Armed Police Batrider (U.S.A.) (Fri Feb 13 1998)

Before starting, press Start to enter the game. On the character select screen, you can choose up to three pilots and their Batriders from a roster of nine standard characters. Use the D-Pad to highlight a character and press the A button (X key) to add them to your team. You can also unlock nine additional characters from Battle Garegga and Mahou Daisakusen by inputting specific codes or meeting conditions, but for a first playthrough just pick any three. The game will then proceed into the first stage.

The core loop involves flying upwards through vertically scrolling levels, shooting down enemy craft and dodging dense bullet patterns. Your ship has a main shot and a bomb attack (usually mapped to the B button or a shoulder button). Collecting medals and power-ups increases your firepower and affects the game's dynamic rank system, which adjusts difficulty based on performance. Keep an eye on your team's health bar - each pilot has their own life stock, and losing all three results in a game over. The A button (X key) fires your main weapon, the S button (B key) uses a bomb, and the D-Pad moves your ship. Experiment with different character combinations to find a balanced team.