Fantasy Zone
A 1986 arcade shooter that introduced Opa-Opa.
Fantasy Zone is a 1986 horizontally scrolling shooter developed and published by Sega for arcades. It is the first game in the Fantasy Zone series and features a sentient spaceship named Opa-Opa, sometimes considered Sega's first mascot character. The game is credited with helping establish the cute 'em up subgenre and popularized the concept of a boss rush.
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
In Fantasy Zone, you control Opa-Opa through levels filled with bases that must be destroyed. Once every base is gone, a stage boss appears, and beating it lets you move to the next stage. There are eight stages total. In all but the last one, the screen scrolls freely—you can fly left or right, and the stage wraps around. The final stage is a gauntlet where you fight every previous boss in order, then the final boss. Opa-Opa attacks with a standard weapon (starting as bullets) and bombs. He can also land on the ground by growing feet and walking until he takes off again. You earn money by defeating enemies, bases, or bosses. Touching a marked balloon opens a shop where you can buy weapon upgrades, bombs, a speed-boosting engine, or extra lives. Prices go up with each purchase. You can only equip one engine, one weapon, and one bomb at a time. Some weapons have a time limit after leaving the shop; bombs are limited in quantity but usable anytime; engine upgrades last forever. You can reassign upgrades by reentering the shop or touching a "Select" balloon. If you lose a life, all upgrades are lost.
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 notable differences. The Master System version lacks a radar for base locations and an energy gauge, and two bosses were replaced. Two different versions were released for the Famicom and NES: a Japanese version in 1987 by Sunsoft, and an American version in 1990 by Pixel and Tengen. In 1997, the game appeared in the Sega Ages series for the Sega Saturn. An enhanced remake for the PlayStation 2, also in Sega Ages, uses polygons instead of sprites but incorporates original arcade sounds, adding stages including bonus levels similar to Space Harrier; this version was released in North America and Europe as part of 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, titled 3D Fantasy Zone: Opa-Opa Bros., was released in 2014, featuring stereoscopic 3D, adjustable difficulty, save capability, Japanese and US version switching, Stage Select, and a mode playing as Upa-Upa. The two replacement bosses from the Master System version can be unveiled.
Reception
Fantasy Zone was very successful in Japanese arcades, helping to give rise to the System 16 arcade board. In April 1986, it was the second top-grossing table arcade cabinet in Japan, and from July to August 1986 it was the top-grossing arcade game. The Master System version received 4 out of 5 stars in Dragon in 1988, and Computer and Video Games gave it four categories of 9/10 in 1988. In 1989, Computer and Video Games rated the PC Engine version 88% and the Master System version 87%. Console XS gave the Master System version a 91% score in 1992. The game was also reviewed by Génération 4, Sega Power, Happy Computer, and Tilt.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who designed Fantasy Zone?
Fantasy Zone was designed by Yoji Ishii.
Who composed the music for Fantasy Zone?
The music for Fantasy Zone was composed by Hiroshi Kawaguchi.
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