Burning Force

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BurningForce MDTitleScreen.png

BurningForce MD JP title.png

BurningForce MD PAL title.png

Burning Force
System(s): Sega Mega Drive
Publisher: Namco (JP,US) Sega (EU) Tec Toy (BR)
Developer:
Original system(s): Namco System II
Developer(s) of original games: Namco
Genre: Shooting[1]

















Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Mega Drive
JP 		¥5,8005,800 T-14023
Sega Mega Drive
US 		$54.9554.95[3] T-14026
Sega Mega Drive
EU 		1029
Sega Mega Drive
UK 		£34.9934.99[4] 1029
Sega Mega Drive
SE
(Rental)
Sega Mega Drive
BR
Non-Sega versions

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Burning Force (バーニングフォース) is a Sega Mega Drive third-person vertical shoot-'em-up developed by Nova. A port of the titular 1989 Namco arcade game Burning Force, it was first published in Japan in October 1990 by Namco themselves, and was later brought to the United States, Europe, and Brazil in the following months. Most notable for its extensive use of line scrolling to create the illusion of a three-dimensional playfield (in a similar manner to OutRun), and for its lighthearted tone and synth-rock soundtrack, Burning Force was well-received by the gaming public, and is one of the more fondly remembered of Namco's early Sega Mega Drive games.

Plot

You play as Hiromi Tengenji, a graduate of Earth University (an ensign in the United Galaxy Space Force, UGSF, in the Japanese version) who must pass a six-day final examination of fighting enemies over water to become a Space Fighter Pilot. She pilots a futuristic hover bike which can transform into a small fighter craft.

Gameplay

The game takes a Space Harrier perspective but is much more limited in terms of control. Each day is divided into four areas. Areas 1 and 2 are normal shooting areas where you are on a waterbike on which you may only move left or right. Holding Up speeds up, holding Down slows down, letting go goes back to normal speed. A shoots your normal weapon, which may be upgraded as in a typical shoot-'em-up. B shoots missiles which you have a limited supply of.

Area 3 is a boss area which substitutes the waterbike for a ship that has the same controls, but can fly around the screen a la Space Harrier (so use Up/Down to move around instead of changing speed). The cutscene that transitions you from the waterbike to the ship shows you the boss's weak points. Area 4 is a bonus round in the ship where the goal is to collect as many points/powerups as possible.

History

When brought to the United States by Sega of America, the company purposefully concealed the player character's gender, likely under an antiquated notion that games will sell less by featuring a female protagonist. A completely new cover artwork was commissioned, this time showing Burning Force being played from the perspective of another character entirely[6] (while still managing to work Hiromi into the artwork, now being attacked by the player), and the entirety of the manual and box's text was carefully worded to recontextualize the game as not starring a woman.[7][8][6] Instead, Burning Force now features a new and nameless protagonist who is training alongside Hiromi[7] and helping guide her through the tests.[8][6]

Production credits

  • Game Program: Ogawann
  • Sub Program: Kobakun
  • Sound Program: Kwaeru
  • Story by: Makotomas
  • Charactor Designers: Kuma, 7852
  • Sound Designers: Noririn
  • Constructive Manager: Koh
  • Total Coordinate: Gen
  • Special Thanks: Big Gan, Kero, Udauda
  • Directed by: Makotomas


Magazine articles

Main article: Burning Force/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

FinalBlaster PCE BurningForce MD JP PrintAdvert.jpg
JP print advert
FinalBlaster PCE BurningForce MD JP PrintAdvert.jpg

BurningForce MD US Flyer.pdf

PDF
US flyer
BurningForce MD US Flyer.pdf
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in GamePro (US) #18: "January 1991" (199x-xx-xx)
Logo-pdf.svg

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
{{{{{icon}}}|L}} Division by zero.
Based on
0 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
30
[9]
ACE (UK)
69
[10]
Ação Games (BR)
75
[11]
Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J
68
[12]
Complete Guide to Consoles (UK)
76
[13]
The Complete Guide to Sega (UK)
76
[14]
Cool Gamer (RU)
30
[15]
Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1 (RU)
30
[16]
Famitsu (JP) NTSC-J
63
[17]
Famicom Hisshoubon (JP) NTSC-J
50
[18]
Hobby Consolas (ES)
75
[19]
Joypad (FR) PAL
71
[20]
Joystick (FR)
71
[21]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) PAL
38
[22]
Mega Drive Fan (JP) NTSC-J
71
[23]
Mega (UK) NTSC
41
[24]
Mega Force (FR) PAL
75
[25]
Mega Play (US) NTSC-U
63
[26]
MegaTech (UK)
76
[27]
Micromanía (segunda época) (ES)
60
[28]
Mean Machines Sega (UK)
76
[29]
Player One (FR)
62
[30]
Play Time (DE)
63
[31]
Power Play (DE)
51
[32]
Raze (UK) NTSC-J
77
[33]
Sega Power (UK) NTSC
50
[34]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
40
[35]
Sega Pro (UK) NTSC
28
[36]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
59
[37]
Top Secret (PL)
75
[38]
Tricks 16 bit (RU)
42
[39]
VideoGames & Computer Entertainment (US) NTSC-U
70
[3]
Sega Mega Drive
 59
Based on
32 reviews

Burning Force

Mega Drive, JP
BurningForce MD JP Box.jpg
Cover
BurningForce MD JP CartTop.jpg
BurningForce MD JP Cart.jpg
Cart
Burningforce md jp manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, US
BurningForce MD US Box.jpg
Cover
BurningForce MD US Cart.jpg
Cart
Burningforce md us manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, EU
BurningForce MD EU Box.jpg
Cover
BurningForce MD EU Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, SE (rental)
BurningForce MD SE Box Rental.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, SE (rental; alt)
BurningForce MD SE rental cover.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, BR
BurningForce MD BR Box.jpg
Cover
BurningForce MD BR Cart.jpg
Cart

Technical information

ROM dump status

System Hash Size Build Date Source Comments
Sega Mega Drive
✔
CRC32 bdc8f02c
MD5 da536d20ac0f0e3a62d9709078690032
SHA-1 28fcb1c9b5c72255443ab5bb950a52030baaf409
512kB 1990-10 Cartridge (US)
Sega Mega Drive
✔
CRC32 776ff6ff
MD5 623b2c54f05869ffb3aac936f4a4182a
SHA-1 a25930ee55a2d88838e3999fb5939d9392fd0efa
512kB 1990-10 Cartridge (EU)
Sega Mega Drive
✔
CRC32 0c1deb47
MD5 62e665f85281a33fb17cecd27674684a
SHA-1 8849253262f545fbaf6140bfa5ca67a3caac9a80
512kB 1990-10 Cartridge (JP)

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://sega.jp/history/hard/megadrive/software_l.html (Wayback Machine: 2020-07-02 23:21)
  2. ↑ https://groups.google.com/g/rec.games.video/c/yWklh_du7Ik/m/sTDr7WmQ5vcJ
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 VideoGames & Computer Entertainment, "February 1991" (US; 1991-0x-xx), page 52
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Sega Power, "January 1992" (UK; 1991-12-05), page 10
  5. ↑ Supergame, "Setembro 1991" (BR; 1991-09-xx), page 37
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 File:BurningForce MD US Box.jpg
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 File:Burningforce md us manual.pdf, page 3
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 File:Burningforce md us manual.pdf, page 5
  9. ↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 40
  10. ↑ ACE, "January 1991" (UK; 1990-12-xx), page 104
  11. ↑ Ação Games, "Setembro 1991" (BR; 1991-09-xx), page 24
  12. ↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "November 1990" (JP; 1990-10-XX), page 23
  13. ↑ Complete Guide to Consoles, "Volume IV" (UK; 1990-11-xx), page 28
  14. ↑ The Complete Guide to Sega, "" (UK; 1991-05-xx), page 45
  15. ↑ Cool Gamer, "9" (RU; 2002-10-13), page 44
  16. ↑ Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1, "" (RU; 1999-xx-xx), page 299
  17. ↑ Famitsu, "" (JP; 1990-1x-xx), page 1
  18. ↑ Famicom Hisshoubon, "1990-20, 21 (1990-10-19, 11-02)" (JP; 1990-10-05), page 17
  19. ↑ Hobby Consolas, "Mayo 1992" (ES; 1992-0x-xx), page 72
  20. ↑ Joypad, "Avril 1992" (FR; 1992-03-1x), page 138
  21. ↑ Joystick, "Décembre 1990" (FR; 1990-1x-xx), page 119
  22. ↑ Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1993" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 90
  23. ↑ Mega Drive Fan, "January 1991" (JP; 1990-12-08), page 87
  24. ↑ Mega, "February 1994" (UK; 1994-01-20), page 65
  25. ↑ Mega Force, "Janvier 1992" (FR; 1992-01-15), page 99
  26. ↑ Mega Play, "February 1991" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 44
  27. ↑ MegaTech, "Xmas 1991" (UK; 1991-12-06), page 76
  28. ↑ Micromanía (segunda época), "Septiembre 1992" (ES; 1992-0x-xx), page 85
  29. ↑ Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 137
  30. ↑ Player One, "Janvier 1992" (FR; 199x-xx-xx), page 90
  31. ↑ Play Time, "5/92" (DE; 1992-04-08), page 92
  32. ↑ Power Play, "1/91" (DE; 1990-12-14), page 183
  33. ↑ Raze, "January 1991" (UK; 1990-11-29), page 71
  34. ↑ Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 53
  35. ↑ Sega Power, "February 1992" (UK; 1992-01-02), page 36
  36. ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 64
  37. ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 87
  38. ↑ Top Secret, "Kwiecień 1995" (PL; 1995-xx-xx), page 57
  39. ↑ Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 33


Burning Force

BurningForce MDTitleScreen.png

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