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Armed Police Batrider

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In the year 2014, Manhattan was plagued with unprecedented levels of crime. No measure of law enforcement seemed able to combat the strife and violence, and so a desperate plan was brought forth by GiganTech Cybertronics Corporation. This plan was the artificial island Zenovia, two kilometers sou...

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Developer
Raizing

Released on
1998

Size
1–2 Players

Version
Arcade

Requirements
Arcade

Downloads
Shooter

Publisher
Eighting

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

Cooperative
Yes

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Description

In the year 2014, Manhattan was plagued with unprecedented levels of crime. No measure of law enforcement seemed able to combat the strife and violence, and so a desperate plan was brought forth by GiganTech Cybertronics Corporation. This plan was the artificial island Zenovia, two kilometers south of Manhattan, which would be patrolled by GiganTech’s own robotic creations. A rapid exodus from Manhattan to Zenovia resulted.

However, by 2019, the promise of tranquility has not been fulfilled. Even with all the expansions to Zenovia the population influx called for, it has become something of a slum, except for the massive GiganTech headquarters. There have been quarrels over whether or not Zenovia should be regarded as being the jurisdiction of the United States, or just GiganTech. Crime, amazingly, has grown even more rapidly than Manhattan ever knew—partly because the GiganTech machines have been promoting everything EXCEPT law and order. The most horrific aspect, though, is the result of an intelligence investigation from the government.

GiganTech’s own executives, both then and now, are actually among the most dangerous criminals the country has ever known. Zenovia, far from being planned as a refuge from violence, was actually a trap and a testing ground for the weapons GiganTech plans to use to become the sole power of the underworld.

Neither police nor armies are willing to commit against the mechanical forces that GiganTech commands and invade Zenovia. Therefore, nine fighters—three police, three convicts, and three psychics—have been drafted as “Zero-Cops”, riding the BatRider airbikes against the forces invading Manhattan and charging into Zenovia to take down GiganTech’s CEO and his ultimate weapon, known only as “Discharge”.

Armed Police Batrider

Overview & History

Released by Raizing (Eighting) in 1998 for the Cave 68000-based arcade hardware, Armed Police Batrider stands as a high-octane vertical-scrolling bullet-hell masterwork. Serving as a spiritual prequel to the cult classics Battle Garegga and Kingdom Grandprix, the game drops players into a gritty, diesel-punk dystopian future where a specialized elite police force battles rogue biomechanical syndicates. Unlike its predecessor's restrictive military aesthetic, Batrider injects a vibrant, neon-drenched sci-fi anime charm, complete with brilliant vehicle designs and an unforgettable soundtrack composed by Manabu Namiki. Its arcade run is legendary for introducing the innovative "Candidate" system, allowing players to draft up to three distinct fighters from a massive roster, setting a new benchmark for tactical depth in the shoot 'em up genre.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Batrider revolutionized arcade shooters by replacing traditional lives with a unique endurance system, where players collect medals to extend their operational time. The game introduces the groundbreaking formation mechanic: when playing with multiple fighters, your backup craft fly in formation, providing specialized fire patterns that can be toggled on the fly. Players can choose between "Normal" and "Advanced" control types, the latter granting precise manual control over option formations and weapon focus. Character selection is massive, featuring originals like Golden Bat and Shorty, alongside hidden homages to classic Toaplan and Raizing titles. You can even input secret cheat codes at the character select screen to pilot vehicles from Battle Garegga. The screen-filling explosions, dense bullet patterns, and risk-reward score multipliers tied to point-blank destruction make every single stage an adrenaline-fueled test of reflex and routing strategy.