Gunbird 2 (c) 1998 Psikyo.
In this vertical shoot'em up, you have five selectable characters who fight the big army of pirates but this time to collect elemental potions.

>>> TECHNICAL DETAILS
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Main CPU : SH-2 (@ 28.63635 Mhz)
Sound Chips : YMF278B (@ 28.63635 Mhz)
Screen orientation : Vertical
Video resolution : 224 x 320 pixels
Screen refresh : 60.00 Hz
Palette colors : 5120
Players : 2
Control : 8-way joystick
Buttons : 3

>>> TRIVIA
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ALUCARD, a selectable character, backwards spells DRACULA.
Aine originally appeared in 'Samurai Aces' and as a hidden character in 'Tengai' as Ayin. Here in Gunbird 2, he has quite a 'different' type of bomb attack :).
Gunbird 2 shares some similarities with the 1975 anime series 'Time Bokan':
* The flag symbol in Time Bokan is a clear skull and in this game is a 2P like a skull.
* The thin guy has a very ugly nose also a moustache and teeth like a rabbit (he is the same in the game and the anime).
* The fat guy has a beard. In this game and in Time Bokan, he has a semi-shaved beard (so with the exception of the beard, the guy is almost the same).
* The chief is a luxuriant woman (in the anime, she always was topless in the end).
* In Time Bokan, the bad guys always show a stupid new-robot to defeat the good guys. In the game is the same.
Note : There are 27 different endings!
The game forbids the initials 'SEX' on the high score table. If you try, it gets changed to three smileys.
Pony Canyon / Scitron released a limited-edition soundtrack album for this game (Gunbird 2, Gunbird - SGCD-0003) on 04/12/1998.

>>> TRICKS AND TIPS
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* Maintenance Code : In test mode, enter this code...
5-2-0-4-8 for Maintenace Mode [Stage Select (Loads of cool stuff here), Obj Test, BG TestPlay Status, Stage Status]
5-3-5-7-3 All Data Initialised.
5-3-7-6-5 Sit an AINE Flag1 (Displays 'AINE ?' at test, extra 'explicit' character on random box).
5-1-0-2-4 Sit an AINE Flag2 (Displays 'AINE OK' at test, use AINE by pressing 'Down' on random box).
5-3-1-5-7 AINE Flag Cancelled (Clears AINE from being playable, as default).

>>> GAME SERIES
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1. Gunbird (1994)
2. Gunbird 2 (1998)

>>> DESIGNERS / PROGRAMMERS / STAFF
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Shin.Nakamura, Shiori Saito, Hiroshi Yamada, Naozumi Yorichika, Yoko Tsukagoshi, Norikazu Takemori, Emi Taniguchi, Keizou Fujita, Yousuke Iwabuchi, Kenichi Fujita, Kunihiko Nogomi, Katsuya Shikanouchi, Katsuhiro Nishida, Shinji Nohara, Masato Natsumoto
Music composed by : Masaki Izutani

>>> GAME PORTS TO OTHER SYSTEMS
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* Consoles :
Sega Dreamcast (2000): Features Morrigan from 'Darkstalkers' as a selectable character.
Sony PlayStation 2 (2004, 'Gunbird 1&2')

>>> OTHER GAME RESOURCES
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Game's rom.
Machine's picture.