Battle Mania Daiginjo: The Sequel Only Japan and Korea Got
Vic Tokai's Trouble Shooter is fairly well known in the West. Its follow-up is not, and that is a big part of why Battle Mania Daiginjo is so sought after. It was released on 24 December 1993 for the Mega Drive in Japan and South Korea only, and its short print run has made it one of the more expensive games on the system.
At a glance
- Based on: Battle Mania (released in the West as Trouble Shooter)
- Created by: Vic Tokai
- Released: December 1993 (Japan and South Korea)
- Genre: Shoot 'em up
- What sets it apart: two heroines, a reworked weapon system and a rare mix of vertical and horizontal scrolling
What the first game set up
The original, directed by Fujito "Takayan" Takada, starred Madison and her partner Crystal, who can flip her firing position to shoot behind Madison and cannot be hurt by enemy fire. It had humorous, anime-flavoured presentation and a choice of special weapon at the start of most stages. Press at the time praised its humour and its two female leads.
What the sequel changes
- A revised weapon system with more choices
- Adjusted difficulty and stage length
- Nine levels, three more than its predecessor
- Stages mixing vertical and horizontal scrolling, which is unusual for the genre
Reception
Scores at launch were moderate: Famitsu's reviewers gave it around 5 or 6 out of 10. Readers were kinder. In a 1995 Sega Saturn Magazine poll it placed 24th among Mega Drive games, and Hardcore Gaming 101's Chris Rasa has called it one of the best shooters on the system. Series director Takada later pitched a Dreamcast sequel, but it was cancelled when no publisher came forward.