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... the utlimate Namco shooter...

A mechanized planet named "Redeye" has reached the Federation of Planets and is heading towards your mother planet. Redeye must be neutralized by destroying its power source located in the center of the planet. You are a star fighter named Geosword and your mission, Operation Starblade, will be to reach Redeye and destroy the Octopus power reactor that controls the defence systems of Redeye. The mother ship is under attack and is unable to navigate. You are instructed to pursue the fighters.
Starting your mission 508 km from Redeye, the team leader will be instructing you on where you should be concentrating your fight. Flying about in space on autopilot, shooting everything in sight and trying to keep the energy shields up is what Starblade is all about. You point using the flight yoke and shoot everything in sight aiming for the red areas. Each ship or laser defence system has one or more red areas which indicate where you should shoot. Some of them will be firing back at you and you'll have to shoot them to avoid being hit.

Once you have broken through the enemy's last defenses you will descend to the planet Redeye and enter through the enemy access passages. Your shooting skills will be put to a test while you navigate through different ravines and passages avoiding the many defence systems. If you are successful, you will be given a chance to destroy the Octopus power reactor. Once destroyed, planet Redeye will crack up and disintegrate.
Receiving orders to head back to the mother ship, more enemy ships are detected and you are asked to eliminate them. You discover a battleship and must penetrate to its center to destroy a crystal like object. Once that is done, the game is almost over.

I remember became crazy the first time that I saw this game, at the annual local kermess in my small village, here in Belgium.

It was in 92 or 93, and that game was the first one to give players such great space shooter experience. The previous great shooter was Star Wars with vector graphics... but StarBlade give full solid 3D graphics at 60 frames per secs, inside an huge cockpit with total sound immersion. The seat vibrates at each enemy missile hit.

I would never have thought at that time that I was going to buy that full size arcade game twelve years later !

In april 2005 -thanks to ebay- i found a full european Starblade cockpit in france, close to the german border, not so far from my home ( 350 km ) for a decent price & very nice condition.

This is my chance, StarBlade arcade game is not common here in europe. This is the second time I see it for sale on ebay. The first time was an auction on ebay UK.

Now have a look to the 'roadtrip' done for that game.

The game is now in my house, and it's pleasure to play it time to time, the challenge is to go as far as possible with a small amount of credit (no continue is possible). Once my gaming room build, StarBlade will be one of my major games inside... a true piece of history ;-)

Picture of the game runnng

Take a ride with me on this video ( use divx 6.0 codec )

Thanks to ebay US, i've found TWO sets of StarBlade PCB in september 2005 for a very low price ( shipping cost was higher than the ending bid ).
They are actually untested. I'll try them soon, but hey, it's a couple of spares, so ...

.2 x NAMCO TSK-A 8623961703 DSP
2 x NAMCO 8623961803 OBJ (B)
2 x NAMCO 2252961301 SYS 21 PGN (C)

Download the Operators Manual :

A NEW STARBLADE GAME TO COME ?

AM Show 2001: Star Blade: Operation Blue Planet

Namco unveils an impressive new 3D polygonal shooter with an unorthadox cabinet.

TOKYO - Perhaps one of the surprises during the 39th Amusement Machine Show today was the demonstration of Star Blade: Operation Blue Planet. Namco released a 3D shooting game named Star Blade for the arcades back in 1991, and it was later ported onto the 3DO and PlayStation. The sequel couldn't have returned at a better time, as the current technology available for graphics and sound have allowed the developers to bring the experience closer to reality. The game is contained in an arcade machine in the shape of a spherical pod. At the rear of the machine is a slot where the seat slides in and out of the pod. The interior contains the control panel and a half-sphere monitor, complete with a 5.1 channel Dolby Digital audio system. Since the monitor wraps around, players will see the game as if they are looking through a fish-eye lens.

Namco provided further information during a conversation with GameSpot. "Though both machine and game were displayed at the show for demonstration purposes, we will make announcements regarding the release of the game in the future," the company representative said. "The machine will not be limited to this game, but can even be used possibly in a driving game."


                                                                 pictures from GameSpot website
The Star Blade: operation bule planet demo was certainly one of the most popular games at the show, and there was a 70-minute wait to play the game. (Article by Yukiyoshi Ike Sato -- GameSpot )

                                                     Take a ride into the ORBS cockipt to see Blue Planet on this video
                                                                                         ( use divx 6.0 codec )






                                            ( pictures from SYSTEM 16 - the arcade museumt website )

The Star Blade: operation blue planet uses Namco System 246 hardware. That game is only a prototype and it's still not released yet ( shame on Namco ! )

                                BONUS : STARBLADE & GALAXIAN3 - The OST





   &
1. Prologue to STARBLADE
2. Engage in Single Combat
3. The Theme of STARBLADE
4. Blue Fight

5. Out of the Fire
6. Before the Gate
7. Galactic Dance
8.DRAGOON
9. Big Octopus~Front of Thousand
10. Red Valley ~Point 1437
11. The Theme of Galaxian3
12. Reincarnation
13. Scenario Version 3.21
14. Scenario Version 3.01beta