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                            Armed Police BatRider
                               FAQ Version 0.97
                            (c) 2000 Steven Ives
                           [email protected]
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TABLE OF CONTENTS:
 01) Legal Crap
 02) Version History
 03) What is Armed Police Batrider?
 04) The Characters
 05) Game Play
 06) Some Tips
 07) The Pillory
 08) Shout-Outs
 09) Disclaimer

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01
LEGAL CRAP (Terms & Conditions)

This FAQ is Copyright (C) Steven Ives 2000.  All rights reserved.
 It may be posted only on the following sites:

 www.gameoverdude.com   GameoverDude.com, the author's web site.
     www.gamefaqs.com   GameFAQS
   www.gameadvice.com   Game Advice
vgstrategies.about.com   Video Games Strategies

 IF YOU SEE IT ON ANY OTHER SITE, please tell me pronto.  If you are hosting
 my FAQ, it is to be in the original unaltered plain text form- no changes,
 no deletions, and no HTMLization.  At this moment, you can check GameFAQs for
 the latest version.  Eventually, GameoverDude.com will host this FAQ when we
 get our FAQ section up.

 At this time, this FAQ is to be exclusive to the four sites listed above.

 No profit is to be made from this FAQ.  This includes but is not limited to
 magazines, commercial strategy guides, COP-DN or other for profit sites,
 selling the FAQ, or giving it as a gift.

 Plagiarism is strictly forbidden.  Permission is required for the use of
 any information found herein.  If permission is granted, then you are to give
 credit to the author.

 If the author uses any copyrighted material or receives information from
 a user of this FAQ, credit will be given in the SHOUT-OUTS section.

 Violating the terms and conditions listed herein is grounds for possible
 legal action.  Applicable copyright laws will be enforced.

 SPAM: I do not put up with any Unsolicited Commercial E-Mail (UCE).  If you
 send me any UCE, your E-Mail will be filtered and forwarded to SpamCop.
 Spamming is a good way to get yourself into some deep you-know-what.

 All right, now that this is out of the way...

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02
Version History

2000 December 7   Work is started on the FAQ for Armed Police BatRider.
                 Info on the hardware and the game design is put in.

2000 December 8   The 9 main characters are added.  The Battle Garegga and
                 presumably Mahou Daisakusen ships are in the game, but I
                 will leave this for a later revision.  The game story and
                 powerup info are added.

2000 December 11  Some stage tips added.  The FAQ is ready for first release.

2000 December 28  Arttu Ylärakkola mentions the version of BatRider that had
                 a 1997 date.  I've not yet noticed a difference between
                 the two but we'd really like to know.  Info on the High-Way
                 stage is added, and it's time for another release of the FAQ.
===============================================================================
03
What is Armed Police BatRider?

 Armed Police BatRider is a vertical-scrolling shooter from Raizing, one of
the best shmup producers who has also brought us titles like Mahou Daisakusen,
Battle Garegga, and Soukyugurentai among others.  It runs on the same hardware
as Battle Garegga, and there are some similarities in the two games.  However,
this is not the sequel to BG.  While BG uses warplanes, BatRider has a more
futuristic theme with Anime-style characters and airbikes.

 In 2014 A.D., terrorists have turned their war machines loose upon Manhattan
City.  The police force has sent three of its best, and they have help from
three Psychic warriors and three criminals.  They fly out on airbikes and other
vehicles to stop the terrorists.  GiganTech Corporation is behind the siege of
Manhattan, and they are to be stopped.  It is urgent that the boss of GiganTech
be captured.  Retake Manhattan City, and then strike out at the enemy's
hideouts- a sewer system, an airport, and high in the sky.  Take the battle to
Zenobia City, where the GiganTech Building is located.

 The hardware for this game is:

 PROCESSORS
   68000 (16 MHz) + Z80 (4 MHz)

 SOUND
   YM2151  (4 MHz) + 2 OKI6295 (24242 Hz)

 RESOLUTION
   320 x 240 (standard resolution vertical) at 60 Hz with 2,048 colors

 Game Rom Size: 162 Megabits (20.25 Megabytes)

 BatRider uses an 8-way joystick and three buttons- FIRE, BOMB, and OPTION
(OPTION is for use with the Battle Garegga planes which are somehow available-
 I've gotten one using Random Select.).

 NOTE: There are two versions of BatRider- the original one and also
       "Version B".  Arttu Ylärakkola mentioned that the original has
       a 1997 release date (Mon Dec 22, 1997 is shown during the system
       startup), yet the game is copyright 1998.  Version B has a
       release date of Fri Feb 13, 1998.
       So... there's a MAJOR question here that we need to know the
       answer to.  It is in regard to the differences between the
       original and version B.  If you have spotted a difference, then
       please let me know at [email protected].

===============================================================================
04
The Characters

 There are three different teams with three characters each.

 NOTE: Using a Bomber leaves you invincible while it is in effect.
       It additionally will destroy enemy projectiles.

POLICE TEAM

D.D.
---------------------
Machine: Flying Killer

Weapon: Wide Shot

Bomber: Hyper Gravity.  A Gravity Hole appears on screen shooting out some
destructive blasts.


Shorty
---------------------
Machine: Carry Carry (slow)

Weapon: Search Missile (it homes in on enemies)

Bomber: Lightenning Blade (sic).  This is basically a wide beam with kick.

Jyuji
---------------------
Machine: Sangerer 5280

Weapon: Satori Beam

Bomber: Burning Hou-Oh.  This sends a firebird up the screen.  It travels
somewhat slowly.  I'd like to remind you that using a Bomber leaves you
temporarily invulnerable while it is still in effect.

PSYCHIC TEAM

Maria
---------------------
Machine: Clitter IV (Fast)

Weapon: Help Pod (this pod sweeps its aim back and forth)

Bomber: Psyco Attack.  Maria sends a stream of orbs at the enemy.  The
       Psyco Attack homes in on enemies- like a super-charged version of
       "Hunter" from the Thunder Force series.


Golden
---------------------
Machine: Razer Back (sic) (Fast)

Weapon: Rapid shot.  Good rate of fire, but it is in a straight line.

Bomber: Strike Shot. Four options line up by Golden and fire away, creating
        a wide swath of death.

Strawman
---------------------
 Machine: Beyond 8570 (slow)

 Weapon: Psyco Beam.  This weapon tracks enemies somewhat.

 Bomber: Wind Slayer.  Basically it is a spread chaingun.  You can alter
         its aim by moving to the left or right.


CRIMINAL TEAM

Birthday
---------------------
 Machine: Mad Romero (Slow)

 Weapon: Spread Shot.  On impact, it creates a plasma burst.

 Bomber: Dynamic Saw. Four buzzsaws jut out from the vehicle.  Has
         short range.

Tag-T
---------------------
 Machine: Grizzly VSE

 Weapon: Homing Laser.  Perhaps this guy is a fan of RayStorm.

 Bomber: Brutal Knife.  "The Blue Pinwheel of Terror".  It has sorry range,
         and you have to run the enemies over with it.

Adam
---------------------
 Machine: V-Twin Bogiyman (sic)

 Weapon: Sharp Cutter.

 Bomber: Sonic Dagger.  Sonic booms litter the screen.


===============================================================================
05
Game Play

When you start the game, you are given these choices:

 BEGINNER- You play 3 stages at an easier difficulty.

 NORMAL-   You play 5 stages.

 ADVANCE-  You play 7 stages.  Slightly harder than the NORMAL game.

 SPECIAL-  This is a boss only course, where you remain at full power.  It
           must be unlocked.  Once a player beats the game on Advance Course,
           this is made available for all players until the machine is powered
           down.  It doesn't matter if the unlocker uses continues.

Next, you can choose one of three modes:

 Team Play- You choose either the Police, Psychic, or Criminal team.

 Team Edit- No explanation needed if you've played King of Fighters '95.
            Instead of selecting a team of three characters together, you can
            select three characters INDIVIDUALLY.  You can mix and match
            between teams.

 Roulette-  Three characters are randomly chosen for you.

The game has seven stages:

 NORMAL Course: Manhattan City, Sewer System, Zenobia Airport, Sky High, High
                Way

 ADVANCE Course: All of the NORMAL stages & Zenobia City, Building

 Here is the game progression for each mode:

      Stage 1: Manhattan City
 Stages 2,3,4: Sewer System, Zenobia Airport, Sky High (see NOTE below)
      Stage 5: High Way (NORMAL Course is over after this one)
      Stage 6: Zenobia City
      Stage 7: GiganTech Building

 BEGINNER Course is over after Stage 3.

 NOTE: If the operator has Stage Edit turned off, the order of stages 2-4 is
       random.  Otherwise, the player can select the order.

 STAGE EDIT: If it is enabled, you have three choices: Yes, No, or ???.
      Yes- If you don't like the order shown on screen for stages 2-4,
           here is where you can change it.

      No - What you see is what you get.  Accepts the order that has been
           selected by the computer already.

      ???- Lets the computer select the order of stages 2-4 in a secret,
           random order.  This is the way it is for all players if the
           Stage Edit is not enabled.


 During the game, here are the various items you'll be able to pick up:

 Bomber (small): As you collect these, bullet icons will line up by your
                 Bomber count.  Get a certain amount of them and you will
                 hear "Bomber Level Up".  That means you have accrued another
                 full Bomber attack.  If you don't have a full Bomber
                 available, you can use the partial one but it will not be
                 at its full duration.  If you have 4 full Bombers already,
                 you get 1,000 points instead.

                 Please KIM that when you're using a Bomber, you are
                 invincible until its effects wear off.

 Bomber (large): An instant Bomber Level Up.  You do not lose any small bullet
                 icons that you have built up.  Worth 5,000 if you are
                 completely full of Bombers.

 Option: A green triangle with a pod symbol in it.  The first and second ones
         will give you an option- the first one on the left, the second on
         the right.  The third and fourth ones will level up the attack power
         of your options.  Subsequent ones give you 500 points.

 Shot Level Up (small): Collect a few of these to raise your shot power.

 Shot Level Up (large): Instant Shot Level Up.  If you are at the maximum
                        level, it will be worth 5,000.

 Sometimes, a Shot Level icon will give you a Shot Special Level Up.

 Medals: The Medal collection system of Battle Garegga is featured in
         BatRider.  As you keep picking them up, the point value continues
         to rise.  Do what you want- as long as you don't let one fall off
         the screen.

         1st 100               When you collect a medal, the value of
         2nd 200               the next available one goes to the next
         3rd 300               step.  You will be able to recognize a
         4th 400               medal's point value by its appearance.
         5th 500
         6th 600               I repeat, don't drop any medals or you
         7th 700               are back to the 1st step!
         8th 800
         9th 900
        10th 1,000             This is very important if you are going
        11th 2,000             for a high score.
        12th 3,000
        13th 4,000
        14th 5,000
        15th 6,000
        16th 7,000
        17th 8,000
        18th 9,000
        19th 10,000!           If you drop a 10,000 point medal, you will
                               hear "Nooooooo!".

If you lay off of the fire button, you will notice an aura around the front of
your ship.  If you let it get full-sized (perhaps a couple seconds), you will
be able to "drop off" your options at a certain spot on the screen with the
next press of your fire button.  They will then fire automatically on their
own.  If you release and then repress the fire button, the options will be
brought back to your ship.  They will automatically return after a few
seconds.

A WORD ABOUT DROPPING MEDALS
If you drop a medal and there's another one somewhere on screen, all is
not lost yet.  Go pick that one up to keep the juice going.
===============================================================================
06
Some Tips

MANHATTAN CITY

This is always the first stage.  At the start, you come across some parked
cars which can be trashed for points.  Next, some motorcycles come in from the
right- and you can pound on them to get the small red Bomber icons.  Soon, some
flying Jetpack soldiers and a red gunship will intervene.  Blow the rotors off
of the red gunship for the Option items.  When you see the underground train
tracks, fire a Bomber over it for a few medals.

After this, you will be flying over Dexter's used car lot. Some Jetpacks will
continue to harass you, but you should waste the cars as well as them.  When
you come across Dexter's building, it will have a sign in the front of it.
You can knock the sign down onto the building by shooting it, crushing the
whole shebang.  Sure enough, Dexter and his crooked operation will be out of
business.  However, there's another way to do it- shoot up the building, then
push the sign down onto the rubble.  If you go about shutting this hell hole
down like THAT, you will hear "WONDERFUL!" and a flock of birds will fly out
from there.  You can pound on the birds for some extra points.  You then come
across a 6-lane highway where criminal cars zip along waiting for you to pick
them off.

Next, you will see a green gunship on your left and a transparent glass floor
with a walkway in the middle.  If you want some medals, pound on the walkway
with your Bomber.  The glass tiles will also shatter if your Bomber hits them.
What about that gunship?  Try to take it out with your bomber as well.

 You are getting closer to the boss.  A small pack of motorcycles comes out,
and you can dust them off as well.  There are some police cars near the end of
the stage.  Try not to shoot them, as the boss CONFRICT will come out and run
over them- making a few medals for you.

SKYHIGH

 First, a small pack of enemy ships will appear on the left.  After that, you
see some on the right as well.  Soon after that, a flotilla of green planes
appears to harass you with blue needle bullets.  You should not have too much
trouble taking them out.  Just keep your finger on the trigger.

 There will be 7 large bomber-like craft that shoot needles.  They take a lot
of hits to destroy, so try to pound on them not too long after they appear.

 More green planes will appear.  Deal with them as you did before.  Next,
two large aircraft- one green, one orange- will get in your way.  If you even
doubt that you can handle these guys, USE A BOMBER.  They use spread shots and
the needler.

 When you are getting closer to the boss, you will encounter a plethora of
missiles being fired at you.  All you can do to ensure a safe passage through
this is to keep your finger on that trigger.  After this, the boss BOREDOM
will be waiting for you.

ZENOBIA AIRPORT

 A few cars will be parked at the start of the stage.  Give 'em the same
treatment you did in Manhattan City.  Some small purple aircraft will come
from the top- one pack on the left, the other on the right soon after.  There
are a couple gun turrets for you to take out as well.

 There will be two trucks that will start to move as you approach.  It is
best for you to aim at the trucks' cabins and pound them before they stop.
Why? If you can do this, you can get a Full Bomber item.  If you don't, I'd
like you to know that the trailer will open up and reveal three gun turrets.

 Soon, you come across the airport terminal.  I hope you like the sound of
breaking glass, because there are some windows to be shot out.  Some tank-like
hovercrafts will glide along the ground.  Soon you will find some escalators.
What's so important about them?  Try using a bomber on them and you'll see
what I mean.  More medals for you.

 When you get to the runway, some small green aircraft will pester you. Slam
them down before they can get a shot off.  Next, you will see a blue gunship.
It has 2 wings which will cough up a medal apiece if you pop them off before
you destroy the gunship.  Two more will emerge.  You are now over a HUGE (as
in the R-Type mothership) plane.  Use a bomber on it to find a treasure trove
of medals.

 Further up the plane, there will be a mounted plasma cannon turret flanked
by a bunker which has 7 needlers on each side.  You must get rid of the plasma
cannon to go any further.  If you also can obliterate the surrounding bunker,
you will hear "GOOD".

 Now that you've gotten past the plasma cannon assembly, you will see some
small tractors escaping from the plane.  Look out for their needle shots.
Before you know it, a laser will appear slicing open the nose of the plane.
Here comes the boss BAZZCOK.

SEWER SYSTEM

 What a gross place.  You will see a reservoir full of disgusting green muck
which is flanked by two walls.  There will be a few gun turrets on the walls.
Some subs will start heading up the screen through the muck.  You will also
encounter a green gunship and a few small planes.  These guys have a double
3-way shot, so be careful.  As these guys keep coming, you will come across a
battery of 5 cannons.  They will shoot bullets on Normal level, or laser
blasts on Advance.  Blast some of these to get full shots.  They are mounted
on a flipping platform.  If one of them is face down and you use a bomber on
it, you can get a medal that way.  I wouldn't waste a bomber here though.

 Next, you'll meet up with some red gunships.  These are a deadlier kind-
they have rota-guns on their wings.  You can get medals for taking out the
rota-guns.

 A bit later, you reach a platform with pipelike structures in the middle.
Two walkers and some tanks will appear.  It is best that you use a bomber on
the pipes, because a LOT of medals are hidden there- and the walkers will
likely go down under the barrage as well.

 Next, you chance upon a bunch of parked hover tanks.  Two parked trucks
are in the area and can be toasted to get 5 small bomber icons.  If you find
large green crates, KIM that you can get medals by bombing them.  All kinds of
small tanks and some truly nasty large ones apparently don't want you here.

 You're not too far from the boss DEVIATE, which is a huge platform tank.

HIGH-WAY

 This is always the fifth stage.  Some airbikes with rotating nose guns will
harass you as you approach a very large blue tank.  This thing has two turrets
and multiple portal guns.  Once you damage it enough, you will see two more
turrets that spin and shoot to lay down a blanket of blue needles.  As if this
wasn't hard enough to weasel through, some small airplanes will come out to
bug you.  Some of them have the 3-way shot.  Soon, you'll encounter a flotilla
of airbikes- some blue ones circling the red one (their leader).  Take out the
red one to take the whole pack down.  After you face some more 3-way shot
planes, you encounter 2 red gunships.

Soon after this, you face a midsized tank with a twin laser turret that aims
at you.  Once you destroy that, it will fire a 6-way bullet line shot followed
by a 5-way shot.  Try to destroy this tank ASAP, because you are rushing right
into a gang of armed criminal cars.  After this, you meet two of the other
kind of red gunships- the ones with the rota-guns.  From the earlier encounter
with a couple of these, you know that the rota-guns can be busted for medals.

In a moment, there are three robots- Sobut, Blunt, and Envy.  You will face
either one of them- or all three.

TO BE ADDED LATER
 Info on the ZENOVIA CITY, and GIGANTECH BUILDING stages.  Maybe even some
 Boss info.
===============================================================================
07
The Pillory

A few guilty parties are here to be subjected to public shame.  You may
now throw your rotten tomatoes at:

 Megagames.com - For ripping off more than a few members of the Game FAQs
                 community. ( Ripping en masse)

 Gamesdomain.com - Ripping en masse.

 CNET Games Center
 games.netscape.com/Faqs - Ripping en masse.

 Fresh Baked Games (fbgames.com)- for their lame way of asking permission to
 use FAQs.  Why do they resort to an automated system?  Fresh Baked Spam is
 more like it.

 Areaps2.com- they have my Super Puzzle Bobble FAQ without authorization,
              confirmed by a google.com search on my email address.

 Cheatmatrix.com- Ripping en masse.

 www.bean.dk- Ripping en masse.

 If anyone violates copyrights on my FAQ, they will be listed here as well.
 Anyone listed in the Pillory may not host my FAQs.
===============================================================================
08
Shout-Outs

To Raizing, for producing yet another awesome shmup title and continuing to
make more such as Dimahoo (Great Mahou Daisakusen) and Battle Bakraid.

To CJayC (Jeff Veasey) of GameFAQs for hosting an awesome site.

To Arttu Ylärakkola for mention of the 1997 Version A and a question about the
differences between the two versions.

To you, for checking out this FAQ.  Thanks!


===============================================================================
09
Final Disclaimer

This FAQ publication is (C) Steven Ives 2000.  All Rights Reserved.
 Breaking the Copyright is a prosecutable offense subject to applicable
 civil & criminal penalties.  Using this FAQ in an attempt to profit from it
 is strictly forbidden.  Web sites who host it must be accessible without
 paying fees for the viewing of the FAQ.  It is not to be used to aid in the
 preparation of a commercial strategy guide.  The FAQ is NEVER to be altered.

 If this FAQ is ever ripped, the guilty party will be going into The Pillory
 above with all the other FAQ rippers.  Remember, you are not to host this
 FAQ on your site without permission.

 Raizing is the sole owner of all copyrights and trademarks that
 are relevant to Armed Police BatRider.  Any other trade
 marks are the properties of their respective owners.

  Last note: If you find something out about the game that I've not covered
   in this FAQ, I'd like to hear about it.  Please give me any comments or
   suggestions you may have as well.

 [email protected]          www.gameoverdude.com
===============================================================================