Final Soldier (Japan)

Getting Started: When you start Final Soldier, you'll see a title screen with Japanese text - press Start to skip to the ship selection. Pick one of the four ships, each with a different primary weapon (such as a spread shot or a laser). The core loop is straightforward: you control a spacecraft flying upward, enemies approach from the top and sides, and you shoot them down while dodging their fire. Power-ups appear as floating icons: collect them to upgrade your weapon or gain a shield. The game scrolls automatically through several stages, each ending with a boss fight. Menus are in Japanese, but the options are standard: a mode select (likely Normal or Arrange) and a difficulty setting. Even without reading kanji, you can experiment - the game immediately reacts to button presses. If you get hit, you lose your current weapon level, so it pays to memorize attack patterns and power-up positions.