TransBot, known as Astro Flash in Japan, is a shoot 'em up game for the Master System released in 1985 in Japan and 1986 worldwide.
Plot
"After the Nuclear war in the solar year 2XXX----, having survived by escaping into a nuclear shelter, we are now starting to reconstruct the Earth.
However, we have come upon a terrible monster, a remnant of the now defunct highly cultivated society that once existed, an Artificial Intelligence computer whose code name is DALUAS. A dictatorial empire to be created by DALUAS in nearing it's completion.
Part of the ground surface has already been turned into a mechanized city that is controlled by DALUAS. Becoming a huge fortress, DALUAS itself still continues to increase underground. On the ground, the security guards are DALUAS' menials, as well as different kinds of living creatures are everywhere, and it is just a matter of time before DALUAS' ambition to "control the entire Earth" materializes.
The Earth must be saved by all means. At last, the CA-214 weapon that enables you to battle against DALUAS has been developed."
Gameplay
The player controls the CA-214, a special starfighter that can transform into a robot, aka titular TransBot.
Picking up the "Arm Carrier" will cause it to cycle through letters which relate to the following weapons:
| Letter | Weapon |
|---|---|
| A | Normal Fire |
| B | Beam |
| C | Sword Fire |
| D | Cannon |
| E | Diffusive Beam |
| F | Two Directional Fire |
| G | Power Up Item |
Players can hit Select to pick the item during the rotation. If 'G' is selected the power of the TransBot is increased to maximum.
The power ups last until the ammo runs out which will cause the TransBot to revert to the basic weaponry.
After Elgramzon, the "robot embodiment" of DALAUS is defeated, the game loops back to the beginning.
Trivia
- TransBot was released on both the Sega Card and regular cartridge formats.
- An unofficial HD TransBot remake was made by RetroGameGeeks.co.uk as a free release. It can be downloaded for free here.
Gallery
