Zillion (video game)

Zillion, known as Akai Koudan Zillion (赤い光弾 ジリオン) in Japan, is a space adventure platform video game designed for the Sega Master System as a companion for the Zillion anime in 1987. The game is a free-scrolling platform/adventure in the vein of Metroid. It also has objects to be inspected and the necessity of enable things by accessing codes in vein of Impossible Mission. A sequel to the game, Zillion II: The Triformation was also released.

Zillion prominently features Sega's egg-shaped mascot, Opa-opa, who stars in the Fantasy Zone games, also available for the Sega Master System.

Story
The White Knights, a peacekeeping force within the Planetary System, are on a mission to destroy the evil Norsa Empire's base on Planet X. In order to do so, JJ, the main character from the anime, must infiltrate the base and acquire the five floppy disks that will enable him to input the self-destruct sequence into the base's mainframe computer. Mothership lands on the surface of the planet, and JJ must make his way through the labyrinthine base, fighting enemies, avoiding hazards and possibly rescuing two of his captured allies on his way to destroy the base.

Gameplay
The player starts out in the role of JJ, just outside the Mothership on the surface of the planet. After reaching the underground base shortly after beginning, the player spends the rest of the game underground, only coming back up to replenish the character's health or to leave after completing the mission.

Throughout the base, are capsules containing key codes and power-up items. Some of the obstacles of the missions include tripwires, enemy guards, laser turrets and force fields. The game style includes entering and exiting room to room in the base and unlocking each room with computer ID cards and inputting the correct four-digit code, found by investigating capsules in the room. Aside from unlocking rooms, the player has also the option to make specific actions, such as turning off barriers, deactivating traps, or even committing suicide, among others. One of the codes is needed to initiate the Norsa base self-destruct sequence. The game is well known for a variety of "special messages" that can be received if the player inputs certain codes in certain rooms.

The player carries a gun, which was used as a design model for the Sega Master System Light Phaser. As the game progresses, the gun will become stronger, allowing the player to break progressively stronger capsules containing codes for the computers or powerups. Once they are rescued, the player can also play as Apple or Champ, each one with their own differences; Apple is fast, but weaker and Champ is slower, but stronger. Like JJ, they can also find upgrades for their gun power, speed, jumping ability and health.

Glitches
A well known glitch in the game allows the player to become invincible by dying while going down in a room-to-room elevator. However, using this glitch makes the status menu inaccessible, so the player can only switch characters when a new teammate is found.

Another glitch that exists within the game is on the dead end elevator shafts. When a player hits a dead end on the shafts going up, which occurs one or two times throughout the labyrinth, the elevator stops, and the head of the character that is being played stops six inches below the ceiling of the elevator shaft. There are many, many minute notches on each side of the elevator shaft. Every time the character jumps, the elevator goes up one tiny notch, even if the elevator has gone up as high as it can go by pressing the directional button up. As the distance between the top of the shaft and the bottom of the actual elevator gets smaller and smaller (and requires sometimes close to 50 or more jumps), the character gets "smashed", but not killed. At one point, it is impossible for the character to jump any more. The elevator can be moved by pressing the directional button down, but it is obvious that jumping on the elevator until the character is "smashed" was not intended by the programmers.

There is yet another glitch in the elevator system. There is at least one spot in the game where the character can fall down an open elevator shaft and get stuck. One spot towards the last level starts when the character enters a frame where there is a corridor that ends with an elevator. The jump trick, where the elevator goes up a tiny notch every time the character jumps, can be done around ten times. This is just enough for the character to run through the gap and fall down the open elevator shaft. The character goes down about three or four frames, then stops at the bottom of a shaft from which he cannot escape. There is no way to bring the elevator down to get him/her, and the player is trapped. The only way out is to reset the game, and all data and progress to that point is lost.

Music
During the gameplay there is music from the "Akai Koudan Zillion - LET IT ROCK!" album from the anime. On exiting the ship and until JJ enters the Zillion maze, the song "Pure Stone" plays. This song also plays on the intro of the game, after the "Sega" label goes off. While being in maze the song "Break a trap for yourself" (by Yasuhiko) plays. On entering a computer this sound stops. Having won, while the titles of the staff appear, the song "Push" plays. The song "Pure Stone" plays during the beginning of the anime while the "Push" by Lisa Yuuki as well, during the ending.