Fantasy Zone
A 1986 arcade shooter that introduced Opa-Opa and the boss rush.
Fantasy Zone is a 1986 horizontally scrolling shooter arcade game developed and published by Sega, and the first entry in the Fantasy Zone series. It features a sentient spaceship named Opa-Opa, sometimes considered Sega's first mascot, fighting an enemy invasion across a group of planets. The game is credited with helping to establish the cute 'em up subgenre and popularized the boss rush concept.
Quick Facts
- Designer
- Yoji Ishii
- Programmer
- Shuichi Katagi
- Artist
- Masaki Kondo
- Composer
- Hiroshi Kawaguchi
- Platforms
- Arcade
- Master System
- MSX
- NES
- TurboGrafx-16
- X68000
- Sega Saturn
- Genre
- Scrolling shooter
- Modes
- Single-player
- Arcade system
- Sega System 16A
Facts from the source article.
Gameplay
The player controls Opa-Opa through levels containing bases that must all be destroyed to summon the stage boss; defeating the boss advances to the next stage. There are eight stages, and in all but the final one the scrolling camera is not fixed, allowing the player to move left or right across a looping environment. The final stage is a rematch against every previous boss in succession before the final boss. Opa-Opa attacks with a standard weapon and bombs, and can land on the ground by sprouting feet to walk until taking off again. Upgrades for weapons, bombs, speed, and extra lives are purchased with money earned from defeating enemies, bases, or bosses; the player accesses a shop by touching a marked balloon. Prices rise with each purchase, and only one engine, one weapon, and one bomb can be equipped at a time. Some weapons have a time limit, bombs are limited in quantity, and engine upgrades are permanent. Powerups can be reassigned by reentering the shop or touching a balloon marked "Select". Losing a life removes all upgrades.
Ports and re-releases
Fantasy Zone was ported to the Master System, MSX, Famicom/Nintendo Entertainment System, X68000, and PC Engine, with similar gameplay but some differences. The Master System version lacks a radar for base locations and an energy gauge, and replaces two bosses with alternate ones. Two different Famicom/NES versions exist: a Japanese version released in 1987 by Sunsoft, and an American version released in 1990 by Pixel and Tengen. In 1997, a Sega Ages release for the Sega Saturn appeared in Japan. An enhanced remake for the PlayStation 2, also part of Sega Ages, uses polygons instead of sprites while retaining arcade sounds, and adds stages including bonus levels behind Opa-Opa collecting coins from defeated bosses, similar to Space Harrier; this version was released in North America and Europe in the Sega Classics Collection. Due to hardware limitations, this version was divided into three parts. The Master System version was re-released on Virtual Console in 2008. The final Sega Ages disc, Fantasy Zone Complete Collection, compiles all series games and spin-offs, including a remake of Fantasy Zone II for System 16 hardware. The original arcade version is unlockable in Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection. A 3D port for Nintendo 3DS, 3D Fantasy Zone: Opa-Opa Bros., added stereoscopic 3D, adjustable difficulty, save capability, Japanese and US version switching, Stage Select, and a mode playing as Opa-Opa's brother Upa-Upa; the two replacement bosses from the Master System release can be unveiled.
Reception
Fantasy Zone was very successful in Japanese arcades, becoming the second top-grossing table arcade cabinet in Japan in April 1986 and the top-grossing arcade game from July to August 1986. The Master System version received a 4 out of 5 stars review in Dragon in 1988, and Computer and Video Games gave it four categories of 9/10 in 1988, praising its visuals. In 1989, Computer and Video Games rated the PC Engine version 88% and the Master System version 87%. Console XS awarded the Master System version 91% in 1992. The game was also reviewed by Génération 4, Sega Power, Happy Computer, and Tilt.
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