History VideoGame / FantasyZone

Currently, the original game and ''Fantasy Zone II W'' are both available for download on the Platform/Nintendo3DS via the Nintendo eShop as ''3D Fantasy Zone: Opa-Opa Bros.'' and ''3D Fantasy Zone II W'' respectively, adding 3D visuals as well as new game modes and features. The first game is also available on the Platform/NintendoSwitch as part of the "SEGA AGES" series, with many of the same additions as the 3DS version. The original version is also a recurring GameWithinAGame in the ''VideoGame/{{Yakuza}}'' series; the spinoff ''VideoGame/LostJudgment'' even includes its Master System version, as well as the original ''Fantasy Zone II'' as DLC.

''Fantasy Zone'' was originally released in arcades and the [[UsefulNotes/SegaMasterSystem Master System]] (both versions were developed simultaneously), but later saw ports appearing on the UsefulNotes/{{MSX}}, [[UsefulNotes/{{Famicom}} Family Computer]], UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem (a different port from the Famicom release), [[UsefulNotes/SharpX68000 X68000]] and the UsefulNotes/TurboGrafx16.

The game had a few sequels as well: ''Fantasy Zone II'' for the Master System, ''Fantasy Zone Gear'' (or just ''Fantasy Zone'') for the UsefulNotes/GameGear, and ''Super Fantasy Zone'' for the UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis. Additionally, there are two spinoff titles: ''Fantasy Zone: The Maze'' and ''Galactic Protector'' for the Master System. In 2008, a [[VideoGameRemake remake]] of ''Fantasy Zone II'', later known as ''Fantasy Zone II W'', was developed by Creator/{{M2}} as part of a CompilationRerelease. The remake [[{{Retraux}} is built on the same arcade board as the first game]].

Currently, the original game and ''Fantasy Zone II W'' are both available for download on the UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS via the Nintendo eShop as ''3D Fantasy Zone: Opa-Opa Bros.'' and ''3D Fantasy Zone II W'' respectively, adding 3D visuals as well as new game modes and features. The first game is also available on the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch as part of the "SEGA AGES" series, with many of the same additions as the 3DS version. The original version is also a recurring GameWithinAGame in the ''VideoGame/{{Yakuza}}'' series; the spinoff ''VideoGame/LostJudgment'' even includes its Master System version, as well as the original ''Fantasy Zone II'' as DLC.

** The snowman bosses in ''Fantasy Zone'' are either referred to as "Poppoos" (Both UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 Sega Ages ''Fantasy Zone'' games, ''Opa-Opa Bros.'', and the Sega Ages Switch re-release) or "Poppos", if you go by the names the smaller enemy versions use, [[https://www.amazon.co.jp/%E3%82%BB%E3%82%AC-%E3%83%95%E3%82%A1%E3%83%B3%E3%82%BF%E3%82%B8%E3%83%BC%E3%82%BE%E3%83%BC%E3%83%B3-%E3%83%9D%E3%83%83%E3%83%9D%E3%83%BC%E3%82%BA-T%E3%82%B7%E3%83%A3%E3%83%84-L%E3%82%B5%E3%82%A4%E3%82%BA/dp/B00PQU24L2 an official t-shirt]], and this pre-round comment in stage 4 of ''Fantasy Zone II DX'':

* SapientShip: In an interesting variation, the ship-looking characters (who Opa-Opa and his father represent) are considered to be their own species of robots, as opposed to an actual spaceship; they have legs, have expressions, and the intro for ''Super Fantasy Zone'' explicitly show the Opa-Opa bros inside the HQ's control room. And Opa-Opa, who serves as a recurring character in ''Red Photon Zillion'', is revealed to be smaller than humans.

* SapientShip: In an interesting variation, the ship-looking characters (who Opa-Opa and his father represent) are considered to be their own species, as opposed to an actual spaceship; they have legs, have expressions, and the intro for ''Super Fantasy Zone'' explicitly show the Opa-Opa bros inside the HQ's control room (which is safe to assume that they are human-sized).

* SapientShip: Opa-Opa.

A newly-made Sega Genesis port of ''Fantasy Zone'', again developed by M2, is set to be included on the ''Genesis Mini 2'' (or the ''Mega Drive Mini 2'', for those outside North America), releasing in October 2022.

* BulletHell: ''Link Loop Land'' is absolutely ''loaded'' with enemies and their projectiles. Said enemies and projectiles also become more plentiful in NewGamePlus, especially if you manage to survive to reach more playthroughs. The Buubuuman boss in ''II DX'' is also this, [[ExaggeratedTrope but taken to the extreme]] as it splits into pieces like IDA-2, and those pieces will shoot bullets. You could say that the boss will give you a [[{{Pun}} boo-boo, man]].

A newly-made Sega Genesis port of ''Fantasy Zone'', again developed by M2, is set to be included on the ''Mega Drive Mini 2'', releasing in October 2022.

The game had a few sequels as well: ''Fantasy Zone II'' for the Master System, ''Fantasy Zone Gear'' (or just ''Fantasy Zone'') for the UsefulNotes/GameGear, and ''Super Fantasy Zone'' for the UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis. Additionally, there are two spinoff titles: ''Fantasy Zone: The Maze'' and ''Galactic Protector'' for the Master System. In 2008, a [[VideoGameRemake remake]] of ''Fantasy Zone II'', known [[FanNickname unofficially]] as ''Fantasy Zone II DX'', was issued in Japan as part of a CompilationRerelease, and Opa-Opa is a playable character in ''[[VideoGame/SegaSuperstars Sonic and Sega All-Stars Racing]]''.

Currently, the original game and ''Fantasy Zone II DX'' are both available for download on the UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS via the Nintendo eShop as ''3D Fantasy Zone: Opa-Opa Bros.'' and ''3D Fantasy Zone II W'' respectively, adding 3D visuals as well as new game modes and features. The first game is also available on the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch as part of the "SEGA AGES" series, with many of the same additions as the 3DS version. The original version is also a recurring GameWithinAGame in the ''VideoGame/{{Yakuza}}'' series; the spinoff ''VideoGame/LostJudgment'' even includes its Master System version, as well as the original ''Fantasy Zone II'' as DLC.

Opa-Opa also showed up like a minor frequent character in ''Anime/RedPhotonZillion'', a SciFi {{Anime}} that Sega co-produced and made games based on.

* SpellMyNameWithAnS: The snowman bosses in ''Fantasy Zone'' are either referred to as "Poppoos" (Both UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 Sega Ages ''Fantasy Zone'' games, ''Opa-Opa Bros.'', and the Sega Ages Switch re-release) or "Poppos", if you go by the names the smaller enemy versions use, [[https://www.amazon.co.jp/%E3%82%BB%E3%82%AC-%E3%83%95%E3%82%A1%E3%83%B3%E3%82%BF%E3%82%B8%E3%83%BC%E3%82%BE%E3%83%BC%E3%83%B3-%E3%83%9D%E3%83%83%E3%83%9D%E3%83%BC%E3%82%BA-T%E3%82%B7%E3%83%A3%E3%83%84-L%E3%82%B5%E3%82%A4%E3%82%BA/dp/B00PQU24L2 an official t-shirt]], and this pre-round comment in stage 4 of ''Fantasy Zone II DX'':

* SpellMyNameWithAnS: The snowman bosses in ''Fantasy Zone'' are either referred to as "Poppoos" (Both UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 Sega Ages ''Fantasy Zone'' games, ''Opa-Opa Bros.'', and the Sega Ages Switch re-release) or "Poppos", if you go by the names the smaller enemy versions use and this pre-round comment in stage 4 of ''Fantasy Zone II DX'':

* WidgetSeries.

Currently, the original game and ''Fantasy Zone II DX'' are both available for download on the UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS via the Nintendo eShop as ''3D Fantasy Zone: Opa-Opa Bros.'' and ''3D Fantasy Zone II W'' respectively, adding 3D visuals as well as new game modes and features. The first game is also available on the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch as part of the "SEGA AGES" series, with many of the same additions as the 3DS version.

* ContinuingIsPainful: When you die, you lose all of your upgrades, even those you had in reserve. On some bosses, you have pretty much no hope of winning if you lose to them once. Time to start over! ''Fantasy Zone II DX'' alleviates ''some'' of the pain by sending you to a shop that sells only engines if you die to a boss so you can repurchase that extra speed you lost. You're still stuck with the Twin Shot and Single Bomb weapons and no special weapons though.

* NintendoHard: Despite the cute look, the games are extremely unforgiving. There's no continues and extra lives cost money that's needed for weapons [[spoiler: and the good ending in ''II DX'']], which gets frustrating as [[ContinuingIsPainful said weapons go away when dead]]. The controls also take some getting used to.

* UnstableEquilibrium: You lose all your powerups when you die, and you have to kill enemies to earn money. Should be pretty easy to see how this comes into play.

* BulletHell: ''Link Loop Land'' is absolutely ''loaded'' with enemies and their projectiles. Said enemies and projectiles also become more plentiful in NewGamePlus, especially if you manage to survive to reach more playthroughs.

** The [=TurboGrafx=]-16 port of ''Fantasy Zone'' is included on the [=TurboGrafx=]-16 Mini. Exclusive to that plug-and-play console, [[holding Select when launching the game will run a newly-developed secret "near arcade" version of the port with remixed sound and shifted color palettes to resemble the arcade version as much as the [=TurboGrafx=]-16's technical limits allow]].

** [[spoiler:''Super Fantasy Zone'' ends with Opa-Opa defeating the Dark Master, but is now haunted by the Dark Master's final words: "What you can see, will not be all that prevails in the world."]]

* EasterEgg: [[spoiler:Holding down the A, B and C buttons when starting a new game in ''Super Fantasy Zone'' will replace the game's music with the soundtrack from the original game.]]
* EleventhHourSuperpower: [[spoiler:You gain a health bar for the battle against the FinalBoss at the end of ''Fantasy Zone II DX''. CollisionDamage can still kill you, though]].

* FallenHero: [[spoiler: In one of the MultipleEndings in ''Fantasy Zone II DX'', Opa-Opa turns evil and casts the Fantasy Zone into chaos, and thus ''VideoGame/SpaceHarrier'' and his white dragon friend Uriah have to save the day]].

* MirrorBoss: [[spoiler:The FinalBoss of the second game is Opa-Opa's evil personality in physical form who attacks using the same weapons Opa-Opa can use.]]
** [[spoiler:The first phase of ''Super Fantasy Zone'''s final boss is a bigger version of Opa-Opa who attacks with the same weapons, only bigger.]]

* NintendoHard: Despite the cute look, the games are extremely unforgiving. There's no continues and extra lives cost money that's needed for weapons [[spoiler: and the good ending in II DX]], which gets frustrating as [[ContinuingIsPainful said weapons go away when dead]]. The controls also take some getting used to.
* NonStandardGameOver: The bad ending in ''Fantasy Zone II DX'' doesn't let you go into NewGamePlus, and instead shows GameOver and ends the game.

* {{Retraux}}: ''Fantasy Zone II DX'' is built on the [=System16=] hardware the original game used, with the only addition being some extra RAM. It's so authentic that many who see it don't realize that it came out in ''2008'' and not alongside the Master System original. It even works in MAME.

** Some of the various Name Entry songs in ''Fantasy Zone II DX'' are taken from the Name Entry songs of other Sega arcade games, including ''Sindbad Mystery'' (Ranking C), ''Mister Viking'' (Ranking D), ''Sanrin San-Chan - Tricycle-San'' / ''Spatter'' (Ranking E), and ''VideoGame/{{Pitfall}} II'' (Ranking F)[[note]]in which Sega did the arcade adaptation for that game[[/note]].

Currently, the original game and ''Fantasy Zone II DX'' are both available for download on the UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS via the Nintendo eShop as ''3D Fantasy Zone: Opa-Opa Bros.'' and ''3D Fantasy Zone II W'' respectively, adding 3D visuals as well as new game modes and features.

** The 3DS version adds a mode where you play as Opa-Opa's brother Upa-Upa with a different method of using weapons.

* AscendedExtra: Upa-Upa, the PaletteSwap brother of Opa-Opa who originally appeared as the player two character in the spinoff titles ''Fantasy Zone: The Maze'' and ''Galactic Protector'', gets his own game modes in ''3D Fantasy Zone: Opa-Opa Bros.'' and ''3D Fantasy Zone II''.

* KarmaMeter: The touch screen in ''3D Fantasy Zone II W'' shows Opa-Opa's status, indicating which ending you'll get. He starts neutral, gets angry if you're on your way to the bad ending, and becomes happy if you're on your way to the good ending.
* ALongTimeAgoInAGalaxyFarFarAway: Is set in a region of space called the Fantasy Zone.

* PinballScoring: Has reasonable scoring unless you're skilled enough to beat the game. You'll receive a bonus of several million points[[note]]1,000,000 per remaining ship + (10*gold)[[/note]] and [[NewGamePlus start back at the beginning]] where if you're really skilled, you can do it again and again. If you're a god of this game, you can get [[{{Cap}} 99,999,990 points]].

* PinballScoring: Has reasonable scoring unless you're skilled enough to beat the game. You'll receive a bonus of several million points[[note]]4,000,000 + (10*gold)[[/note]] and [[NewGamePlus start back at the beginning]] where if you're really skilled, you can do it again and again. If you're a god of this game, you can get [[{{Cap}} 99,999,990 points]].

Currently, the original game and ''Fantasy Zone II DX'' are both available for download on the Nintendo3DS via the Nintendo eShop as ''3D Fantasy Zone: Opa-Opa Bros.'' and ''3D Fantasy Zone II W'' respectively, adding 3D visuals as well as new game modes and features.

* ShoutOut: One of the "bomb" weapons you can buy is a [[Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus 16-ton weight.]]

''Fantasy Zone'' was originally released in arcades and UsefulNotes/MasterSystem (both versions were developed simultaneously), but later saw ports appearing on the UsefulNotes/{{MSX}}, [[UsefulNotes/{{Famicom}} Family Computer]], UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem (a different port from the Famicom release), [[UsefulNotes/SharpX68000 X68000]] and the UsefulNotes/TurboGrafx16.

* [[spoiler:BattleInTheCenterOfTheMind: In ''Fantasy Zone II DX'''s best ending, it is revealed that the ''entire game'' was this invoked by Opapa to give Opa-Opa a chance to rid himself of the Nenon entities trying to coax his SplitPersonality of evil into dominance. This also subtly shows if you're on your way to the bad ending; the FinalBoss will be Opa-Opa himself, while you're controlling his evil self.]]

* EleventhHourSuperpower: [[spoiler:You gain a health bar for the battle against the FinalBoss at the end of ''Fantasy Zone II DX'']].

* [[spoiler:FallenHero]]: In one of the MultipleEndings in ''Fantasy Zone II DX'' [[spoiler:Opa-Opa turns evil and casts the Fantasy Zone into chaos, and thus ''VideoGame/SpaceHarrier'' and his white dragon friend Uriah have to save the day]].

* [[spoiler:LukeIAmYourFather]]: [[spoiler:The FinalBoss of the first game is none other than Opa-Opa's long lost father. This leads Opa-Opa into questioning if his victory [[WasItReallyWorthIt was worth this price he had to pay]]]].
** [[ParodiedTrope Parodied]] in Upa-Upa's ending in Opa-Opa Bros. where he finds that [[spoiler:it was in fact his mom who sent the Menon forces against him because he spent a hefty sum of his brother's savings. This leads Upa-Upa into questioning if his victory was worth this literal price he had to pay]].

* {{Retraux}}: ''Fantasy Zone II DX'' is built on the System16 hardware the original game used, with the only addition being some extra RAM. It's so authentic that many who see it don't realize that it came out in ''2008'' and not alongside the Master System original. It even works in MAME.

The game had a few sequels as well: ''Fantasy Zone II'' for the Master System, ''Fantasy Zone Gear'' (or just ''Fantasy Zone'') for the UsefulNotes/GameGear, and ''Super Fantasy Zone'' for the UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis. Additionally, there are two spinoff titles: ''Fantasy Zone: The Maze'' and ''Galactic Protector'' for the Master System. In 2008, a [[VideoGameRemake remake]] of ''Fantasy Zone II'', known [[FanNickname unofficially]] as ''Fantasy Zone II DX'', was issued in Japan as part of a CompilationRerelease, and Opa-Opa is a playable character in ''[[SegaSuperstars Sonic and Sega All-Stars Racing]]''.

The game had a few sequels as well: ''Fantasy Zone II'' for the Master System, ''Fantasy Zone Gear'' (or just ''Fantasy Zone'') for the GameGear, and ''Super Fantasy Zone'' for the UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis. Additionally, there are two spinoff titles: ''Fantasy Zone: The Maze'' and ''Galactic Protector'' for the Master System. In 2008, a [[VideoGameRemake remake]] of ''Fantasy Zone II'', known [[FanNickname unofficially]] as ''Fantasy Zone II DX'', was issued in Japan as part of a CompilationRerelease, and Opa-Opa is a playable character in ''[[SegaSuperstars Sonic and Sega All-Stars Racing]]''.