Rabio Lepus (Japan)

V-System’s Rabio Lepus, released in Japan in 1987, is a cooperative two-player horizontal scrolling shooter where players pilot spaceships shaped like rabbits. The game tasks them with navigating through varied environments, battling enemy forces and rescuing captured characters along the way. Utilizing an eight-way joystick and two buttons for control, players must work together to overcome increasingly challenging levels filled with projectiles and obstacles. The game’s original Japanese version featured brief cutscenes depicting events like a spaceship emerging from a castle or the rescue of key figures. However, these cinematic moments were omitted in its later adaptation, Rabbit Punch. The experience is driven by a soundtrack composed using Yamaha YM2151 and UPD7759 sound chips, creating a distinct auditory backdrop to the action. Rabio Lepus holds a unique place within V-System’s arcade history; it was followed by a sequel for the NEC PC Engine in 1990, and one of its characters made a later appearance as a secret playable character in Aero Fighters 3.