Gekirindan (1995). Play online

Summary

I love the slick feel of Gekirindan, Taito’s vertical shoot‑’em‑up that echoes the intensity of Truxton II and DonPachi. You pick one of three ship classes—each with its own firing pattern—and can switch between two main weapons on the fly, while picking up missiles, napalm bombs or homing lasers as sub‑weapons. The game rewards aggressive play; grabbing the gold‑medal icons at the end of each stage can swing your score by a solid five thousand points.

What really sticks with me is the respawn mechanic: you reappear right where you fell, but taking a hit shaves your firepower as a penalty. There’s no extra loop after the final boss, so you’ve got to make each run count. The soundtrack, crafted by Zuntata’s Kazuko Umino and Koji Sakurai, adds a futuristic pulse that fits the mech‑swarm visuals perfectly.

Even back in the ’90s, arcade operators noted its pull—Game Machine listed it ninth‑most‑successful in December ’95, and Retro Gamer later called it “above average” among its cohort.

Storyline

In the year 3195 humanity builds a time machine, but it is stolen by a mechanized entity called Huge Boss. Using the device, Huge Boss jumps back three thousand years to rewrite history. Six fighter pilots from different eras form the only resistance. Each pilot has personal motives beyond simply saving mankind.

The pilots are Hokuto Higara, a 32nd‑century ace seeking revenge for his family; Anne Kutos, a 20th‑century writer trying to protect her relatives; Dietza Savis, a 1950s Elvis‑style rocker hoping fame; Grother Fedel, a mysterious pilot carrying a portrait of a dark‑haired woman; Shario Vissen, a 32nd‑century girl fulfilling her sister’s last wish with her cat‑like pet; and the elf duo Orsa and Mayoru, nature lovers determined to stop the devastation of Earth’s wildlife.