Nichibutsu, makers of Terra Cresta, also produced this less well known little arcade blast em up.

Reviewed by Malc!

I'd originally reviewed this very badly, without playing the actual PCB of it. Now I have one, I think an awful lot more of it, which re-inforces my opinion that while emulation is fun, it isn't a patch on the real thing. I'm also sorry about this review in general, as it was done whilst under the influence of a lot of alcohol, and meanders slightly at points while glossing over all the stuff you really want to know. You'd think that much alcohol would have improved the game for me anyway, and it would have got an unreserved 10/10. Still, in the cold sober light of day, 4 years later, it remains an interesting shooter, being the last proper arcade Nichibutsu shmup, and worth more than the 6/10 I gave it first time round.

Now that's out the way, let's find out about Armed Formation F (or Formation Armed F as it appears on the arcade title screen) It's a vertical shooter, and it's brilliant!!. FAF indeed turns out to be curiously addictive...

The game itself is a standard shooter in the Nichibutsu style, and features some pretty good weapons, which you can extend out in front or behind you. Enemies come from above and below, and using the direction change button properly is helpful to survival. FAF can be unforgiving, especially the blue asteroid farts on level 2, which require smart timing to navigate through. Collecting the most effective weapon for a particular part is crucial, some of them have weak sideshots, which are nevertheless much better than lasers for killing annoying slugs hanging onto walls. I've got this tree in my garden the slugs like to climb, we found one jumping off onto the mother-in-law the other day. I didn't think slugs could climb, I know snails do but they have hard shells to protect them if they fall, slugs would get a sore knee or something if they fell off. Nuff respec' to my extreme sport slugs. My daughter calls them "glue worms" by the way.

Slugs aside, you'll find it's a compellingly addictive affair, like in R-Type some bits need copious amounts of practicing before you can progress, and the fact that you can't continue (I think!) means you seem to play a lot better. I've always advocated the use of only one continue at the most, as a lot of games get spoiled by offering too many. Where's the challenge with continuing? It's like legitimate cheating! *[Note that since I wrote this I have become much worse at shmups and continue quite a lot now. I threw about 4 quid's worth in ESP ra.de. last week and still didn't beat it.]

Unlike R-Type, the graphics really are colourful and bright, pleasingly shocking in some places. For a 1988 game, it's got an amazing retro primary look, and is very classy.The levels are theme designed (space, insects, mech etc) with fitting enemies and bosses to suit these designs. For example, the explosions aren't your usual firey affairs, instead it looks like someone spilt a tub of those wee sugary things you put on top of cakes. What the hell are they called. Hundreds and Thousands, that's it.

I haven't mentioned the music yet. Now I can hear it on the PCB, its fabulous. I cant exactly say how or why, it's not really hummable when you switch it off, but fits the game perfectly, just burbles along and reinforces the sort of neo-retro late eighties shootery feel if it completely. I wish they still made chip tunes like this.

There's also a version on HuCard for the PcEngine, but it's a bit of a mess. I know the PCE can do perfect shooter conversions, so I really don't know why they faffed it up - it looks like a completely different game at points!

Well, not much of a review, but it's just here as a wee taster. I've also had a couple of lovely glasses of Bailey's Irish Cream and hence am not very coherent, so you're lucky you're getting anything today! :) Malc

Heh.. :) Actually I like Armed FF loads too!! Firstly I have to comment on the music. It's Ace!! The first level background music especially is the kind of super-catchy tune that'll be on a play-loop in your brain for hours after playing .You've been warned! Actually both of us have the arcade PCBs now so I think we can appreciate the game much better now than under emulation. Armed F isnt a classic like perhaps Terra Cresta or Moon Cresta but it's a lot of fun to play, with a nifty weapon system that reminds me a little of Irem's Image Fight. And the graphics are actually very pretty in a garish 80's way. Just don't drink too much Bailey's while playing it.. eh Malc?! MikeB

It's a relief to see some clear black space in this game.
Not much else to say here, just thought it was a nice
screen with those grassy twisty things.



Level 3, and it's getting a bit mechanical. You'll find
there are different weapons to pick up as the levels
progress, and getting the right one for the right situation
is paramount to continued survival. I got the
wrong ones, and game over malky...