Zed Blade / Operation Ragnarok

Pilots take to the skies in Zed Blade (also known as Operation Ragnarok), a fast-paced, cooperative shooter released by NMK in 1994. Two players can team up to battle through waves of enemies in this horizontally scrolling game, selecting from three distinct ships, each offering varying speeds to suit different playstyles. Players also choose weapon systems before starting—a front firing weapon, rear firing weapon and a projectile system such as homing missiles—allowing for customized approaches to combat. Gameplay involves maneuvering your ship through challenging levels while blasting away enemy forces. Destroyed enemies occasionally drop power-ups or bonuses, aiding in the fight against increasingly difficult opponents. Hyper-Bombs, providing devastating area-of-effect attacks, are also available to help overcome particularly tough situations. The game runs on the SNK Neo-Geo MVS hardware and offers straightforward controls: an eight-way joystick for movement and two buttons for firing shots and deploying bombs. A unique quirk of Zed Blade prevents players from claiming the top spot on the high score table with initials 'AAA', automatically changing them to 'YOU' instead, adding a touch of playful challenge to the competitive experience. Released in Japan initially, this arcade title never made it to home console release.