Akai Katana Shin

This horizontal arcade shoot ’em up is set in a world resembling old Japan, where the Taisho era’s rapid economic growth coincides with a war involving fighter jets, tanks, and battleships. Giants join the battlefield, while the dramatic story centers on clashes between families and former friends. The collection contains three games from the series: Akai Katana, Akai Katana Shin, and Akai Katana Zetsu.

The player’s fighter can use Soul-shift to change from its normal form into a giant Guardian. Attack mode increases firepower, while Defense mode improves mobility. In Akai Katana Shin, the technique lets the fighter create and fire a Katana shot to quickly defeat powerful enemies; incoming attacks can be negated rather than simply avoided. Other options include training on a selected stage with adjustable conditions, a one-life Score Attack, an online leaderboard, and replay saving.