Editing Hyper Dyne Side Arms

{{Short description|1986 video game}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}{{Redirect|Side Arms|the weapon|Sidearm (weapon)|other uses|Sidearm (disambiguation){{!}}Sidearm}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Hyper Dyne Side Arms
| image = HyperDyneSideArms arcadeflyer.png
| caption = European arcade flyer
| developer = [[Capcom]]
| publisher = '''Arcade''' {{vgrelease|JP/EU|Capcom<ref name="EU">{{cite web |title=Video Game Flyers: Hyperdyne Side Arms, Capcom (EU) |url=https://flyers.arcade-museum.com/?page=thumbs&db=videodb&id=1688 |website=The Arcade Flyer Archive |access-date=12 June 2021}}</ref>|NA|[[Romstar]]}} '''Ports''' {{vgrelease|EU|GO! Media Holdings}}
| designer = [[Yoshiki Okamoto]] (as Kihaji Okamoto)<br/>[[Noritaka Funamizu]] (as Poo)
| composer = Ayako Mori (Arcade)<br/>Takashi Tateishi (PC Engine)
| genre = [[Scrolling shooter]]
| modes = [[Single-player video game|Single-player]], [[multiplayer]]
| platforms = [[Arcade video game|Arcade]], [[TurboGrafx-16|PC Engine]], [[TurboGrafx-16#TurboGrafx-CD/CD-ROM²|PC Engine CD-ROM]], [[Amstrad CPC]], [[Atari ST]], [[Amiga]], [[Commodore 64]], [[DOS]], [[ZX Spectrum]]
| released = '''Arcade'''{{vgrelease|JP|November 6, 1986<ref>{{cite web |title=Side Arms (Registration Number PA0000313265) |url=https://cocatalog.loc.gov |website=[[United States Copyright Office]] |access-date=12 June 2021}}</ref>|NA|November 1986<ref>{{cite book |last1=Akagi |first1=Masumi |title=アーケードTVゲームリスト国内•海外編(1971–2005) |trans-title=Arcade TV Game List: Domestic • Overseas Edition (1971–2005) |date=October 13, 2006 |publisher=Amusement News Agency |language=ja |location=Japan |isbn=978-4990251215 |page=112 |url=https://archive.org/details/ArcadeGameList1971-2005/page/n113}}</ref>|EU|Late 1986<ref name="EU"/>}}'''PC Engine'''{{vgrelease|JP|July 14, 1989|NA|1989}}'''PC Engine CD-ROM'''{{vgrelease|JP|December 15, 1989}}
}}

{{Nihongo foot|'''''Hyper Dyne Side Arms'''''|サイドアーム|Saido Āmu|group=lower-alpha|lead=yes}} is a 1986 [[side-scrolling shooter]] [[video game]] developed and published by [[Capcom]] for [[arcade video game|arcades]]. The player takes control of a flying [[mecha|mecha fighter]] who must battle an alien army. ''Side Arms'' uses a two-directional attacking system similar to Capcom's previous shoot-'em-up ''[[Section Z]]''.

== Plot ==
An evil alien empire known as the Bozon are launching a full-scale attack on Earth. As either Lt. Henry or Sgt. Sanders, the player must pilot a giant space mecha known as a "Mobilsuit" to defeat the aliens. Up to two players can play simultaneously.<ref name=sidearmsflier>{{cite web|url=http://www.arcadeflyers.com/?page=thumbs&db=videodb&id=1688|title=Promotional brochure of Side Arms at The Arcade Flyers Archive}}</ref>

==Gameplay==
The controls consist of an eight-way joystick for moving the Mobilsuit and three action buttons. ''Side Arms'' uses two shooting buttons, one for shooting to the left and the other to the right. The third button is used to change between the weapons acquired by the player. There are five types of power-ups that can be acquired by the player: a speed upgrade, an orbital bit that will provide additional firepower with the standard gun, a shotgun that shoots in a fan-shaped range, a three-way shooter, and a mega bazooka launcher that fires a laser beam. The player can choose what power-up their mecha will receive by shooting the power-up icon until getting the item they want. All of the weapons, as well as the mecha's speed, can be upgraded up to two or even three levels depending on the item. There is also a speed downgrade that will reduce the Mobilsuit's speed by one level. There are also two "Auto" power-ups, shaped like the enemy characters from ''[[Vulgus]]'': one is shaped like the "Yashichi" and allows the player to fire continuously with either firing button held down; while the other, which is shaped like the "Sakichi", allows the player to shoot upwards, downwards and forwards at the same time, but at a slower rate than the regular shot.

In addition to the standard power-ups, there are two special combination power-ups shaped like the [[Greek language|Greek]] letters [[alpha|α]] and [[beta|β]] that will combine the player's Mobilsuit with an ally. This allows the player to do an eight-directional attack at the same time as their regular attack. When two players are playing this power-up will combine both players' suits instead. One player will move the combined suit and perform the regular attack, while the other will provide the eight-directional attack. If the combined suit gets shot, it will revert both suits into their regular separate states.<ref name=sidearmsflier/><ref name=manualp5>{{cite video game|title=Side forms|developer=Capcom|publisher=Romstar|platform=Arcade|level=Operator's manual, page 5}}</ref>

==Ports==
[[File:Side_Arms_Atari_ST_screenshot.png|thumb|left|Atari ST screenshot]]

''Side Arms'' was released for the [[PC Engine]] on July 14, 1989 in Japan by [[NEC Avenue]]. According to [[Takashi Tateishi]], the composer for the PC Engine version, the port was actually developed by Capcom themselves, but published by NEC Avenue to avoid offending Nintendo.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kemps |first1=Heidi |title=Interview: Takashi Tateishi, Composer at Capcom and Sound Producer at Konami {{!}} Gaming.moe |url=http://gaming.moe/?p=3037 |website=Gaming.moe |access-date=10 November 2021 |date=10 February 2019}}</ref> This version differs from the arcade game in that it allowed player to change weapons through a sub-menu while pausing the game, but the PC Engine version lacks the 2-player feature from the arcade game. This port was published in [[North America]] during the same year by Radiance Software.

There was also an improved port to the [[PC Engine CD-ROM]], under the name {{nihongo|''Hyper Dyne Side Arms Special|サイドアーム・スペシャル}}''. This version features a new "Before Christ" mode with various changes to gameplay.

Home computer versions of ''Side Arms'' were also released in [[Europe]] for the [[ZX Spectrum]], [[Amstrad CPC]], [[Amiga]], [[Commodore 64]], and [[Atari ST]], which were published by Go! and developed by [[Probe Software]].

The original coin-op version of ''Side Arms'' is included in ''[[Capcom Classics Collection|Capcom Classics Collection: Remixed]]'' for [[PlayStation Portable]] and ''Capcom Classics Collection: Vol. 2'' for [[PlayStation 2]] and [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]].

In July 2022, ''Side Arms'' was also included in ''[[Capcom Arcade Stadium#Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium|Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium]]'' for [[Nintendo Switch]], [[PlayStation 4]], [[Xbox One]] and [[Microsoft Windows]] via [[Steam (service)|Steam]].

== Reception ==
In Japan, ''[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]'' listed ''Hyper Dyne Side Arms'' on their February 1, 1987 issue as being the ninth most-successful table arcade unit of the month.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル型TVゲーム機 (Table Videos)|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|issue=301|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|date=1 February 1987|page=21|lang=ja}}</ref>

''[[Computer and Video Games]]'' magazine reviewed the PC Engine version in 1989, giving it a 90% score.<ref name="CVG">{{cite journal |title=Complete Games Guide |journal=[[Computer and Video Games]] |date=16 October 1989 |issue=Complete Guide to Consoles |pages=46–77 |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/9/98/CompleteGuideToConsoles_UK_01.pdf#page=46}}</ref>

==Appearances in other games==
A "[[Chibi (slang)|chibi]]" version of the player's Mobilsuit, called "Mobichan", appears in the game as a power-up item that gives the player an extra life. Mobichan has appeared in many console games released by Capcom during the early 1990s as a mode select cursor such as in the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]] version of the original ''[[Street Fighter II]]''. The arcade game ''[[Warriors of Fate]]'' features a hidden ending sequence for completing the game on one credit which shows Mobichan and its Player 2 counterpart fighting each other dressed as [[Ryu (Street Fighter)|Ryu]] and [[Ken Masters|Ken]] and using their special techniques against each other.

Mobichan appeared as a bonus item in ''[[Super Buster Bros.]]'', ''[[U.N. Squadron]]'' and ''[[Black Tiger (video game)|Black Tiger]]''.

Mobichan is the save icon for the Street Fighter Collection (''Super Street Fighter II'' and ''Street Fighter Alpha 2 Gold'') for the PlayStation.

In ''[[Namco x Capcom]]'', the two nameless soldiers from ''[[Forgotten Worlds]]'' are accompanied by the Mobilsuits from ''Side Arms'', who are named Side Arm α and Side Arm β in the game.

It also makes an appearance in ''[[Asura's Wrath]]'' (Episode 5 intro).

In ''[[Project X Zone]]'', Devilotte from ''[[Cyberbots: Full Metal Madness|Cyberbots]]'' summons Mobilsuits α & β during her Solo Unit attack.

In ''[[Project X Zone 2]]'', [[Baby Bonnie Hood]] from ''[[Darkstalkers]]'' summons Mobilsuits α & β during her single-unit super attack.

In ''Mighty Final Fight'', Mobichan is seen on the continue screen.

In ''[[Street Fighter Alpha 2]]'', when a player wins by the means of a taunt, Mobichan will be seen as the win symbol.

In ''[[Warzard]]'', if the player beat the game with one credit they will be able to control Mobichan in the credits sequence and shoot down the letters. Mobichan is also a symbol that can be used when entering a password.

== Notes ==
<references group="lower-alpha" />
==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{KLOV game|id=9537}}
* {{moby game|id=/side-arms-hyper-dyne}}
* {{WoS game|id=0009416}}
* [http://archives.tg-16.com/turbo_play_0001.htm#t14 Side Arms Strategy Guide (TurboGrafx-16)] and [http://archives.tg-16.com/turbo_play_0001.htm#t31 Advertisement] (circa 1990) at [[TurboPlay]] Magazine Archives

[[Category:1986 video games]]
[[Category:Amiga games]]
[[Category:Amstrad CPC games]]
[[Category:Arcade video games]]
[[Category:Atari ST games]]
[[Category:Capcom games]]
[[Category:Commodore 64 games]]
[[Category:DOS games]]
[[Category:Horizontally scrolling shooters]]
[[Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games]]
[[Category:NEC video games]]
[[Category:PlayStation 3 games]]
[[Category:PlayStation Network games]]
[[Category:Radiance Software games]]
[[Category:Romstar games]]
[[Category:TurboGrafx-16 games]]
[[Category:TurboGrafx-CD games]]
[[Category:Video games about mecha]]
[[Category:Video games developed in Japan]]
[[Category:Xbox 360 games]]
[[Category:Xbox 360 Live Arcade games]]
[[Category:ZX Spectrum games]]