Plus Alpha

Plus Alpha is a two-player vertical scrolling shooter released by Jaleco in 1989. Players control spacecraft as they navigate through increasingly challenging levels filled with enemy formations and obstacles. Utilizing an 8-way joystick for precise movement, players fire at approaching threats while dodging projectiles and maneuvering to avoid collisions. The game’s visuals are complemented by a soundtrack featuring Yamaha YM2151 sound chips alongside OKI6295 components. The gameplay centers around progressing through distinct stages, each presenting unique enemy patterns and visual themes. As players advance, they face waves of adversaries requiring skillful piloting and accurate shooting to overcome. A limited-edition soundtrack album was released in Japan shortly after the game’s debut, showcasing the music composed by Tsukasa Tawada and programmed by Panic Yunma. Developed on Jaleco's Mega System 1-A hardware, Plus Alpha features programming contributions from Papa Sekiya and character design work led by Rolling.N alongside a team of artists contributing to the visuals and scrolling effects. The game’s opening sequence was designed by Nekomasa, while Otatuku Etoh handled the ending credits.