Truxton II

About Truxton II

Truxton II (1992) is Toaplan's vertically scrolling shooter sequel in which two HyperFighter pilots fight the resurrected Gidan army of Dogurava, its first game with PCM sound.

Truxton II in Depth

After the defeat of Dogurava and his Gidan army in the original game, volcanic eruptions on a planet culminate in an explosion that reveals Dogurava's return and the resurrection of his forces. The Gidans quickly dominate the galaxy, and the few refugees who escape bring word to the astroport, which dispatches two pilots in HyperFighter craft to overthrow them. Six stages, each ending with a boss, play much like the original, with additions such as autofire.

Three weapons are collected from destroyed carriers: red napalm bombs that resemble Robo Aleste's "Exploding Flower" shot, the blue homing laser from Truxton and spreading green shots that replace the original's red weapon, each powered up by collecting more of the same colour. Picking up any weapon also activates two satellite "options". The only other items are speed-ups and screen-clearing bombs, plus occasional 1UP icons, and, as in Dogyuun and Gun Frontier, hidden bonus secrets matter for high scores and extra lives. A downed player restarts at the last checkpoint with firepower and speed reset, and after the final stage the game loops at higher difficulty.

Making Truxton II

Toaplan developed and published it for arcades in 1992, the first time the studio made use of PCM audio. It was well received in arcades and on the FM Towns, praised for its detailed presentation, graphics and sound, though some critics found it short and a standard shoot 'em up. It has since gained a cult following.