Format: HuCard
Genre: Shooter
Developer: NEC Avenue
Publisher: Radiance Software

Fans of Capcom's famous Ghosts 'n Goblins series will rejoice upon seeing the art in this title, which-- despite being in an entirely different genre-- retains the ghastly and vaguely human-like stage design motifs of the aforementioned action platformer. Enemy designs are mostly robotic though, fitting with the mecha suit theme. While the game lacks some of the detail of later schmups-- after all, Hyper Dyne Side Arms hit the arcades way back in 1986-- this PC Engine port is extremely faithful, missing only a tiny amount of color fidelity.

Ghosts 'n Goblins composer Ayako Mori composed the music for the arcade version, and while the compositions themselves are very strong, it takes the PC Engine's soundchip to surface their full potential-- making this title yet another example where the move from the ubiquitous Yamaha YM family of chips benefited. And benefit Side Arms did! Galloping bass lines and up tempo rhythm riffs give this PC Engine version of the game one of the best and more hair-raising video game soundtracks this reviewer has heard in a long time. Sound effects are equally great, with tons of crystal-clear chimes complimenting some of the more usual white noise channel explosion effects.

What always made Hyper Dyne Side Arms unique was its multi-directional nature; the board scrolls every which way at various points, with enemies approaching from all directions. There are two fire buttons-- one to shoot right, the other to shoot left-- and the player is constantly switching between the two. The powerups block the player's fire, but are "rotated" between different powerups when struck, lending a huge amount of strategic "when should I grab it" moments from the player. The mecha suit upgrade, which turns it into a gundam-style destructive force, is very rewarding to use. Some of the levels use a bit too much "cheap shot" design, with enemies even falling onto the screen out of nowhere-- but all schmups have some element of memorization, and Side Arms is no different.

This PC Engine port of Side Arms is spectacular, especially when compared against the other home conversions! Versus the arcade, this port loses a little bit of color fidelity, but gains an enormous amount in the sound department. The other major loss is the two player mode, which is a real shame, especially since the PC Engine could have easily accommodated it from a technical standpoint. Nonetheless, Side Arms Hyper Dyne is a wonderful schmup with an excellent aesthetic and challenging gameplay.