Virtual On: Cyber Troopers

Review

by Colin Williamson

Despite its goofy name, Virtual On: Cyber Troopers redefined the giant robot battle simulation in the arcades, and has finally made its way home onto the Sega Saturn. It's the future, and a mega-corporation is attempting to locate the most skilled mech pilots in the galaxy. To do so, "Virtual On" machines have been inserted into arcades to test the mettle of young warriors. Once they've mastered training missions, it's on to a deserted moonbase, where the elite pilots go head-to-head with giant robots gone mad.

Virtual On: Cyber Troopers is presented from a third-person, behind-the-robot perspective. You're given several large fighting arenas to duke it out in, and only by leaping into the air, blasting laser fire, and using buildings for cover, will you be able to defeat your opponent in a best two-out-of-three match. Though the game can be played easily with the Saturn pad, true arcade hounds will opt for the optional Dual Stick controller, offered exclusively via mail order from Sega.

Though the robots have been given some rather strange names like Temjin and Bal-Bas-Bow, they certainly look cool. The robots have plenty of personality as they were designed by the creator of the hit anime series Gundam. Weapons are unique to each robot but keep tabs on your energy levels because pumping the fire button will result in a weapon overheating. If a weapon overheats you will be unable use it for a short time. When two robots get close enough hand-to-hand combat ensues. You can whip out a melee weapon and slice your robotic enemy in half with a laser sword.

Aside from an arcade mode where it's you against the robots, there is also a cleverly implemented versus mode. You can choose either a horizontal or vertical split-screen mode to play against your buddies, and there's no slowdown to get in the way. Graphics are big, bright, and well defined. The frame rate runs without a hitch with the only flaw coming in the form of cheesy-looking "screen door" transparency effects.

Though the Saturn version of Virtual On: Cyber Troopers is a straight arcade port with a versus mode tossed in for good measure, it's still more than enough to cater to the hardcore Virtual On fans out there. If Japanese anime-influenced robot carnage is one of your passions, this is a must buy.