Home /
Sega Genesis

Rent a Hero

Sega Genesis

Sega Genesis

Tarō Yamada is an average young man who lives in the suburbs with his parents, until one day a strange package containing a superhero costume is delivered to his house by mistake. He puts the costume on to entertain some guests, but soon discovers that it really does give him superpowers when he ...

Download

0/5 Votes: 0

Report

Developer
Sega Enterprises

Released on
1991

Size
1 Player

Version
Sega Genesis

Requirements
Sega Genesis

Downloads
Action

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

Report this app

Images

Description

Tarō Yamada is an average young man who lives in the suburbs with his parents, until one day a strange package containing a superhero costume is delivered to his house by mistake. He puts the costume on to entertain some guests, but soon discovers that it really does give him superpowers when he accidentally sends his father flying through a wall.

The suit turns out to be the Rent A Hero Combat Armor, which is designed to allow anyone to become a hero! He’s allowed to keep it, but there’s just one catch: He has to pay the rental fees. Of course SECA, the company that makes the armor, also provides jobs to their renters, and they pay well if you’re good enough.

Rent A Hero is an action RPG where the player must make a living as a part-time hero by taking odd jobs. While these jobs start simple, such as delivering items and running errands, they eventually involve taking on gangs, corrupt businesses, and a city-wide conspiracy.

The player explores Aero City like a traditional top-down RPG, filled with shops, houses, and people to talk to. However, battles take place as side-view action sequences. When the player has the Combat Armor equipped, its power drains until eventually it is disabled, but it can be recharged by purchasing fresh batteries from a convenience store.

Rent a Hero

Overview & History

Developed by Sega and released exclusively in Japan for the Mega Drive in 1991, Rent a Hero is a delightfully eccentric action-RPG that brilliantly parodies the superhero genre against the backdrop of late-bubble-era suburban Japan. The storyline follows Taro, an ordinary high school student whose family relocates to the quiet, fictional town of Corone. Desperate to purchase the newly released mega-hit video game Denpa Boy, Taro unwittingly uses his father's company credit card to order a high-tech combat suit disguised as an appliance delivery. This financial blunder forces him to found 'Rent-a-Hero', a local odd-jobs business where he must fight everyday crime, rescue lost pets, and deliver ramen to pay off his staggering parental debt. Though it never received an official Western release at the time, its cult status eventually inspired a Sega Dreamcast sequel and a beloved Xbox remake.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Unlike standard top-down RPGs of its era, Rent a Hero combines beat-'em-up side-scrolling combat with open-world neighborhood exploration. Taro relies on a unique 'Battery-Powered' life bar; operating his high-tech suit drains power rapidly, requiring him to recharge at public payphones or vending machines using hard-earned cash. Combat heavily mirrors arcade brawlers, featuring rapid punch-kick combos, charging attacks, and devastating special moves unlocked by acquiring 'Hero Chips' scattered throughout Corone. Progression is driven by answering pages on Taro's communicator watch, balancing mundane neighborhood chores with intense boss battles against rival vigilantes and criminal syndicates.