Metal Storm

Metal Storm
Also known as: Juuryoku Soukou Metal Storm (JP) Developer: Tamtex Publisher: Irem Platform: NES Released in JP: April 24, 1992 Released in US: February 1991 This game has unused graphics. This game has a hidden level select. This game has regional differences. This game has a prerelease article

Metal Storm is an NES game by Irem where you basically play as Captain Viridian's mecha ancestor.

Sub-Page

Prerelease Info

Unused Graphics

Animated Backgrounds

The game uses bank switching to create the illusion of parallax scrolling.

Two small tiles that could scroll vertically or horizontally.

A large, seemingly incomplete tile. Judging by its positioning, it may have been an early version of the background used in the Stage 2 boss fight, being overwritten by the final version, which uses 16 frames instead of 32.

Two variations of the same background element: one scrolling downwards, the other upwards.

Level Select

The Game Genie code YASNUKZA enables a level and powerup select. Press Up and Down to select a level, or Left and Right to select a powerup (the five sets of letters will change depending on what powerup you select). The powerups, from left to right, are None, Shield, Gravity Fireball, Armor, and Power Beam. Press Start to enter the selected level, or hold A and press Start to start with the Armor in addition to whatever powerup you selected.

Regional Differences

To do: Palette and difficulty changes, other things? Translation of intro text.

Dummied-out Intro

The Japanese version of Metal Storm contained a neat little intro sequence, which was disabled in the US version. However, the code was left mostly intact, and can be re-enabled using the Game Genie codes SNKEPULO and OOKEZLVP. The only things removed were a "TAMTEX" logo (the division of Irem that developed the game), a few screens of Japanese text, and the tiles for an exploding planet animation, which suggests that Irem originally planned to keep the intro. Why it was ultimately disabled is anyone's guess.

The Tamtex copyright was also removed from the US title screen, leaving only the Irem copyright.

Different Ending

In the Japanese version, the last boss says "You will die with me..." after you defeat him. Also, the epilogue, while still in English, is completely different from the one in the USA version. Finally, the credits list in the Japanese version has one name that was very strangely removed in the USA version: Hiroshi Futami (Producer).