Eliminate Down is a scrolling shooter video game developed by Aprinet and published by Soft Vision International for the Sega Mega Drive. This game was released only in Japan on June 25, 1993, and in South Korea published by Samsung later that year.
I forgot to review some other great Sega Genesis/Mega Drive games and this is one of them.
In the early 1990s, there was fierce competition among arcade shoot 'em ups, with big names like Masaya Games, Konami, Capcom, Toaplan, Renovation, and SEGA dominating the scene. Aprinet and Soft Vision took a big risk releasing their game, Eliminate Down, in 1993, especially since Soft Vision was mainly known for golf games. As a result, the game went largely unnoticed outside of hardcore video game collectors. However, in the 2010s, the game saw a resurgence in popularity as rare game hunting became a hobby, making it one of the most expensive original releases to own.
The Story
As the 30th century dawns, humanity begins its space exploration era. Suddenly, an alien race called the Amuleto emerges from a space distortion and heads toward Earth with hostile intentions, destroying human probes and expanding their fleet. Humanity's best defense against the invaders is the Steel Pylon, a versatile space fighter equipped for various combat scenarios and warp drive travel.
The Graphics and Sound
The graphics in Eliminate Down are truly impressive. At first glance, it may seem like a typical 16-bit shooter, but even by those standards, it's exceptional, with large, colorful sprites. There are rotation effects, which are rare on the Genesis, and some 3D designs, like the first boss's drones that move in and out of the foreground. The larger bosses are made up of many smaller sprites for smoother animation. While some designs might remind you of other shooters, the game manages to stand out thanks to the talent of its artists and designers. It might not be the most innovative game, but it's so well-crafted that it doesn't really matter.
The music is perfect for fans of FM synthesis. It's mostly fast and intense rock, with slower, creepier tracks playing during some boss segments. Although the loud, synth-heavy sound effects can sometimes overpower the music, the soundtrack is generally fitting and enhances the game's atmosphere.
The Gameplay
You pilot a space fighter ship equipped with three different shot patterns. The first pattern is the most useful, dealing damage to enemies directly in front of you. The second pattern is angled, hitting targets above or below your ship. The third pattern fires behind you, useful for dealing with enemies that approach from the rear. You can switch between these patterns on the fly using the face buttons.
One unique feature of the game is the ability to adjust your ship's speed on the pause screen. This starts at a basic average speed and can be changed at any time, eliminating the need for speed power-ups. However, there are P power-ups that upgrade your current shot and also enhance the other shots when you switch to them. If you die, you lose your upgraded shot but retain the count of collected P power-ups, allowing you to quickly regain your powerful shots.
You have a limited number of continues if you lose all your lives. The game shows 7 credits, but it seems like there are actually 8 because it counts 5 lives in the in-game HUD when the config menu shows 4 lives. Dying sends you back to the beginning of the stage, even if you were at the boss, and it's a one-hit death.
The game's backgrounds are impressive, with realistic perspectives and vibrant colors. The planet surface in stage 1 looks particularly professional. However, the boss explosions have a flaw where their sprite backgrounds turn black, standing out awkwardly against the stage backgrounds. The game can be challenging on normal difficulty, especially if you don't know the boss patterns or lose your power-ups.
There are three difficulty levels: easy, normal, and hard, with normal being the default. You start with 5 lives, and while you can't increase this number, you can lower it for an extra challenge. The config menu allows you to change the button arrangement, turn off the default rapid fire, listen to a sound test, and play a mini-game. The mini-game is a timed light gun segment where you hit moving panels.
The stages are of medium length and the replay value is decent.
My Verdict
I enjoyed playing Eliminate Down, but it feels a bit too similar to other space shooter games from that era, which slightly tempers my enthusiasm. Despite this, I still consider it a great game overall.
Play it on the highly valuable Sega Genesis/Mega Drive or play it on a beloved emulator.
Let's keep on gaming in the free world!
