Final Soldier
ファイナルソルジャー1991Final Soldier
ファイナルソルジャーPick your starting weapons and fly the Zero-type Dryad through time.
Final Soldier is a vertical shooter from Hudson's Soldier series. The player flies the Zero-type Dryad to stop Gadelel, a bio-weapon sent back from the future. The game has seven stages.
| RELEASED IN JAPAN | 5 July 1991 |
|---|---|
| DEVELOPED BY | Now Production |
| PUBLISHED IN JAPAN BY | Hudson Soft |
| SERIES | Third entry in Hudson's Soldier series |
| TIME-ATTACK MODES | Two Caravan modes, of two and five minutes |
At the start, you choose a weapon style for each main gun type. The styles are Vulcan, Laser, Fire and Energy Shot.
Coloured pickups switch the weapon during play. Picking up the same type again raises its level, up to three. A different type changes the attack without adding power.
A hit at the lowest level destroys the ship.
Missiles and options can be added as sub-weapons, and an option can be spent to clear the screen. The ship has three speed settings.
In the early 23rd century, a time rift opens over the Atlantic. Future weapons pour through it, sent back by a superpower of the 25th century. The bio-weapon Gadelel leads them.
Earth's armies cannot stop them, so scientists build the Zero-type Dryad, which can travel through time.
Now Production developed the game. Unlike Gunhed and Super Star Soldier, enemies appear by position, not by a table.
The next enemies only come once the screen has scrolled to their place. Fast clearing therefore gains no early spawns, which made the Caravan time-attack mode less dependent on pure speed.
Micom BASIC Magazine ranked it fifth in popularity in September 1991. Famitsu's cross-review gave it 28 out of 40.
A 2008 PlayStation Portable compilation, Soldier Collection, included the game. Later Wii U releases came in Japan in 2014 and North America in 2017.
The Software Bible presents it as another shooter in Hudson's Soldier series, where players can set up their starting weapons.
- The game was the seventh official Caravan tournament title in Japan.
- The character graphics moved from a metallic look to a plastic one in this game.
- The Caravan-only special version sold 20,000 copies, and only at Caravan events.
World-of-Longplays on YouTube
spida1a on YouTube