Vimana (video game)
| Vimana | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Toaplan |
| Publisher(s) | Romstar, Tecmo |
| Platform(s) | Arcade |
| Genre(s) | Scrolling shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single-player/Two-player |
Vimana (ヴィマナ) is a vertical scrolling shooter, developed by Toaplan and released by Romstar and Tecmo in 1991 for the arcades worldwide. Vimana was unique in its combination of a Sci-Fi theme with brief Hindu references.
Story
Taking place in an unnamed solar system, a devastating war overtakes an inhabited alien planet. Caused by an accumulation of social and political insanity brought-on by an unknown force, the war forced its most sane and industrious people to flee their mother planet entirely. However, the exiled space colonists are still accosted by their victors who continually remove chunks of the planet's surface still containing biotic life for use as flying fortresses. The inhabitants plot to win-back their planet with the aid of the Vimana Warriors: pilots capable of handling ancient but powerful space fighter ships.
Gameplay
Players control their ship over a constantly scrolling background; the scenery never stops moving until the final level is reached. Players have three weapons at their disposal: the standard shot, a charge shot and a bomb weapon.
The standard shot weapon is a twin-shot weapon capable of strengthening in size and power with upgrades. However, the player has to tap the fire button to fire rapidly; once the button is held down, the ship charges a stronger version of the normal shot capable of spreading out across the entire screen in twelve directions. The player’s bomb weapon, the Circle Bomb, encircles the ship once activated and seeks out enemies upon an additional tap of the bomb button.
There were a total of four Items for the player to pick up: One powered-up the player’s shot strength, one would increase their Circle Bomb stock, one would grant the player various points and the other would grant the player an extra life. Extends were awarded with every 70,000 points.
Cultural references
Vimana carries a few significant cultural references into its presentation, specifically from Hindu culture. Vimana's are described in various Hinu texts such as the Ramayana as flying chariots and sometimes temples. Early in the game’s opening, the take-off sequence features the Vimana ships being energized by two statues resembling the Hindu god Ganesha.