RAIDEN MINI FAQ
by Briareos Kerensky ([email protected]), ver 3.0.

Table of Contents
1-Update History
2-History Briefing
3-Ship Briefing
4-Red Power Up Briefing
5-Blue Power Up Briefing
6-"Dumb" Missile Power Up Briefing
7-Homing Missile Power Up Briefing
8-Bonus Briefing
9-Boss Briefing
10-Credits and misc

****************
1-UPDATE HISTORY
****************

17/09/2002-version 3.0. Minor corrections.

13/04/2001-version 2.0. Added stage 7 and 8.

17/03/2001-version 1.2. Some errors corrected.

14/03/2001-version 1.0. Initial release.

******************
2-HISTORY BRIEFING
******************

Raiden is a vertical shoot 'em up videogame released by Seibu Kaihatsu in 1990.
The word "vertical" means that you see your ship from above, and the stage
scrolls vertically from top to bottom. One of Raiden's peculiar notes is that
the horizontal portion of the stage is larger by the actual screen size, and
the player can scroll horizontally for about two screens. Main events occour in
the central area, however.
Raiden is so difficult but extremely beautiful that Seibu eventually released
Raiden 2 and 3; in Raiden 2 you can choose between ships with different
capabilities and Raiden 3 is even more difficult than the first.
Aside the infos above, I have no knowledge of the game's background, though an
alien race or something similar is invading Earth and you have to stop them.

***************
3-SHIP BRIEFING
***************

Raiden can be played by two players together, which will make the game a lot
easier. First player has a red ship while the second a blue one. They differ
only in color, and they are the only two ships offered by the game.
If you play with one friend, all cargo helicopters (bombs and Power Ups) and
brown crates (Missile Power Ups) will be double but the enemies will remain the
same; in 2P-mopde you can also shoot at you your friend: this will not shoot
him/her down, but you normal fire will create several "stars" when impacting on
your friend's ship: these stars are extremely powerful, and cover almost the
whole game area. Recomended against anything.
Both ships start with a Red-based fire type. If you want to switch to Blue and
later back to Red, keep in mind that: 1)you have to collect the correct Power
Up color and 2)that when you change color, your shot won't upgrade: this means
that if you collected two Red Power Ups, collecting a third Power Up, this time
Blue, won't give you a level 3 Blue shot (three/two beams shot), but a Level 2
(two beams shot). This is for Missiles, too.
Bombs: they won't destroy everything hostile on the screen but only the enemies
and their projectiles (this feature is useful against bosses, where you can
damage it and defend yourself against its attacks) inside a predefinite area.
It will also take about one second to explode, so be careful.

***********************
4-RED POWER UP BRIEFING
***********************

Found in: Cargo Helicopters
Shape: once the Helicopter is destroyed, a red square flying over the
battlefield in a random pattern. Switch between the Blue power up every 4
seconds approx.
Use: good against low-level enemies (most tanks and enemy ships) and during
most levels. Higher is the level, larger will be the area covered by a single
shoot. Not good against bosses or though enemies as it divides its firepower is
lot of small salvos fired across the screen.
Power Up Sequence:
*(all ships starts with this) single two-bullets fire from the ship nose
*two salvos of two bullets each, direct line from the ship nose
*three way shot, one from the nose and the other two slightly deviated to the
sides; each salvo has two bullets
*three way shot, like the previous, but with three bullets for each salvo
*five way shot, each salvo two bullets. Adds two salvos roughly deviated 35°
from the center to the three way shot
*five way shot, like the previous; three bullets for each salvo
*five way shot, but with four bullets for each salvo
*seven way shot, four projectiles per salvo. The 6th and 7th salvos follow
roughly the trajectory of the 2nd and 3rd salvos.
*nine way shot, four projectiles per salvo. 8th and 9th salvos follow roughly
the trajectory of the 4th and 5th salvos.

************************
5-BLUE POWER UP BRIEFING
************************

Found in: Cargo Helicopters
Shape: once the Helicopter is destroyed, a Blue square flying over the
battlefield in a random pattern. Switch between the Red power up every 4
seconds approx.
Use: Useful against bosses and though enemies. Concentrated fire which can maul
everything that get too close. Not ideal during levels as you have to move your
ship to align with the enemy. However, it's my favourite power up.
Power Up Sequence:
*single laser fire from the ship nose
*single laser fire, but continous
*two laser beams per salvo, continuos fire. Single pression of the fire button
releases five salvo
*three/two laser beams, continuos fire. First two salvos with three beams and
the last three with two beams.
*all salvos with three beams
*four/three laser beams, like the previous, with the same proportion (2 with 4
beams and 3 with 3)
*all salvos with 4 beams
*large laser beam, continuos but "short"
*large laser beams, longer than the previous

*************************
6-"DUMB" MISSILE POWER UP
*************************

Found in: Brown Crates
Shape: once the Crate is destroyed, a square with the letter a yellow "M"
flying over the battlefield in a random pattern. Switch between the Homing
Missile power up every 4 seconds approx.
Use: "Dumb" Missiles will follow a pre-calculated trajectory and will impact on
the first thing between them and the end of the screen. They are more powerful
than Homing Missiles. Ideal for bosses and for ships with Red-based weaponry.
Power Up Sequence:
*two missiles with a trajectory deviated from the nose roughly of 5°
*four missiles. The first starts with a normal trajectory and the other four
follow it, circling the first missile.
*four missiles: the central missiles goes straight, while the later two
slightly deviate from the ship nose.

**********************************
7-HOMING MISSILE POWER UP BRIEFING
**********************************

Found in: Brown Crates
Shape: once the Crate is destroyed, a square with the letter a green "H" flying
over the battlefield in a random pattern. Switch between the Homing Missile
power up every 4 seconds approx.
Use: Homing Missiles will automatically search an enemy. Ideal during levels
and for ships with a Blue-based weaponry.
Power Up Sequence:
*two missiles, limited tracking capabilities
*four missiles, faster and with better tracking capabilities
*four missiles, bigger and with the same capabilities of the previous.

****************
8-BONUS BRIEFING
****************

Type: Fire Power Up
Shape: Red/Blue square flying over the battlefield
Points: none (increase/switch the current fire type; worth 5000 points when
collecting the right letter with a complete Fire type)
Found in: Cargo Helicopters

Type: Missile Power Up
Shape: square with a green "H" or yellow "M" letter flying over the battlefield
Points: none (increase/switch the current missile type; worth 5000 points when
collecting the right letter with a complete Missile type)
Found in: brown crates

Type: Perfect Power Up
Shape: square with a blue "P" letter flying over the battlefield
Points: none (increase the current weapon load, Missiles included to its
maximum level; worth 10000 points if already at max level)
Found in: Cargo Helicopters (AI randomly decides when the "P" is present or not)

Type: Bombs
Shape: spinning grey triangle with a red "B" letter flying over the battlefield
Points: none (increase your bomb load of one unit; you can have up to seven
bombs; over that, worth 5000 points; worth 1000 bonus points when you complete
the level; read below)
Found in: Cargo Helicopters

Type: Ribbon
Shape: a ribbon with yellow medal and red and white stripes, fixed
Points: 500 (worth 1000 bonus points when you complete the level; read below)
Found in: beige crates, hidden in the background

Type: Blue Dragon
Shape: blue asian-like dragon, fixed
Points: 3000
Found in: crates, hidden in the background

Type: Fairy
Shape: a fairy with a red suit flying over the battlefield
Points: 10000
Found in: hidden in the background, usually in trees (it is possible to see
where this bonus is hidden as the tree stops your fire. It will usually take
more than a single shot to make it appear)

Type: 1UP
Shape: grey rectangle with the "1UP" text in flashing green
Points: none (adds one life)
Found in: only once in the game, in stage 4. It can be randomly exchanged with
other kinds of bonuses.

End of a Stage bonus:
the AI will multiply your current Bomb load (1000 points each Bomb) for the
number of Ribbons you collected; for example, if you collected 5 Ribbons and
you have one Bomb left, you will gain 5000 points (1000 -1 Bomb- x5 -number of
Ribbons-).

***************
9-BOSS BRIEFING
***************

Note: all boss names are invented. And for the stages...just keep firing and
dodging all missiles!

-------------------------------
STAGE 1: TWIN MEGA BATTLE TANKS
-------------------------------

You will encounter a brown mega tank first; it will exit from a not-so hidden
armored door. For now keep firing without using bombs; you should have to dodge
some shots but it is nothing so difficult. The tank will follow the tracks
until it will rendez-vous with its grey twin. Now release a Bomb and try to hit
both tanks. If you kept firing at the brown tank, it should be destroyed by
now. Concentrate on the grey tank now: it will fire one or two all-out salvos,
composed of a powerful blast from its main cannon and several smaller
projectiles from its secondary guns. You should be able to kill it without
using any other bomb.

-------------------------------
STAGE 2: AIRBORNE DRONE CARRIER
-------------------------------

The first twin to do is to destroy the two smaller wings on the carrier's
sides; they'll need only few salvos, but they carry a gun, so be careful. Once
both wings are gone, destroy the frontal plate with the two cannons. Note that
the carrier will keep throwing these black, triangle-like drones at you: they
won't fire back but they are enough to distract you from the carrier's blasts.
As the plate is destroyed, keep firing at the carrier's main body; once its
damage reached a certain level, it will release the last wave of drones,
revealing a big turret on its spin and other cannons.
Now keep firing and release Bombs as the carrier starts to fire with its
turret: these shots are nearly impossible to evitate, so keep throwing bombs.

------------------------
STAGE 3: MEGA BATTLESHIP
------------------------

The battleship is docked, guarded by four pop-up turrets; destroy these first
and then the grey and black machinery: the battleship will be released and will
start to fire with its back turrets. When the ship will begin to fire with its
main batteries, release a bomb to take care of them in a single shot, and if
the bomb has not destroyed them all, just shoot.
Now the battleship will reveal its true main guns: five large-caliber
artillery-like cannons. Fire an other bomb, whihc should take care of all guns
and now concentrate on the ship's controlling tower (or whatever it is),
releasing bombs when the back turrets start to fire.

---------------------------------
STAGE 4: SEMI-MOBILE MODULAR BASE
---------------------------------

Ignore the lateral modules and keep shooting at the center pyramid, releasing
as many bombs as you can. This boss is not so difficult.
Dodge shots when necessary.

------------------------------------------
STAGE 5: MEGA BATTLE/ARTILLERY FLYING TANK
------------------------------------------

There is no tactic for this one. Just keep firng at its main gun and releasing
bombs. Its bullets are too fast and too many to be dodged.
Do not let it take off or it will begin to fire even more bullets.

---------------------------------
STAGE 6: MOON SPHINX-LIKE STATUES
---------------------------------

This stage is guarded by two twin-headed, Sphinx-like statues. To destroy them
you should destroy both heads.
Fire as soon as the statues ended to glow, and concentrate on a single head of
a single statue until it is destroyed. Release one or two bombs if necessary.

------------------
STAGE 7: MEGA SHIP
------------------

Before this boss, you should notice two mhm..."space trucks" carrying some kind
of equipment: try to destroy them as long as the asteroids keep coming: these
two pieces of equipment are two batteries of cannons for the stage boss. The
Ship has also four guns near the cockpit, and two holes where those "crawling
gun" exit and walk on the rods in the ship's tail section. Fire a bomb when the
Mega Ship starts to fire with its nose turrets and destroy the crawling guns
ASAP.

--------------------
STAGE 8: FINAL ENEMY
--------------------

The final boss is compose by six sections: one central body (the weak spot),
the first part to show up, two forward "wings", two rear "wings" and one rear
support with additional gun. Yopu should be able to destroy the central part
before it reachs the second pair of wings by concentrating bombs and fire on it.

After defeating this boss, the game is finished. You will recieve 1.000.000
bonus pionts and the game will restart from level 1, with faster enemy
projectiles. My high score is 2.334.217 points


*******************
10-CREDITS and MISC
*******************

Credits to Seibu for this game and a rant for the one that made it so
difficult. You should be millionaire to finish it in an arcade floor. Then to
me, myslef and I and MAME for existing.
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