Super Raiden (PC Engine/TurboGrafx-CD) Playthrough

Released exclusively in Japan on April 2, 1992, Super Raiden is an enhanced CD-ROM conversion of Seibu Kaihatsu's influential 1990 arcade shoot 'em up. Published by Hudson Soft for the PC Engine Super CD-ROM², it builds upon the 1991 HuCard release with two exclusive stages, a rearranged CD-quality soundtrack, and several refinements to the original experience. Although the improvements are relatively modest, they make this one of the most enjoyable home versions of the original Raiden. Rating: 8.5/10 The gameplay remains faithful to the arcade classic, placing players in control of the Raiden fighter against waves of enemy aircraft, tanks, ground installations, and enormous mechanical bosses. The action unfolds across ten vertically scrolling stages, beginning with military landscapes before progressing into increasingly hostile and futuristic environments. Enemy placement rewards players who learn attack patterns and eliminate dangerous targets before they can fire. The weapon system is straightforward but satisfying. Red power-ups strengthen the Vulcan cannon, producing an increasingly wide spread of bullets, while blue power-ups enhance the concentrated laser, delivering tremendous damage directly ahead. Additional upgrades provide straight-firing missiles or homing projectiles, while bombs offer devastating area attacks. Choosing the appropriate weapon combination is essential, particularly against bosses and heavily defended sections. Super Raiden's most substantial addition is its two exclusive stages, extending the original eight-stage campaign to ten. The ninth stage introduces flooded environments, while the final stage delivers an exceptionally demanding confrontation with powerful enemies and a formidable final boss. Both additions fit naturally into the original game's progression, offering experienced players worthwhile new challenges rather than simply recycling existing material. The original eight stages are somewhat more forgiving than their HuCard counterparts, featuring fewer or slower enemy bullets in certain sections. However, the additional stages compensate with significantly more aggressive attack patterns. The fixed movement speed and checkpoint-based respawning system remain unforgiving, especially when losing a fully upgraded ship leaves players struggling to recover against overwhelming opposition. Visually, Super Raiden is largely unchanged from the HuCard release. Detailed military vehicles, recognizable enemy designs, and satisfying explosions preserve the arcade game's atmosphere, but occasional sprite flickering and relatively subdued backgrounds reveal the limitations of the conversion. The vertically oriented arcade playfield has also been adapted to a conventional television display. The soundtrack represents a major improvement. The arranged CD audio transforms the original compositions into energetic synth-rock tracks with powerful percussion, electric guitar, and memorable melodies. The music adds considerable excitement to the action and is arguably the strongest reason to experience this particular version. The absence of simultaneous two-player cooperation is disappointing, especially considering its importance to the arcade original. Combined with the punishing difficulty, slow recovery after death, and limited graphical improvements, this prevents Super Raiden from becoming an entirely definitive conversion. Nevertheless, Super Raiden remains an excellent traditional shoot 'em up. Its satisfying weapon mechanics, carefully constructed stages, outstanding soundtrack, and substantial additional content make it a compelling upgrade over the HuCard edition. While demanding and occasionally frustrating, it captures the addictive intensity that made Raiden an arcade classic and stands among the strongest early CD-based shooters on the PC Engine.