Heavy Unit

~ HEAVY UNIT ~

Inter State/Kaneko / Taito

HuCard

1989

Heavy Unit doesn't have a very good reputation, mainly because there are lots of players out there who believe it's not only unforgiving with its level of difficulty but absolutely unfair. Indeed, HU does seem to enjoy having large, robust enemies barreling around its playfield; and feeling like your ship is constantly under-equipped doesn't lend to good times. The inoffensive but forgettable soundtrack won't compel anyone to continue getting bludgeoned, nor will the bland, flat-looking backgrounds.

The gimmick that Kaneko apparently placed their faith in was a ship that can transform into a robot when a certain icon is nabbed. Generally speaking, the standard vessel has an easier time blasting things and avoiding counter shots thanks to its spread weaponry and slim shape while the robot can take enemies out more quickly with its concentrated firepower and homing auxiliary projectiles. Both weapon sets will seem lame and inadequate when players first start using them, and the aforementioned icon doesn't appear very often anyway, meaning there aren't too many "deliberation time" moments. Still, making the right move at specific junctures can make some level sections and boss fights much easier.

So the transformation gimmick wasn't implemented as well as it might've been, but there's another area where Heavy Unit occasionally gets ambitious: enemy design. No, its pink blobs and carrot shooters won't impress anybody, but some of their larger cohorts just might.

Now, I imagine it will seem to some that I'm letting a bad game off the hook just because it makes for a good challenge. Most folks will give up on Heavy Unit immediately, and I don't blame them; I don't hesitate to warn players that they aren't likely to get much value out of it. I hated it right off the bat myself, and I don't consider it any sort of "favorite" even now. But there is some satisfaction to be felt from getting good at it, from discovering the best methods to use to dispatch your stout foes. In other words, the game does have a shot at winning people over in the end.