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Japan

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Black Heart

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About Black Heart

Arcade
Shooter
5· 0 votes

Black Heart is a 1991 horizontally scrolling shooter developed by NMK and published by UPL for arcade machines. It saw release only in Japan back in May of 1991. This game belongs to the classic shoot-'em-up genre, common in arcades of the late 80s and early 90s. NMK was known for their competent shooters, and Black Heart fits into that tradition. In Black Heart, you pilot a small ship through side-scrolling stages, blasting enemy ships and obstacles while dodging incoming fire. The game follows a straightforward shoot-'em-up formula: destroy waves of enemies, collect power-ups to upgrade your weapon, and survive until the end of each stage. A boss fight awaits at the conclusion of every level. The difficulty ramps up steadily, requiring quick reflexes and pattern memorization. Today, Black Heart is a neat find for fans of retro shooters. Its Japanese-only arcade release made it obscure, but the later Arcade Archives port brought it to a wider audience. Compared to contemporaries like R-Type or Gradius, Black Heart doesn't break new ground, but it's a solid, well-made shooter that captures the feel of the arcade era. If you enjoy straightforward horizontal shooters with no frills, it's worth a few credits.

GAME INFO

Platform: Arcade
Genre: Shooter
Publisher: UPL
Developer: NMK
Released: 1991
Region: Japan

How to play Black Heart online

To start playing Black Heart, first insert a coin by pressing the Select key (V) or the appropriate key mapped to coin insertion in your emulator. Then press Start (Enter) to begin. The game's menus are in Japanese, but the title screen usually presents a straightforward choice: press start to play. The core gameplay loop involves moving your ship horizontally across scrolling levels, shooting enemy waves and collecting power-ups dropped by destroyed foes. Pay attention to the weapon icons - they typically upgrade your firepower or give you temporary shields. Each stage ends with a boss fight that requires pattern recognition. If you lose all your lives, you can continue by inserting more coins, but you'll restart from the beginning of the current stage or a checkpoint.

CONTROLS

Controls

Arrow Keys: Joystick / Movement
X: Button 1
S: Button 2
Z: Button 3
A: Button 4
Q: Button 5
E: Button 6
Enter: Start / 1P
V: Coin / Insert

Black Heart FAQ

Which regions was Black Heart released in?

Black Heart originally launched only in Japanese arcades in 1991. The game did not leave Japan until Hamster Corporation brought it worldwide via the Arcade Archives series in 2021.

Is Black Heart exclusive to Arcade or did it appear on other systems?

Black Heart was exclusive to arcade machines for decades. It finally received a home port as part of the Arcade Archives collection on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 in November 2021.

What type of game is Black Heart?

Black Heart is a horizontally scrolling shooter, commonly called a "horizontal shoot 'em up." Players control a ship and must shoot down enemy waves while avoiding obstacles and bullets.

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