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Arrow Flash

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Arrow Flash
European cover art
DeveloperImaginative Technology Land
Publishers
ProducerKenichi Hiza
PlatformSega Genesis
Release
GenreScrolling shooter
ModeSingle-player

Arrow Flash (Japanese: アローフラッシュ, Hepburn: Arō Furasshu) is a horizontally scrolling shooter video game developed by Imaginative Technology Land (I.T.L.) and published by Sega in Japan and Europe and by Renovation Products in the United States for the Sega Genesis in 1990. The game's main character pilots a prototype transformable fighter-mecha left from her grandfather to fight against an alien attack on humankind. The game is mostly a horizontal shooter, with one down scrolling stage.

Gameplay

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The player initially has a basic shot, which can be upgraded and/or exchanged for different weapons, as well as gain smaller ships that follow the player's ship around and copy its attacks. As is usual, these power-ups are distributed throughout the levels. They are retained when advancing to the next stage but lost entirely when the player loses a life.

Two additional mechanics differentiate Arrow Flash from similar scrolling shooters, one of which is the ability to transform the player's ship. The two forms available are a humanoid mech and a fighter jet, with the player's weapons changing depending on the form. The jet form only shoots forward but intensely, it can fly faster horizontally, and the helper ships follow the jet in a snakelike pattern. The mech form has a wider shooting angle (sometimes even firing backwards upon getting enough upgrades), has a faster vertical speed, and the helper ships remain in a fixed formation whilst in this form. Missiles will also home on enemies in mech form, whereas they only travel directly forward in jet form. Regardless of form, the ship is destroyed with only one hit unless the player picks up an energy shield, which can sustain three hits.

The game's titular "Arrow Flash" is a highly powerful ability, differing for each form: the jet fires five large blasts forward, while the mech form becomes engulfed in flame, rendering it immune to attacks for a short time. In the default "Stock" mode, Arrow Flashes are instant but limited, and must be used sparingly, while "Charge" mode allows arrow flashes to be used infinitely but with a weaker effect, and must be "charged up" before use.

Plot

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Arrow Flash follows the protagonist Zana Keene (named Anna Schwinn in the European release, and Starna Oval in the Japanese release) as she fights against hostile aliens. The game contains references to Gundam and Macross.

Reception

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The Japanese publication Micom BASIC Magazine ranked Arrow Flash eighth in popularity in its January 1991 issue, and it received a 5.7193/10 score in a 1995 readers' poll conducted by the Japanese Sega Saturn Magazine, ranking among Sega Mega Drive titles at number 421.[17][18] The game received mixed reviews from critics.[2][3][4][5]

References

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  1. ↑ "Software List (Sega Release)". Sega Hardware Encyclopedia (in Japanese). Sega Corporation. Retrieved May 15, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 Harris, Steve; Semrad, Ed; Alessi, Martin; Sushi-X (February 1991). "Review Crew: Arrow Flash". Electronic Gaming Monthly. Vol. 4, no. 2. Sendai Publishing. p. 24. Retrieved 2026-09-24 – via Video Game History Foundation.
  3. 1 2 "BEメガ･ドッグレース: アローフラッシュ". Beep! Mega Drive (in Japanese). Vol. 6, no. 10. SoftBank Creative. November 1990. p. 21.
  4. 1 2 "新作ゲームクロスレビュー: アローフラッシュ". Famitsu (in Japanese). No. 113. ASCII Corporation. November 9, 1990. p. 17.
  5. 1 2 "Games Reviews: Arrow Flash". Games-X. No. 6. Europress. May–June 1991. p. 19.
  6. ↑ "Games Index: Megadrive". Mean Machines Sega. No. 1. EMAP. October 1992. pp. 137–143.
  7. ↑ Ellis, Les (August 1991). "Reviews: Arrow Flash". Raze. No. 10. Newsfield. p. 50.
  8. ↑ Walnum, Clayton (February 1991). "Video-Game Reviews: Arrow Flash". VideoGames & Computer Entertainment. No. 25. Larry Flynt Publications. pp. 56–58.
  9. ↑ "Console Action: Arrow Flash". Zero. No. 23. Dennis Publishing. September 1991. p. 63.
  10. ↑ "Software A-Z: Mega Drive". Console XS. No. 1. Paragon Publishing. June–July 1992. pp. 126–137.
  11. ↑ "Console Countdown: Mega Drive". Game Zone. No. 1. Dennis Publishing. November 1991. pp. 97–99.
  12. ↑ "£19.99 Games: Cheap and not so nasty". Mega. No. 9. Future Publishing. June 1993. pp. 18–23.
  13. ↑ "The Incredibly Complete Mega File". Mega Drive Advanced Gaming. No. 5. Maverick Magazines. January 1993. pp. 90–95.
  14. ↑ "Game Index". MegaTech. No. 1. EMAP. Christmas 1991. pp. 76–81.
  15. ↑ Smith, Andy; West, Neil; Hibbert, Kevin (May 1991). "Mega Drive: Arrow Flash". Sega Power. No. 18. Future Publishing. pp. 34–35.
  16. ↑ "Sega Software Showndown: The A-Z of Sega Games". Sega Pro. No. 1. Paragon Publishing. November 1991. pp. 18–19, 23, 37, 39.
  17. ↑ Munepi (January 1991). "Super Soft Hot Information: Mega Drive 今月の人気ソフト・ランキング". Micom BASIC Magazine [ja] (in Japanese). No. 103. The Dempa Shimbunsha Corporation [ja]. p. 248.
  18. ↑ "メガドラ読者レース". Sega Saturn Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 11, no. 9. SoftBank Creative. September 1995. pp. 82–85.
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