Salamander, the Video Game by Konami

Type of the machine : Video Game
Salamander © 1986 Konami.

Salamander is a 1 or 2 player sequel to 1985's superb shoot-em-up, "Nemesis". While it retained the same basic gameplay and feel of its predecessor (particularly the superb and innovative weapons system), Salamander featured both superior graphics and a more imaginative approach to level design. The earliest example of the latter appears towards the end of the very first level, in which imposing, organic obstructions grow before the players' eyes. The game's third level - the infamous 'lava' level - is another good example of Salamander's superb design; with huge solar flares constantly erupting both above and below the player's ship that must be carefully navigated to avoid instant loss of life. Salamander introduced further variety to the action with the introduction vertically-scrolling levels, which alternated with the standard side-scrolling levels.

Salamander's weapon power-up system is as follows :
* SPEED UP : Five speed levels.
* MISSILE : Press missile button to launch.
* LASER : Your forward rockets turn into deadly lasers.
* RIPPLE LASER : Use shoot button to fire.
* FORCE FIELD : Protect your ship with barriers.
* MULTIPLE : Increase your fire power by up to four times.

Multiple special powers can be obtained, but the LASER cannot be used in conjunction with the RIPPLE Laser.

Game ID : GX587

Main CPU : 68000
Sound CPU : Z80
Sound Chips : VLM5030, K007232, YM2151

Screen orientation : Horizontal
Video resolution : 256 x 224 pixels
Screen refresh : 60.61 Hz
Palette colors : 2048

Players : 2
Control : 8-way joystick
Buttons : 2

Released in July 1986.

This game is known in US as "Lifeforce", but it was re-released one year later in Japan as "Lifeforce" (June 1987).

Salamander is the game that inspired Ikeda Tsunemoto (Toaplan>Cave) to develop the 'Danmaku'; the shot patterns seen in "Donpachi" et al.

Note : The kanji on the Japanese version title screen actually reads 'Sa Ra Man Da', meaning 'Sand Gauze Wide Snake'. This is an example of 'ateji', where Japanese artists use the phonetic value of a character to fit the game's name allowing them to write the name in kanji as opposed to a kana.

The first boss in Salamander appears as BRAIN GOLEM in "Kyukyoku Sentai Dadandarn".

Apollon Music released a limited-edition soundtrack album for this game (Original Sound of Salamander - BY-5020) on 16/12/1986.
King Records released a limited-edition soundtrack album for this game (Salamander - Again : Konami Kukeiha Club - KICA-7601) on 25/05/1992.
Sony Music Entertainment released a limited-edition soundtrack album for this game (Salamander Arcade Soundtrack - KOLA-030) on 09/04/2003.

The story between the different versions of Salamander differs. While the story in the arcade original is not entirely clear, the NES version claims a large creature named Zelos (possibly the serpent often pictured on the game's cover art) is preparing to swallow your planet whole, and you must stop it from the inside out. The US arcade follows primarily the same story. the Japanese LifeForce may have a more surgery-related story, involving the removal of an unwanted virus or microbe from the body. The MSX version of Salamander differs the most from any of these. Basically, a prophecy from long ago comes true when an army attacks Latis and it's surrounding planets. They have created a barrier around Latis, and the only way to undo it is by activating a 'crush below' system created by ancient Latisians.

Salamander, the original Japanese release, was originally a spin-off of "Gradius", but with a simplified power-up system and overhead stages.

Lifeforce, the US release, is just like the Japanese original only with slightly different color palettes.

Lifeforce, the Japanese re-release, has more organic looking graphics and adopts the "Gradius" power-up system.

* Bypass the mini-boss in stage 6 : In stage 6 (Zelos's fortress if you're playing Salamander or the brain area if you're playing Life Force), there is a mini-boss section consisting of multiple boss ships that fire sets of 4 lasers. Move your ship all the way to the top of the screen and you will be safe until this section ends. This glitch does not work in the Japanese re-release version of the game (the one with a purple background in attract mode).

1. Gradius (1985)
2. Salamander (1986)
3. Gradius 2 (1987, MSX)
4. Gradius II - Gofer no Yabou (1988)
5. Nemesis 3 - The Eve of Destruction (1988, MSX)
6. Gradius III - Densetsu Kara Shinwa-e (1989)
7. Nemesis '90 Kai (1993, Sharp X68000)
8. Salamander 2 (1996)
9. Solar Assault - Gradius (1997)
10. Solar Assault - Revised (1997)
11. Gradius Gaiden (1997, Sony PlayStation)
12. Gradius IV - Fukkatsu (1999)
13. Gradius Generation (2001, Nintendo Game Boy Advance)
14. Gradius V (2004, Sony PlayStation 2)
15. Gradius Neo (2004, NTT DoCoMo i-mode Phones)
16. Gradius Neo Imperial (2005, NTT DoCoMo i-mode Phones)
17. Gradius Wide (2007, NTT DoCoMo i-mode Phones)
18. Gradius Rebirth (2008, Nintendo Wii)

Game programmers : Hiroyasu Machiguchi, Mitsuo Takemoto, Toshiaki Takahori, Ikuko Minowa
Video graphics designers : Jun Sakurai, Miki Yoshikata, Ikuko Bando
Sound editors : Yoshiaki Hatano, Miki Higashino
Engineer : Yasushi Furukawa

Consoles :

Nintendo Famicom (1987)
NEC PC-Engine (1991)
Sony PlayStation (1997)
Sega Saturn (1997, "Salamander Deluxe pack Plus")
Sony PSP (2007, "Salamander Portable")

Computers :

Sharp X68000 (1986)
MSX (1987)
Commodore C64 (1988)
Sinclair ZX Spectrum (1988)
Amstrad CPC (1988)

Game's rom.
Machine's picture.