Line #47 VideoGame/TwinCobra


1	[[quoteright:278:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/twincobra_arcadeflyer.png]]
2
3	''Twin Cobra'', known as ''Kyūkyoku Tiger'' ("Ultimate Tiger") in Japan, is the second of Creator/{{Toaplan}}'s helicopter-based shooters, after ''VideoGame/TigerHeli''. The game was first released to arcades in 1987, by Creator/{{Taito}} Corporation in Japan and by Romstar internationally, and subsequently ported to various consoles and Japanese computers. The plot is minimal, involving your soldier penetrating a fictional country to overthrow its evil dictator before he can invade other nations.
4
5	In terms of gameplay, ''Twin Cobra'' is a typical VerticalScrollingShooter. Players' helicopters take off from carriers to wreak destruction on enemy helicopters, tanks, cannons, airplanes, gunboats, and so forth. Players have a choice of four primary weapons plus bombs that inflict massive damage within their wide blast radius. The primary weapon can be changed by collecting orbs that change color as they float around the screen. These weapons, and their colors, are:
6	* Red Gun: Fires bullets straight ahead.
7	* Green Storm: Fires a narrow laser of highly-concentrated damage.
8	* Blue Eye: SpreadShot that can shoot in up to five directions ahead.
9	* Yellow Cross: Fires in the four cardinal directions.
10
11	The success of ''Twin Cobra'' led to the game being ported to many platforms:
12	* [[Platform/NintendoEntertainmentSystem NES]], by Micronics (1989)
13	* [[Platform/Turbografx16 PC Engine]], by A.I. System (1989, Japan only)
14	* Platform/SegaGenesis, by GRC (1991)
15	* Platform/SharpX68000 (1993, Japan only)
16	* Platform/FMTowns (1994, Japan only)
17	* Platform/PlayStation as part of ''Toaplan Shooting Battle 1'' with ''Tiger Heli'', by Creator/{{Banpresto}} (1996, Japan only)
18	* Platform/{{iOS}} and Platform/{{Android}} as ''Twin Cobra Classic'', by MOBRIX Corporation (2019)
19	* Platform/PlayStation4 and Platform/NintendoSwitch as part of ''Toaplan Arcade Garage: Kyūkyoku Tiger Heli'' with ''Tiger Heli'', ''Guardian'', and ''VideoGame/TekiPaki'' (via a download code), as part of the ''Creator/{{M2}} [=ShotTriggers=]'' series (2021, Japan only)[[note]]Includes the Japanese and international arcade versions, a ''2P Kyūkyoku Tiger'' build which is the international build but with the ''Kyūkyoku Tiger'' logo, and the NES (JP and NA), Genesis (JP and NA), and PC Engine ports as DLC.[[/note]]
20	* Egret II Mini, by Taito (2022)
21	* Windows PC via Steam, by Bitwave Games (2023)
22	* Evercade, as part of the ''Toaplan Arcade 2'' cartridge (2023)
23
24	In 1995, one year after Toaplan closed, ''Twin Cobra II'' (''Kyūkyoku Tiger II'') was released. It was developed by ex-Toaplan employees now working for Takumi (who later produced ''VideoGame/GigaWing'' and ''VideoGame/MarsMatrix''). This game was ported to the Platform/SegaSaturn in 1997 as ''Kyūkyoku Tiger II Plus'', with a storyline and a few new things added in.
25	----
26	!!''Twin Cobra'' provides examples of:
27	* OneUp: There are two different systems of getting extra lives:
28	** There's the traditional [[Every10000Points "every whatever amount of points"]] system.
29	** One that isn't explained in-game (but is in an optional ''Kyūkyoku Tiger Heli'' gadget): As you destroy enemies within a stage, a kill counter for the stage goes up and when it reaches a hidden threshold, a 1-up token will spawn in a certain location on the stage. This can only be done three times per playthrough. [[UnstableEquilibrium Getting hit resets the kill counter for the stage back to zero.]]
30	* AntiFrustrationFeatures: The 2023 Windows PC port by Bitwave features a number of assist features to help players with the game's NintendoHard difficulty. Turbo-fire is among these features, but using it will not force a score from the "Single Credit" leaderboards to the "Assist" leaderboards, so that players do not have to engage in potentially-harmful ButtonMashing to compete on the Single Credit leaderboards.
31	* AntiGrinding: The ''Kyūkoku Tiger Heli'' version's FinalBoss now has a 90-second time limit (when previously it did not have any time limit)to [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCEbHGtWNUA milk points infinitely with no further effort]] beyond continuously tapping the fire button (or holding it down with an autofire function).
32	* ArrangeMode: The Windows PC version has a "widescreen" mode that displays the entire width of the playfield at once (as opposed to the screen wobbling left and right as the player moves in those directoins). While this improves visibility for the player, it can also put the player at a disadvantage as enemies that would be offscreen, and thus unable to fire, if playing in non-widescreen mode can now attack the player.
33	* BossWarningSiren: In the ''Kyukyoku Tiger Heli'' rerelease, boss fights are signified by the Enemy Alert gadget flashing "DANGER" for the left, right, and top sides.
34	* ColorCodedMultiplayer: The cooperative 2-player mode of ''Twin Cobra'' gives the first player a red helicopter and the second player a {{Palette Swap}}ped blue helicopter.
35	* CoOpMultiplayer: ''Twin Cobra'' features co-op 2-player mode, as opposed to the Japanese version which features taking-turns multiplayer.
36	* CoresAndTurretsBoss: The Stage 5 and 10 bosses.
37	* DifficultyByRegion: The Japanese version forces the player back to a CheckPoint upon dying and gives the player's chopper slightly reduced movement speed, however you can have four shots on-screen at once instead of three. However the console versions are based on the Japanese arcade version, even the ones released overseas.
38	* DualBoss: Most boss fights are two at a time, with the only exceptions being the bosses of stage 1, 2, and 5.
39	* EndlessGame: The arcade version loops after level 10. Averted in the Super Easy Mode found on ''Kyūkoku Tiger Heli'', where the game does end after the 10th stage.
40	* Every10000Points: The exact number of points required for an extend depends on the difficulty setting.
41	* ExcusePlot: As typical for the era.
42	* GameBreakingBug: The 2023 Windows PC version of the game has a widescreen mode that lets you see the entire width of the playfield at once. Unfortunately, after the player's first life is lost, the player cannot move all the way to the left of the screen, with an invisible wall halfway between the center and the left side of the screen blocking the way. In addition to not being able to utilize the entire play area, the player can end up being cornered unexpectedly.
43	* HardModeFiller: Stages 6 through 10 are the same as 1 through 5 with different, much harder enemies and bosses and the level tiles shifted over to the left.
44	* NintendoHard:
45	** The game is very, very unforgiving, with plenty of enemies that love to snipe you with fast, precisely-aimed bullets. The original Japanese version is especially brutal, as getting killed sends you back to a {{checkpoint}}, and you can get stuck at the same checkpoint for many continues in a row if you can't learn quickly.
46	** The Sega Genesis version is infamous for not only retaining the Japanese arcade version's brutal difficulty and checkpoint system (even in the North American version; non-Japanese builds of the arcade version don't have the checkpoints), but [[ScreenCrunch cropping the playing field so that you have less room to dodge]], making it one of the hardest shmups on the system.
47	* ScreenCrunch: Most home versions of the game blow up the sizes of the graphics in order to accomodate horizontally-oriented screens, but unfortunately reduce the vertical height of the playfield, making it much harder to perform forward or backward dodges. This trope along with the Genesis version being otherwise faithful to the arcade version is why that version in particular is one of the most NintendoHard shmups on the system.
48	* SpreadShot: The blue weapon shoots in a 3-way spread when upgraded, and later 5-way.
49	* TankGoodness: Tanks are one of the most common enemy types you will face. They have a nasty tendency of sniping you while you're busy with other threats.
50	* TimeLimitBoss: The ''Kyūkoku Tiger Heli'' revision of the arcade version introduces time limits to boss fights to [[AntiGrinding prevent]] players from milking their [[FlunkyBoss flunkies]] infinitely.
51	* ViolationOfCommonSense: In the [[EasierThanEasy Super Easy]] variant on ''Kyūkoku Tiger Heli'', the game ends after stage 10 instead of [[EndlessGame looping infinitely]]. Score-minded players thus have to intentionally die, go back to checkpoints, and repeat sections in order to get the best scores as a result.
52	----
53	!!''Twin Cobra II'' provides examples of:
54	* ArrangeMode: The Saturn port has an arrange which features a new soundtrack, new enemy color palettes, an added final level with new enemies and boss, and cutscenes between levels.
55	* BottomlessMagazines: Your regular weapon.
56	* ButtonMashing: All of the weapons have automatic fire when the fire button is held down, but mashing the fire button while using the Red Fang or Blue Masher will increase their power.
57	* ChainLightning: Player 2's green weapon, the Binchou Laser. Any enemy that got close to the laser would be fried by a lightning bolt emitted from it.
58	* CognizantLimbs: Most bosses have many different parts for the player to target and destroy.
59	* ContinuingIsPainful: Dying resets your bomb stock to three normal bombs, and powers your weapon down to the minimum level.
60	* CoolAirship: The first boss. Once you destroy its connecting sections, it splits apart into a DualBoss.
61	* CoresAndTurretsBoss: You fight two of them as {{Mini Boss}}es in the final level. The FinalBoss is also one.
62	* DivergentCharacterEvolution: Player 1 and Player 2 actually look different (not just being a PaletteSwap). Their green weapon also differs- the blue heli (player 1) gets the [[MacrossMissileMassacre Thunder Claw]], the red heli (Player 2) gets the [[ShockAndAwe Binchou Laser]].
63	* DoNotTouchTheFunnelCloud: The stage 4 Mini Boss (two wind-generating machines) will spawn tornadoes, which do not suck in the players. If the player touches the tornadoes, they will spin around wildly and cannot attack.
64	* DualBoss: The first boss. Once you destroy its connectors, they will separate and attack individually.
65	* TheGoomba: Enemy helicopters fit this role. They shots get very fast later on though, so take them out quickly!
66	* LawOfChromaticSuperiority: Most {{Mini Boss}}es and some bosses are pinkish-red in colour. There are also red versions of the regular helicopters- these have more health. fire out {{spreadshot}}s, and drop stars when defeated.
67	* MacrossMissileMassacre: Thunder Claw, the green weapon for Player 1. Normally, it would fire out a SpreadShot of missiles with a lock-on missile in the middle. If the lock-on missile hit an enemy, the missiles would all home in on that one.
68	** The first, second and fourth boss love doing this to you.
69	* MoreDakka: The Red Fang weapon that you have. Some enemies also use a rapid spray of shots on the character.
70	* OutrunTheFireball: How you escape the enemy's base when it blows up. You fly upwards, out of a volcano vent that "erupts".
71	* PinkGirlBlueBoy: Player 1's helicopter is blue and is piloted by a male, Player 2's helicopter is red and is piloted by a female.
72	* RewardingVandalism: Destroying crates and stuff get you stars which you can pick up for points.
73	* {{Roboteching}}: Stage 4's {{Mini Boss}}es are two tornado-generating machines.
74	* ShockAndAwe: Player 2's green weapon shoots out an electrified laser that shocks all nearby enemies.
75	* SmartBomb: Two kinds, a regular one, and a "powerful" one. If you have five Smart Bombs and obtain an extra one, it makes one of your regular bombs into a "powerful" one that hits for a bigger radius, lasts longer and does a lot more damage.
76	* SpreadShot: Lots abound. The blue weapon (Blue Smasher) used by the players, Player 1's Thunder Claw combines this with MacrossMissileMassacre. The enemies have too many to count.
77	* TooDumbToLive: The rapid-fire tanks in Stage 5. They will happily attempt to move onto a bridge between two cliffs... [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUgww4ZtnCU#t=01m26s even when that bridge is destroyed]]. Heck, you'll even see one [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auYhy3cVnJk#t=05m00s move off the cliff]]!
78	* WaveMotionGun: Used by the fifth boss when he's [[DesperationAttack on his last legs]].
79	* WolfpackBoss: Stage 3's boss, four moving turrets on train tracks. They spew out 8-way bullets (and a [[SpreadShot spray burst]] on low health), which can make it painful to avoid all four of them at one go.

Context VideoGame / TwinCobra