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Section Z
Developer(s)	Capcom
Platform(s)	Arcade, Nintendo Entertainment System, Family Computer Disk System
Release date(s)	Arcade December 1985 Nintendo Entertainment System JP May 25, 1987 NA July 1987
Genre(s)	Shoot-'em-up
Mode(s)	Single-player (2-player alternating)

Section Z is a side-view shoot-'em-up by Capcom originally released as a coin-operated video game in 1985. A home version was released for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1987. The original coin-op game is included in Capcom Classics Collection Vol. 1 for PlayStation 2 and Xbox.

Plot

Set in an unspecified year during the third millennium, the player takes the role of an astronaut sent to infiltrate and destroy a space station orbiting near the Earth that is actually the secret base of an alien empire known as the "Balangool".^[1][2]

Arcade version

The player maneuvers the space ranger throughout the enemy space station, which consists of 26 alphabetically ordered corridor known as "sections", starting from Section A and ending at the titular Section Z. The game is divided into five stages, each consisting of five sections (with the final stage having six sections to accommodate the spare letter). The player will fight an enemy boss at the end of each stage, concluding with the final battle against the "L Brain" at Section Z. The game's stages alternates between horizontal-scrolling stage (left or right) and upwards vertical-scrolling stages. The player will lose a life every time they get hit by enemy fire. Additional lives can be obtained if the player achieves a high enough score. The game will be over if the player loses all of their lives, although a chance to continue will be provided.

The controls consists of an eight-way joystick and two buttons, one for shooting and the other for changing the character's aim to the left or right. This allows the player to shoot at one direction while moving away towards the opposite. The player will shoot their rifle towards the left or the right with the fire button, while dropping bombs at the same time to the ground. By destroying certain dome-shaped containers, the player can obtain one of three power-up items represented by letters: S, P, and B. S increases the player's mobility speed, while P increases their firing power; each can improved for up to three increments. However, these power-ups will be lost whenever the player loses a life. The B item will simply give the player bonus points.^[1]

NES version

A console version of Section Z was released for the Nintendo Entertainment System in North America and Europe in 1987. The gameplay was altered for the NES port, particularly in its level design and game controls.

The NES version features three stages, each comprised of 20 sections (for a total of 60 sections), which are full-fledge levels in this version, although not all sections are needed to visited to complete the game. In contrast to the alphabetical sections in the arcade version, the sections in the NES version are numbered instead. The first stage begins at Section 00, which is the outer perimeter of the space station and then proceeds to enter Section 01, the first actual corridor of the base. At the end of most sections, the player will choose to enter one of two transporters, each taking player to a different section of the base. Some transporters will take the player to a previous section while others cannot be opened until the player has fulfilled a certain condition and will the player if they try to enter. The objective of each stage is to destroy the two power generators located at different sections of each stage in order to open the path to the final section of each stage (Sections 19, 39, and 59 in that order) and face the boss.^[3]

Instead of using one button to fire and the other to turn around, the player now uses one button to fire at one direction and the other to fire at the opposite.^[4] The player starts with a standard-issue laser rifle and can upgrade their weapon into a Flash Buster (which fires medium-range bullets at three directions) or a Megasmasher (which fires wider v-shaped laser beams). Either weapon can be upgraded into the Mega Buster, which provides both, wider-long range shots at three directions. The player can also obtain a Barrier Shield that will protect the player character for 32 shots.^[5]

The player also has a numeral indicator which represents their remaining energy, which will gradually be depleted when the player takes damage from enemy bullets or when the player loses a life by touching an enemy. However the player can still continue at the beginning of their current section, even if they lose all of their lives, as long as they still have energy left. When all energy is lost, the player is sent the start of the stage with full energy to start all over. The maximum energy can be increased by destroying the power generators in each stage. The player can also summon as a special transmission shell by pressing both button simultaneously. These includes a Mega Missile, a Flash Ball, and a Crush Ball.^[6] Picking these shells and using them will cost the player four energy points.^[4]

The Famicom version in Japan was released in "disk card" format for the Family Computer Disk System add-on. In contrast to its NES counterpart, which the make player complete the game in one sitting, the Disk System allowed player to save their progress in one of three save files. After a game over, the player can quit the game and resume where they left off by loading the save file. The English localization of the game's manual identifies the main character as "Captain Commando", a fictional spokesman for Capcom USA who later starred in his own video game.^[7]

References

External links

• Section Z at the Killer List of Videogames
• Section Z guide at StrategyWiki
• Section Z (NES) guide at StrategyWiki
• Section Z at MobyGames

From StrategyWiki, the free strategy guide and walkthrough wiki

Section Z
Developer(s)	Capcom
Publisher(s)	Capcom
Japanese title	セクションZ
Release date(s)	Arcade  1985
Genre(s)	Shooter
System(s)	Arcade
Players	1-2

For the NES version, see Section Z (NES).

Section Z is a side-scrolling shooter produced by Capcom that was originally released in 1985 as an arcade game. As a sole astronaut, you must penetrate the alien Balangool space craft and destroy the evil "L-Brain". Make your way through 26 alphabet-labeled levels to find his lair. Every few sections (stages), the direction of the game's scrolling changes, from left-to-right, to bottom-to-top, to right-to-left, etc. One section features a pinball machine in which you must avoid the multiple flying pinballs.

The only contemporary home conversion of this game was developed for the Family Computer Disk System in Japan and the Nintendo Entertainment System in North America, and was released in 1987. It is considerably different from the arcade release, and therefore has its own guide.

Alternate promotional flyer

Title screen

Story

In the year 2XXX, the "Balangool" Empire rampages through space at will and invades one planet after another. The evil hands are finally reaching towards the planet earth. You are a lonely astronaut in space. You must penetrate the enemy base which is divided into sections from A to Z and must destroy the "L-Brain" in the final target section Z. Urgent order!! Destroy the secret base of the Balangool empire! Can you carry out this vital mission?

Table of Contents

From Wikia Gaming, your source for walkthroughs, games, guides, and more!

Section Z
Developer(s)	Capcom
Publisher(s)	Capcom
Release date	1985 NES July 1, 1987 (NA) May 25, 1987 (JP)
Genre	Side scroller
Mode(s)	Single player, Two player
Age rating(s)	N/A
Platform(s)	NES, Arcade
Credits | Soundtrack | Codes | Walkthrough

Section Z is a 2D side-scrolling shooter arcade video game developed by Capcom and released in 1985. The more well known NES version (starring "Captain Commando") was later released in the United States on July 1, 1987 and for the Famicom Disk System in Japan on May 25, 1987. The game (especially the NES version) has been compared to Gradius (released the same year as the arcade version), and Abadox.

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