History VideoGame / MadStalkerFullMetalForce

''Mad Stalker: Full Metal Force'' is a {{mecha|Game}} [[BeatEmUp beat 'em up]] game developed by Fill-in Café (the same folks behind ''VideoGame/Asuka120Percent Burning Fest.'' series and ''VideoGame/PanzerBandit'') and published by [=FamilySoft=] that never left the shores of Japan. It was released in 1994 for the UsefulNotes/SharpX68000.

''Mad Stalker'' was later ported to the Platform/FMTowns in July of 1994 with updated visuals and an arranged soundtrack. Another port was released for [[Platform/TurboGrafx16 PC Engine CD]] in September of the same year (published by NEC), with the enhancements of the FM Towns version along with animated cut-scenes that gave the game much more narrative and two more playable characters. A [[VideoGameRemake remake]] was made by the same team for the Platform/PlayStation in 1997, later re-released via UsefulNotes/{{PlayStation Network}} in 2011. A [[Platform/SegaGenesis Mega Drive]] version was in development alongside the Sharp X68000 version in 1993 by Kagado Studios, but due to the increase of Mega Drive manufacturing costs, it was unfortunately canceled. In 2020, Opera House, Co. bought out the software rights of Fill-in-Café's back catalog of video games, and with Columbus Circle as the publisher and the supervision of the ''Mad Stalker''[='=]s main programmer Masatoshi Imaizumi, the Mega Drive version was finally released on September 17, 2020 as a limited physical release.

* MotionParallax: The UsefulNotes/SharpX68000 version features motion parallax in the graphics of the layered backgrounds.

''Mad Stalker'' was later ported to the UsefulNotes/FMTowns in July of 1994 with updated visuals and an arranged soundtrack. Another port was released for [[UsefulNotes/TurboGrafx16 PC Engine CD]] in September of the same year (published by NEC), with the enhancements of the FM Towns version along with animated cut-scenes that gave the game much more narrative and two more playable characters. A [[VideoGameRemake remake]] was made by the same team for the UsefulNotes/{{PlayStation}} in 1997, later re-released via UsefulNotes/{{PlayStation Network}} in 2011. A [[UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis Mega Drive]] version was in development alongside the Sharp X68000 version in 1993 by Kagado Studios, but due to the increase of Mega Drive manufacturing costs, it was unfortunately canceled. In 2020, Opera House, Co. bought out the software rights of Fill-in-Café's back catalog of video games, and with Columbus Circle as the publisher and the supervision of the ''Mad Stalker''[='=]s main programmer Masatoshi Imaizumi, the Mega Drive version was finally released on September 17, 2020 as a limited physical release.

* EasterEgg: In the PC Engine CD version, holding down the 1+2+Select buttons during Kogado Software logo screen will show a girl on all fours with a [[CuteKitten cat]] while wearing [[{{Fanservice}} a]] [[ShortTank tank-top]] [[BareYourMidriff and]] short-shorts. Continue holding down those buttons and it go into another screen with a girl holding a [=HuCard=] and comically drops it, while a dialogue track plays.

The game featured a unique approach to beat 'em up genre, as you control Hound Dog through a single 2D plane while fighting other mechas akin to a FightingGame such as ''Franchise/StreetFighter'', using two attack buttons of different strengths and speed as well as special attacks and throws. Once you reached the boss at the end of each stage, the game goes from a single plane brawler to a straight-up 1-on-1 fighting game. The game spans six stages of increasing difficulty and also features a VS. Mode where two players can duke it with the Slave Gear of their choice in traditional fighting game fashion against another player or the computer. The music for the game was composed by Keishi Yonao, whose resume includes ''Asuka 120% Burning Fest.'', ''Dies irae ~Also sprach Zarathustra~'', ''VideoGame/StraniaTheStellaMachina'', among others.

The game featured a unique approach to beat 'em up genre, as you control Hound Dog through a single 2D plane while fighting other mechas akin to a {{fighting game}} such as ''Franchise/StreetFighter'', using two attack buttons of different strengths and speed as well as special attacks and throws. Once you reached the boss at the end of each stage, the game goes from a single plane brawler to a straight-up 1-on-1 fighting game. The game spans across six stages of increasing difficulty, and also features a VS. Mode where two players can duke it with the Slave Gear of their choice in traditional fighting game fashion against another player or the computer. The music for the game was composed by Keishi Yonao, who's resume includes ''Asuka 120% Burning Fest.'', ''Dies irae ~Also sprach Zarathustra~'', ''VideoGame/StraniaTheStellaMachina'', among others.

''Mad Stalker'' was later ported to the UsefulNotes/FMTowns in July of 1994 with updated visuals and an arranged soundtrack. Another port was released for [[UsefulNotes/TurboGrafx16 PC Engine CD]] in September of the same year (published by NEC), with the enhancements of the FM Towns version along with animated cut-scenes that gave the game much more narrative and two more playable characters. A [[VideoGameRemake remake]] was made by the same team for the UsefulNotes/{{PlayStation}} in 1997, later re-released via UsefulNotes/{{PlayStation Network}} in 2011. A [[UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis Mega Drive]] version was in development alongside the Sharp X68000 version in 1993 by Kagado Studios, but due to the increase of Mega Drive manufacturing costs, it was unfortunately canceled. In 2020, Opera House, Co. bought out the software rights of Fill-in-Café's back catalogue of video games, and with Columbus Circle as the publisher and the supervision of the ''Mad Stalker''[='=]s main programmer Masatoshi Imaizumi, the Mega Drive version was finally released on September 17, 2020 as a limited physical release.

** The A.I. playing Hound Dog during the original version's attract mode generally do some stupid things, such as dashing to the border of the screen to missing all of its attacks.

* TheBattleDidntCount: Your first encounters with Rising Dog in Stage 2 and 4. Once you beaten it down to 25% of its energy, it [[VillainTeleportation vanishes]] to live a fight another day.

* BossRush: The final stage puts your through a boss rush of the previous bosses you defeated in succession.

* {{Checkpoint}}: If you were defeated in the Sharp X68000 version, a Continue option appears in the menu menu where you can resume from the last area you were in.

** The [=PlayStation=] remake featured codes that can entered in the title screen to unlock all of the Slave Gears in Story Mode (Up, Down, Left, Right, X, Circle at the Press Start screen) and enemies for VS. Mode (Up, Down, Left, Right, Up, Down, Left, Right, X, Circle as with the other code), respectively. The code that unlocks the other playable Slave Gears in Story Mode doubles as a level skip code where pressing L2 skips segments and stages. Skipping stages however kills your score.

* ComputerVoice: In the original versions of the game when beginning a level, a voice is heard roughly saying: "Hound Dog, are you ready? Good luck." This voice sample plays even while playing as the bosses in PC Engine CD version.

* ElevatorActionSequence: Halfway into Stage 3, you fight off Flying Shooters and Gongs on a fright elevator. In the remake, you also fight Silpheed on the elevator.
* ExcusePlot: An evil supercomputer took over Artemis City's military forces and terrorizing the city. Get inside your giant mecha and go punch other mechas in the face. Much less so in the PC Engine CD version.

** During the boss rush in Stage 6, Silpheed and Prisoner-β also will have Soldiers fighting along side them; in the remake, ''every'' boss will have Soldiers fighting by their side during the boss rush.

* JokeCharacter: The PC Engine CD version's VS. Mode has Eater, who's only attacks are latching it self to opponents or charge into them, and it cannot block.

* MechaMooks: Soldiers (tiny Slave Gears armed with a rifle and grenades), Eaters (small, rabbit-like robots), Guard Robots (small 4-legged robots that can alter its gravity and shoot electricity), and Death Balls (floating electrical drones), Gongs, Flying Shooters, and Proto Dogs.

* MovesetClone: Averted. Hound Dog and Rising Dog at first glace may seem like the game's equivalent of Ryu and Ken, although their some of their attacks and specials differ from each other. Rising Dog doesn't have Hound Dog's double-jump ability although has a ninja-vanishing technique, has a ground shockwave attack in place of Hound Dog's cannon, an uppercut move with a different command input (save for the remake), and {{slide attack}} (plus a claw-swiping attack in the remake) instead of dashing one.
* PaletteSwap: The game has a fairly limited enemy variety, so you can expect different colored versions of some of the enemies often. The playable bosses in Story Mode also gets their color palette swapped.

* PromotedToPlayable: In the PC Engine CD version, Kamui and Gong were promoted as playable Slave Gears from the get-go. More enemies and Stunbeat becomes available in PC Engine CD version's VS. Mode via cheat code.
* RecurringBoss: Rising Dog in Story Mode. You fight it in Stage 2 and 4, but it runs off before you get the chance to finish it off. The real fight happens in the final stage.
* RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver: Rising Dog's default color scheme mostly consist of mostly black and some red.
* RollingAttack: Gongs can perform a either straight ahead or up in the air, similar to Blanka.

* StuffBlowingUp: Enemies (and the player) explode once defeated. In Stage 1 in the original game, the cars passing the highway section can be hit and explode afterwards.

* UpdatedRerelease: The FM Towns version has updated graphics and a remixed soundtrack. The PC Engine CD version later added two more characters, Richard Winston piloting Kamui and Eve Lurdia piloting a Gong, and much bigger narrative thanks to the the new animated cut-scenes.

* WarmUpBoss: Stunbeat, Stage 1's boss, is a frog-like Slave Gear that attacks by [[GroundPound jumping on you]], shoot energy shots, and ram into its enemies.

* EasterEgg: In the PC Engine CD version, holding down the 1+2+Select buttons during Kogado Software logo screen will show a girl on all fours with a [[CuteKitten cat]] while wearing [[{{Fanservice}} a]] [[ShortTank tank-top]] [[BareYourMidriff and]] [[WhoWearsShortShorts short-shorts]]. Continue holding down those buttons and it go into another screen with a girl holding a [=HuCard=] and comically drops it, while a dialogue track plays.

''Mad Stalker'' was later ported to the UsefulNotes/FMTowns in July of 1994 with updated visuals and an arranged soundtrack. Another port was released for [[UsefulNotes/TurboGrafx16 PC Engine CD]] in September of the same year (published by NEC), with the enhancements of the FM Towns version along with animated cut-scenes that gave the game much more narrative and two more playable characters. A [[VideoGameRemake remake]] was made by the same team for the UsefulNotes/{{PlayStation}} in 1997, later re-released via UsefulNotes/{{PlayStation Network}} in 2011. A [[UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis Mega Drive]] version was in development alongside the Sharp X68000 version in 1993 by Kagado Studios, but due to the increase of Mega Drive manufacturing costs, it was unfortunately canceled. In 2020, Opera House Co. bought out the software rights of Fill-in-Café's back catalogue of video games, and with Columbus Circle as the publisher and the supervision of the ''Mad Stalker''[='=]s main programmer Masatoshi Imaizumi, the Mega Drive version was finally released on September 17, 2020 as a limited physical release.

''Mad Stalker'' was later ported to the UsefulNotes/FMTowns in July of 1994 with updated visuals and an arranged soundtrack. Another port was released for [[UsefulNotes/TurboGrafx16 PC Engine CD]] in September of the same year (published by NEC), with the enhancements of the FM Towns version along with animated cut-scenes that gave the game much more narrative and two more playable characters. A [[VideoGameRemake remake]] was made by the same team for the UsefulNotes/{{PlayStation}} in 1997, later re-released via UsefulNotes/{{PlayStation Network}} in 2011.

* SpellMyNameWithAnS: The subtitle was "Full Metal Forth" in the original Sharp X68000 version. This was changed to "Full Metal Force" starting with the FM Towns port.

* GratuitousEnglish: The opening cut-scene in of the game, with [[BlindIdiotTranslation poorly-translated English]]. The menus themselves are entirely in English.