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SPACE MEGAFORCE Company: Toho Co. Released: October 1992 Genre: Shooter Graphics: 8.5 Control: 8.5 Sound/Music: 8.0 Storyline: 7.0 Review by: Corbie Dillard ©2008 SUPER-NES.COM

Shooter fans didn't have a wide range of choices when it came to shooters on the Super NES system. Due mostly to it's slow processor  speed, most companies saw some of the early shooter efforts on the system and how rampant the slowdown was among them, and chose to steer clear of this genre for the most part. Then, all of a sudden we saw the release of not one, but two excellent shooters that proved the Super Nintendo was quite a bit more capable when it came to shooters than was once thought. First Konami released Axelay, an outstanding shooter that featured both vertical and horizontal-scrolling levels, then Toho released this excellent vertical shooter the very next month. Shooter fans were finally being rewarded for their patience and Space Megaforce proved to be one intense shoot-fest. Graphically, Space Megaforce isn't anything revolutionary, but it does have a certain impressive look to the way the graphics are presented. There's typically a huge amount of sprites onscreen at once, which is an extremely impressive feat considering the Super Nintendo's slower processor. You'll also see some really funky visual effects in which the backgrounds will have this wavy motion going on, especially on level 4. That coupled with all the intense action going on onscreen at one time is seriously impressive. Bosses in the game are normally huge, but they don't have quite the level of animation as an R-Type or Axelay. It's the special effects of this game that make it shine visually, and it proves once again that a great shooter is possible on the SNES, when done right. Maybe it's because I've always leaned towards the more up-tempo music in shooters like Lords of Thunder and Sapphire that I sometimes tend to score shooters with this type of music lower. The soundtrack in Space Megaforce sounds a lot like the one in Axelay, although I tend to lean towards Axelay as I think the music in it was a little more fitting of the mood of the game. Anyone that's played the Turbographx-16 shooter "Blazing Lazer's" will have a perfect idea of what the music in this game sounds like as it's extremely similar in both style and sound. It's not an outstanding soundtrack but it's definately well above average for what you'll normally hear in a shooter. I did like the voice that announces items and powerups throughout each level. I was always a sucker for the voices, especially at a time when it was just beginning to be a much-used item in video games. If there were a sequel to Blazing Lazers, this would be it. It's almost identical in every single facet of gameplay. The powerups are very similar, the graphics are very similar, and even the way you move around and destroy enemies looks and feels exactly the same. You basically pilot your ship, mostly vertically but occasionally multi-directionally, through level after level shooting pretty much everything in sight, at least if you want to survive for any extended length of time. Bosses themselves are not that difficult, but getting through the levels in order to get to the bosses isn't a cakewalk. Thankfully as you destroy small enemies throughout the level, you are treated to a wide variety of powerups that increase your firepower in different ways. You may notice from the screenshots to the left that there is even the trademark "neon lasers" from Blazing Lazers. Overall it's a great playing game that will challenge even the most diehard shooter fan. As I mentioned above, this is basically Blazing Lazers cranked up a notch or two. It's got intense action, long levels, and some really challenging bosses to fill up the screen. Basically everything you could want in a great shooter. The challenge might scare some novice shooter fans away, but if you're looking for intensity and non-stop challenge, then Space Megaforce is your game. It never really reaches a level of flash that you might see in Axelay, but what it lacks in looks, it more than makes up for in action. I've noticed that many Super NES fans aren't even aware this game exists, which re-affirms the fact that when it was first released, it was done so with little fanfare and even less marketing. I can only assume that part of the problem was it being released so soon after the much-touted Axelay. Don't miss out on this one if you're a shooter fan as behind Axelay, this is one of the best you can get for the Super Nintendo.