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Raiden Trad

Sega Genesis

Sega Genesis

In the year 2090, Earth is invaded by extra-terrestrials. The World Alliance of Nations has developed a supersonic attack fighter, Raiden, to defend the Earth. A pilot must take control of the experimental fighter to destroy the alien warships that just happen to look like odd variations of typic...

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Developer
Micronet

Released on
1991

Size
1 Player

Version
Sega Genesis

Requirements
Sega Genesis

Downloads
Shooter

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

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Description

In the year 2090, Earth is invaded by extra-terrestrials. The World Alliance of Nations has developed a supersonic attack fighter, Raiden, to defend the Earth. A pilot must take control of the experimental fighter to destroy the alien warships that just happen to look like odd variations of typical military tanks and planes with gadgets attached to them.

Raiden Trad is an over-head vertical-scrolling shooter, based on an arcade game of the same title. It features two forms of weapon upgrades and two types of missiles (normal or homing). You start the game with several bombs which you can use to destroy most enemies on the screen to get yourself out of a jam. Each level ends with a large boss or bosses.

Raiden Trad

Overview & History

Released by Micronics and published by Electro Brain in 1991, Raiden Trad is the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive port of Seibu Kaihatsu’s iconic 1990 arcade vertical scrolling shoot 'em up, Raiden. While the original coin-op ran on custom hardware capable of vibrant, sprawling vistas, the Genesis adaptation had to navigate the system's limited color palette and hardware sprite constraints. Set in the year 2090, humanity faces an existential threat from an aggressive extraterrestrial insectoid-mechanical hybrid race known as the Cranions. Piloting the experimental supersonic attack fighter, the Fighting Thunder, players must blast through eight increasingly hostile stages spanning devastated urban landscapes, heavily fortified military installations, and alien mothercrafts. Despite suffering from noticeable graphical flickering and a compressed 4:3 display ratio that crops the original arcade's wider screen, Raiden Trad is celebrated for retaining the unforgiving difficulty curve and core tactical adrenaline of its predecessor, earning a cult following among hardcore retro shmup enthusiasts.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Raiden Trad relies on an aggressive, item-based power-up ecosystem. Players collect power crystals dropped by specific enemy formations: the Red Crystal unleashes the straight-firing Vulcan laser, which spreads out as it levels up, while the Blue Crystal deploys the homing Plasma Beam, excellent for tracking erratic targets. Defensive and offensive utility is managed through two distinct bomb types: the massive kinetic explosion of the traditional 'B' bomb that wipes out minor targets and deals heavy boss damage, and the unique 'M' missile upgrade that blankets the screen with devastating cluster warheads. Unlike later entries in the genre, there are no shields; one hit results in immediate destruction and the loss of accumulated weapon levels. The game also features a hidden point-scoring economy centered around collecting elusive micro-medals, destroying ground-based tank depots, and rescuing captive Allied ground personnel, all while dodging chaotic bullet patterns that demand pinpoint positioning and memorization of enemy spawn waves.