Game:

Cyber Cross (1989)

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"Busou Keiji Cyber Cross" (or "Armed Police Cyber Cross") is a side-scrolling action game developed and published by Face in 1989 and it is heavily inspired by Tokusatsu programs of yore, especially "Space Sheriff Gavan" where the player controls a young police detective who fights monsters and badguys and can transform (like Retsu) into an armored super being known as Cyber Cross. The game can even be seen as a parody title as you can also transform into blue and green Cyber Cross (complete with different weaponry like Boomerangs and guns) and the game has a sing-a-long intro with text (due to system limitations) to mimic an actual Tokusatsu intro. It says (in Japanese and English with a few additional words to sound more proper in English):

ぎんがのむこうから
ぼくらのこのほしの
へいわをまもろために
せまりくろノズミー
やみのぐんだん
やつらのやばうを
うちくだくために
いくぞサイバークロス
うなれ
ひっさつスピンキック
サイバークロス
きめる
せいぎのパワーパンチ

or

"Opposite of the Milky Way"
"We of this distant star"
"Protect the peace for the sake of all"
"Nozumi begins to approach"
"The darkness of the Army Corps"
"Those guys are dangerous"
"We must crush them!"
"Let's Go Cyber Cross!"

"*Charge*"

"Finishing Move! Spin Kick!"
"Cyber Cross... decide..."
"...the justice of power punch!"

The game is a pretty standard side-scroller of the time, only about average by PC Engine standards; the visuals are adequate, the soundtrack is decent but extremely lacking in variety, and the game's approach is slightly flawed. Your goal is to defeat the various mutants and leaders of the diabolical Dr. Nozumi's army before taking down the big boss himself. To do so, you simply punch and kick your way through each level while smashing open occasional flying pods. If you can grab the contents within, you may restore or increase your health, replenish your stage time, earn bonus points, or grab one of three special power orbs which allow you to transform into different Cyber Cross. By default, they all function the same, but if you can power them up to their more powerful form by grabbing another power orb, you can gain access to their special abilities. Cyber Red has a sword which is the most powerful of the Cyber Weapons and is good for hitting jumping foes. Cyber Blue has a gun which offers the best range but lowest attack. Cyber Green has a boomerang which has more range than the sword but is weaker and also has a slower attack speed. When charged up, their weapons increase in power or efficiency.

The game's controls are a little stiff and your character moves quite slowly (especially compared to enemies), but it's relatively fair provided you are skilled enough to break open most of the pods on a level to replenish your health or gain access to your Cyber form. If you sustain too much damage, you will revert to your human form which makes the game much harder and you have little in the ways of continue options and one default life. Overall, the game is okay, but not special. A sequel was released known as "Cross Wiber: Cyber Combat Police" which has improved in some ways. This is a video of the game in action. Enjoy.

Basic Format: Turbo Chip / HuCard