game.  Of course the more options you have, the more powerful the attack.  This attack is not really that useful if you have only one option.

Regular use of your options with a charge shot adds to the gameplay.

3 - bomb attack - You have a limited stock of bombs, so having a strategy for when to use bombs is necessary.  In addition to unleashing a deluge of firepower, the bomb attack clears the screen of enemy bullets, getting you out of a tight spot.  Some plane's may have a slight delay before their bomb attack gets going, so be wary of the timing.

The Spitfire's bomb attack is a seriously awesome beam of destruction.

The Planes:

1. P-38 - This plane is part of the reason why this series is often mistaken as a part of Capcom's 1942/3 series.  The options fire a traditional vulcan machine gun as well.  The charge attack aligns your options to fire in steadfast formation.  The bomb is a loop de loop, just like in 1943, but accompanied with a huge bombshell blast.
2. P-51 Mustang - This plane has a slightly smaller profile, making it easier to dodge enemy fire. The options fire large shots at a slower rate.  The charge attack unleashes you options in a rotating cyclone attack, that spins forward inflicting major damage and also erasing enemy fire. 
3. Spitfire - Another smaller plane, this is a good choice for beginners.   The options fire missiles that are powerful, but are slow.  The charge attack aligns your options in a formation that fires at a wider angle, and move as you do instead of flying straight ahead.  The bomb attack is ridiculous... just ridiculous.  A couple of these will make short work of the bosses.  
4. Messerschmidt Bf-109 - The only German plane represented in the game, it is a very offensively-minded plane.  The options track enemies on their own, acting completely independently.  The charge attack sends the options in a rotating cylcone as well, but this time they fire as they move forward.  The bomb attack is a carpet bomb air raid.
5. Zero - The first of two Japanese planes, this plane is the most unique in the game.  The options drop bombs at surface targets.  The charge shot sends the options after enemy targets.  The bomb attack is a tsunami-like storm that inflicts heavy damage on bosses and clears the screen of smaller enemies.
6. Shinden - Veterans of Saturn shooters may recognize this as the first plane in Battle Garegga, a Saturn exclusive.  This plane has a narrow, single file stream of firing.  The options fire a standard vulcan alongside your plane.  The charge shot is interesting as the options fire horizontlly (and vertically, if you have three or more) in a line that moves up the screen.  The bomb attack is the most unique in the game; your craft loops out of the way as it leaves a ghostly silhouette, which darts forward, wrecking everything in its path.  

The ghost bomb is really creative and satisfying to unleash.

The cover art is not exactly what you'd expect to see on a Shinobi game.