“Emperor Bios, the god of destruction and creator of evil. Eight evil gods he created were destroying every civilization. Destroyed cities turned into ruins called the Dust World. But aura of people’s angry mind created two super warriors to fight against evils.”
A strangely worded narrative from the 1988 promo flyer sends us into straight into the action of Forgotten Worlds! Originally crafted in Japan (thus the slightly lost-in- translation game description and title), this game was the third and last of Capcom’s “Jet-Pack Hero” shooters (following Section-Z and Side Arms Hyper Dyne) and the first to use Capcom’s “CPS1” arcade system that would power dozens of their titles from the late 80s through the early 90s.
Forgotten Worlds can be played by up to two players simultaneously, with each player controlling a futuristic, nameless Marine. The Marines are armed with muscles (lots of muscles), jet-packs and rifles containing unlimited ammo. Player 1’s soldier is equipped with a long-range automatic rifle, while Player 2’s soldier has a short-range wide shot, and your task is to guide the flying space Marines through 9 stages of fast-paced action. Killing an enemy will result in gaining Zenny (Capcom’s in-game currency that appears in several games). Players use Zenny to purchase armor, health, weapon upgrades and tips throughout the game. Weapon power-ups are crucial, with several different effects available to choose from, so don’t miss a chance to enter a Shop! As you traverse the wastelands of Earth now known as the “Dust World”, you’ll encounter daunting battles against evil gods, with the last being none other than the all-powerful Emperor Bios!
This game features a traditional joystick to control your character and a roll-switch spinner that rotates your character in any direction. This allows for incredible multi-directional shooting, a necessity with enemies swarming you from all sides. Pressing down on the roll-switch will fire your weapons; rapidly pressing the roll-switch will result in a Megacrush attack that wipes out all enemies (and sadly, some of your vitality!).
Forgotten Worlds is one of the more creative arcade shooters, standing out at a glance due to its unique controllers and eye-catching graphics featuring detailed sprites and a style that melds more traditional fantasy with futuristic sci-fi. Don’t miss your chance to play this hard-to-find classic in its original form!