Blue Wing Blitz
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese-exclusive tactical role-playing game
developed and published by Square
on July 5, 2001 for the WonderSwan Color and compatible with the WonderSwan
.
Unlike standard tactical video games, Blue Wing Blitz focuses on aerial battles, fought with aircraft
, which can be customized. The events of the game begins in the Esk Republic, in an unnamed fictional world. Esk is threatened by the militaristic empire of Ordia, and the player's party is given the mission to repel the invasion.
Blue Wing Blitz is a traditional turn-based tactical role-playing game, although it has the particularity of involving mostly aerial warfare
units. These are moved on a grid map, and an encounter with an enemy unit opens a separate, close-up combat screen in which up to two ally units and two enemy units engage in a short dogfight
; the player using menu commands to attack, change altitude or take evasive maneuvers.
Different parts of each unit can be damaged, and the success of each attack depends on the units' stats as well as maneuvers. Several ground units are also present on the grid map, and can only be destroyed by bomber
s. The level of fuel
and amount of ammunition
of each unit are limited and must be replenished when necessary.
After each mission, aircraft can be upgraded, customized or remodeled with various weapons and equipment developed in factory. Which upgrades are available depends on the player's degree of success in the precedent mission.
, and usage of aircraft is widespread. Most of the islands are owned and ruled by the expansionist Ordia Empire, which possess superior aircraft. One of the independent states is the Esk Republic, a rich agrarian nation which supplies food to other countries, such as the United Federation of Roggina or the Kingdoms of Mackai and Peag. At the beginning of the game, Trund, the Prime Minister of Esk, assembles a rebel force to reclaim territories menaced by Ordia.
The players controls the members of Esk's rebel force, who each have a distinct aircraft. The main character of the game is a sixteen year-old pilot trainee named Keid, from Tadaga Village, while the second playable character is Payer, a female senior pilot of the same age. She volunteers to defend Tadaga from enemy armies and meets Keid, who becomes enlisted in the rebel force as an officer. The third playable character, Havilan, is a veteran piloting a flying gunboat
.
Other playable characters include notably Blore, a strategist and devoted pilot of the royal air force of Mackai; and Rayetta, his younger sister and bomber pilot. Roster, an ally of Ordia who secretly leads the Roggina Spirit resistance also joins the player's party; as does Poty, the fourth prince of Peag and bomber pilot, and his female guard Sersh.
's Japan-exclusive handheld console WonderSwan Color, after Wild Card. A trailer of the game was featured in the bonus DVD included in the Japanese release of Final Fantasy X
.
The game was developed by the same team responsible for the Front Mission series, while the characters were designed by Nobuyuki Ikeda. The score for the game, which was never released in album form, was composed by Kumi Tanioka
and was the first time that she composed a soundtrack entirely by herself.
A 95-page official strategy guide
, titled Blue Wing Blitz Freedom Fighter's Guide, was published by DigiCube
on the same date as the game. The contents include information on the characters and the setting, battle system explanations, map screenshots, and reference and data tables.
noted that the game's focus on aircraft was an "interesting new take on a classic concept". 1UP.com
's Jeremy Parish used Blue Wing Blitz as an example of one of the WonderSwan's major games.
Tactical role-playing game
A tactical role-playing game is a type of video game which incorporates elements of traditional role-playing video games and strategy games. In Japan these games are known as , a designation which might seem peculiar to native English speakers...
developed and published by Square
Square Co.
was a Japanese video game company founded in September 1983 by Masafumi Miyamoto. It merged with Enix in 2003 and became part of Square Enix...
on July 5, 2001 for the WonderSwan Color and compatible with the WonderSwan
WonderSwan
was a line of handheld game consoles produced in Japan by Bandai between 1999 and 2003. It was developed by the late Gunpei Yokoi's company Koto and Bandai...
.
Unlike standard tactical video games, Blue Wing Blitz focuses on aerial battles, fought with aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
, which can be customized. The events of the game begins in the Esk Republic, in an unnamed fictional world. Esk is threatened by the militaristic empire of Ordia, and the player's party is given the mission to repel the invasion.
Gameplay
Aerial warfare
Aerial warfare is the use of military aircraft and other flying machines in warfare, including military airlift of cargo to further the national interests as was demonstrated in the Berlin Airlift...
units. These are moved on a grid map, and an encounter with an enemy unit opens a separate, close-up combat screen in which up to two ally units and two enemy units engage in a short dogfight
Dogfight
A dogfight, or dog fight, is a form of aerial combat between fighter aircraft; in particular, combat of maneuver at short range, where each side is aware of the other's presence. Dogfighting first appeared during World War I, shortly after the invention of the airplane...
; the player using menu commands to attack, change altitude or take evasive maneuvers.
Different parts of each unit can be damaged, and the success of each attack depends on the units' stats as well as maneuvers. Several ground units are also present on the grid map, and can only be destroyed by bomber
Bomber
A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets, by dropping bombs on them, or – in recent years – by launching cruise missiles at them.-Classifications of bombers:...
s. The level of fuel
Fuel
Fuel is any material that stores energy that can later be extracted to perform mechanical work in a controlled manner. Most fuels used by humans undergo combustion, a redox reaction in which a combustible substance releases energy after it ignites and reacts with the oxygen in the air...
and amount of ammunition
Ammunition
Ammunition is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...
of each unit are limited and must be replenished when necessary.
After each mission, aircraft can be upgraded, customized or remodeled with various weapons and equipment developed in factory. Which upgrades are available depends on the player's degree of success in the precedent mission.
Setting
The fictional world of Blue Wing Blitz is composed of floating islandsFloating island (fiction)
A floating island is a fictitious or possibly real landmass that either floats in a body of water or floats in the sky...
, and usage of aircraft is widespread. Most of the islands are owned and ruled by the expansionist Ordia Empire, which possess superior aircraft. One of the independent states is the Esk Republic, a rich agrarian nation which supplies food to other countries, such as the United Federation of Roggina or the Kingdoms of Mackai and Peag. At the beginning of the game, Trund, the Prime Minister of Esk, assembles a rebel force to reclaim territories menaced by Ordia.
Characters
Gunboat
A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.-History:...
.
Other playable characters include notably Blore, a strategist and devoted pilot of the royal air force of Mackai; and Rayetta, his younger sister and bomber pilot. Roster, an ally of Ordia who secretly leads the Roggina Spirit resistance also joins the player's party; as does Poty, the fourth prince of Peag and bomber pilot, and his female guard Sersh.
Development
Blue Wing Blitz was officially announced on March 8, 2001, and was Square's second original title for BandaiBandai
is a Japanese toy making and video game company, as well as the producer of a large number of plastic model kits. It is the world's third-largest producer of toys . Some ex-Bandai group companies produce anime and tokusatsu programs...
's Japan-exclusive handheld console WonderSwan Color, after Wild Card. A trailer of the game was featured in the bonus DVD included in the Japanese release of Final Fantasy X
Final Fantasy X
is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square as the tenth title in the Final Fantasy series. It was released in 2001 for Sony's PlayStation 2, and will be re-released for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita in 2012...
.
The game was developed by the same team responsible for the Front Mission series, while the characters were designed by Nobuyuki Ikeda. The score for the game, which was never released in album form, was composed by Kumi Tanioka
Kumi Tanioka
is a Japanese video game music composer and musician. She is most known for composing the Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles series.-Early life:Kumi Tanioka was born in Hiroshima, Japan. She studied music and composition while in school and enjoyed listening to video game music as her younger brother...
and was the first time that she composed a soundtrack entirely by herself.
A 95-page official strategy guide
Strategy guide
Strategy guides are instruction books that contain hints or complete solutions to specific video games. The line between strategy guides and walkthroughs is somewhat blurred, with the former often containing or being written around the latter. Strategy guides are often published in print, both in...
, titled Blue Wing Blitz Freedom Fighter's Guide, was published by DigiCube
DigiCube
DigiCube Co., Ltd. was a Japanese company established as a subsidiary of software developer Square on February 6, 1996 and headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The primary purpose of DigiCube was to market and distribute Square products, most notably video games and related merchandise, including toys,...
on the same date as the game. The contents include information on the characters and the setting, battle system explanations, map screenshots, and reference and data tables.
Reception
Blue Wing Blitz sold poorly, with around 20,000 units sold one year after its release. In a preview of the title, the gaming website GIA praised the graphics of the game, stating that Nobuyuki Ikeda's character designs "add style and charm" to the battles and cutscenes despite simple field graphics and the console's technical limitations. RPGamerRPGamer
RPGamer is a media and news website dedicated to covering computer and video game RPGs. Its coverage includes North American game news, European game news, Asian game news, gaming industry news, game reviews, game previews, hands-on game impressions, gaming conventions, game merchandise, release...
noted that the game's focus on aircraft was an "interesting new take on a classic concept". 1UP.com
1UP.com
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
's Jeremy Parish used Blue Wing Blitz as an example of one of the WonderSwan's major games.
External links
- Wayback Machine archive of the now defunct Blue Wing Blitz official website
- Blue Wing Blitz homepage at the Square Enix website
- Blue Wing Blitz homepage at the Bandai website