Play Raiden II Online

Summary

Raiden II builds on the classic vertical‑shooter formula, letting you pilot a sleek fighter jet that darts through scrolling skies while blasting enemy aircraft and dropping bombs on ground‑based tanks. The most noticeable upgrade is the new purple trace laser – a homing beam that locks onto foes, adding a fresh tactical layer to the familiar fire‑power.

A 1996 re‑release trimmed the original board down to a more compact PCB, shuffled the stage order just enough to feel different, and swapped in an alternate musical score. The title screen even reads “Raiden II NEW 1996 Seibu Kaihatsu,” a nod to the updated hardware. Despite circulating rumors, the board’s battery isn’t a “suicide battery”; it functions like any other arcade power source.

In the United States the game was licensed to Fabtek, which handled both manufacturing and distribution, ensuring that arcade enthusiasts could experience the sequel’s sharper visuals and the signature laser without any of the myth‑fuel surrounding its internals.

Storyline

Raiden II picks up three years after the World Alliance Military's victory over the Cranassian invasion. The surviving alien forces have regrouped on Earth, forming a new army to finish their original conquest. In response, engineers have equipped the Raiden— the legendary ship that saved the planet in the first war— with an upgraded weapon system. The upgraded Raiden launches a fresh assault to stop the alien coalition and protect humanity once again.