Time Gal[a] is an interactive movie video game developed and published by Taito and Toei Company that was originally released as a LaserDisc game in Japan for the arcades in 1985. It is an action game that uses full motion video (FMV) to display the on-screen action. The player must correctly choose the on-screen character's actions to progress the story. The pre-recorded animation for the game was produced by Toei Company.
The game is set in a fictional future where time travel is possible. The protagonist, Reika, travels to different time periods in search of a criminal, Luda, from her time. After successfully tracking down Luda, Reika prevents his plans to alter the past. Time Gal was inspired by the success of earlier LaserDisc video games that used pre-recorded animation, including Dragon's Lair (1983) and the previous Taito/Toei collaboration Ninja Hayate (1984), while Reika's character design bears similarities to the anime characters Lum and Yuri from Urusei Yatsura and Dirty Pair, respectively.
Time Gal was later ported to the Sega CD for a worldwide release as well as home platforms in Japan, such as the LaserActive, MSX home computers, the PlayStation, and the Sega Saturn. The Sega CD version received a generally favorable reception from critics. The protagonist was noted for being an early female heroine and has appeared in other Taito-related games. A sequel was released decades later in 2023 titled Time Gal Re:Birth.[b]
Gameplay
Time Gal is an interactive movie game that uses pre-recorded animation rather than sprites to display the on-screen action. Gameplay is divided into levels, referred to as time periods. The game begins in 3001 AD with the theft of a time travel device. The thief, Luda, steals the device to take over the world by changing history. Reika, the protagonist also known as Time Gal, uses her own time travel device to pursue him; she travels to different time periods, such as 70,000,000 BC, 44 BC, 1588 AD, and 2010 AD, in search of Luda. Each time period is a scenario that presents a series of threats that must be avoided or confronted. Successfully navigating the sequences allows the player to progress to another period.[1][2][3]
The player uses a joystick and button to input commands, though home versions use a game controller with a directional pad. As the game progresses, visual cues—highlighted portions of the background or foreground—will appear on the screen to help survive the dangers that occur throughout the stage; more difficult settings omit the visual cues. Depending on the location of the cue, the player will input one of four directions (up, down, left and right) or an attack (shoot the target with a laser gun). Inputting the correct command will either avoid or neutralize the threats and progress the game, while incorrect choices result in the character's death. Reika dying too many times results in a game over.[3][4] Specific moments in the game involve Reika stopping time. During these moments, players are presented with a list of three options and have seven seconds to choose the one which will save the character.[5]
Development
The game uses LaserDisc technology to stream pre-recorded animation, which was produced by Japanese studio Toei Animation.[2][4]Japanese MSX Magazine staff reported that the game's animation required approximately six times more animation cels per minute that what is commonly used for traditional television anime.[6] The arcade cabinet features raster graphics on a CRT monitor and amplified monaural sound.[2] The audio was supervised by Yoshio Imamura, the head of Taito's sound department. Similar to Taito's previous LaserDisc games, Toei Animation also composed the music and sound effects; Imamura would provide feedback to Toei and approve the final audio. When it was time to review the material, Imamura along with Hisayoshi Ogura and other Taito sound staff visited the Toei composer's studio. However, the audio was unfinished as the Toei team was short-staffed. To complete the project, Imamura and his team assisted with playing the music, staying at the studio until it was finished later that night.[7] The main protagonist is voiced by Japanese singer and voice actress Yuriko Yamamoto.[8] Mike Toole and Jeff Kapalka noted similarities between Reika's visual character design and Lum from Urusei Yatsura as well as Yuri from Dirty Pair; they speculated that the anime characters provided inspiration for Reika.[9][10][11] Several factors prevented an overseas release: a decline in the popularity of LaserDisc arcade games in the mid-80s, the expensive price of LaserDisc technology, and difficulty to translate.[4]
Ports
Since its original release to the arcades in Japan in 1985, Time Gal has been ported to different home formats. It was first released exclusively in Japan by Nippon Victor on the Video High Density format along with a Compact Cassette for MSX home computers in the summer of 1986.[6][12] The release of Sega CD console in 1991 spawned numerous games that took advantage of the CD technology to introduce interactive FMVs. Among the new titles, Time Gal was one of several older LaserDisc-based games that were ported to the system.[13][14]Renovation Products acquired the rights to publish Time Gal on the Sega CD, with Wolf Team handling development.[1] This port uses a smaller color palette than the original arcade, includes a video gallery that requires passwords to view each level's animation sequences, and features new opening and ending themes composed by Shinji Tamura and Motoi Sakuraba, respectively.[15][16][17] Yuriko Yamamoto returned to sing the opening song, 時空をこえて (Jikuu wo Koete, lit.'Across time and space'), with lyrics by Tomoko Nakajima.[8] American press coverage of the Japanese release prompted video game enthusiasts to contact Renovations about a Western release. The number of requests persuaded the company's president, Hide Irie, to announce a release in the United States.[18] In addition to being dubbed in English, a few death scenes in the US version were censored.[4] Renovation Productions released Time Gal, along with similar games, as part of its "Action-Reaction" series.[19]
A Macintosh version was also released in Japan in 1994.[20] A Mega-LD version was released on March 25, 1995, in Japan on the Pioneer LaserActive, which requires the Sega Mega-LD module to play Mega-LD games as well as Sega-CD ones.[21][22][23] The LaserActive version is the rarest home release of Time Gal, as well as one of the most expensive on the system among collectors.[24] The MSX version also later became an expensive collector's item. In 2019, Japanese gaming store BEEP Akihabara sold a slightly-damaged complete copy for ¥178,000 (US$1,632.88).[12]Time Gal was ported to the PlayStation in 1996 as a compilation with Ninja Hayate, another LaserDisc arcade game developed by Taito.[4][25] This release lacks the Sega CD version's additional content but features a more accurate reproduction of the animation.[4] The compilation was also released on the Sega Saturn the following year. Ecseco Development handled the conversion from the original arcade format.[26] On April 1, 2017, Taito Classics announced that they would release several of their older games onto mobile devices, with Time Gal being its first release.[27] The game was later released in Japan on April 5, 2017.[28] A navigational function and a gallery of the game's original concept art are available for purchase as microtransactions.[29]
GamePro magazine staff noted that "Japanese players ate it up" when it first released in Japanese arcades.[5] However, GameSetWatch's Todd Ciolek believed it was released too late in the life of LaserDisc games, and that players "were getting tired" of the genre's gameplay. He further commented that, despite its gameplay, it was unique and charming.[4] Larry Bundy Jr. compared the gameplay to Dragon's Lair and Space Ace, noting that the only difference is that Time Gal's death sequences depicts Reika in fan service scenes.[37]GamePro's reviewer referred to the arcade game as a "lost, LaserDisc treasure" and was enthusiastic about its Sega CD release. He called the death sequences "hilarious" and felt they reduced the tediousness of dying.[5]MEGA magazine rated the Sega CD version the number five CD game, commenting that though it lacked difficulty, it was a good showcase of the system.[36] Prior to its Sega CD release, Electronic Gaming Monthly praised the use of CD technology and felt it would be followed by titles with similar gameplay.[38] Writing for Sega Pro, Sam Hickman lauded Time Gal's visuals, praising the variety of characters, backgrounds, and settings. He called the graphics "outstanding" and the animation a "complete joy". Hickman also praised the audio and called the theme "bubbly and catchy". He summarized his review by calling the game one the of best CD games available at the time.[35]
Critics praised Time Gal's visuals. GameFan magazine, in praising Wolf Team's port of the game, complimented the Sega CD version's graphics and short load times.[1]GamePro said the animation is "great, with bright, vivid colors, and fast-paced, exciting movement" and praised the "funny gameplay" and "nonstop action".[33] Chris Bieniek of VideoGames & Computer Entertainment criticized the story as "nonsensical" and said that while the unlockable video gallery is a nice feature, it effectively eliminates any replay value, which compounds the easiness of the game to give it very low longevity. He nonetheless recommended Time Gal, based chiefly on the gameplay: "Though you never really feel like you're in control of Time Gal's movements, the zany action has an undeniable appeal that takes up a lot of the slack."[34] Shawn Sackenheim of AllGame complimented the animation, calling it "high quality", but criticized the Sega CD graphics, calling them "downgraded". He commented that, though Time Gal offered a good thrill, it lacked replay value.[15] Ciolek echoed similar statements, saying it is more enjoyable to watch than to play. He further commented that the game is frustrating and rigid when compared to more contemporary standards.[4]Electronic Gaming Monthly's group of reviewers praised the Sega CD version's graphics quality. Three of the four reviewers lauded the gameplay, specifically the challenge and format. The other reviewer stated he didn't care for this type of game, referring to the gameplay as "nothing more than memorizing".[31]
Legacy
IGN's Levi Buchanan listed interactive movie games like Time Gal as one of the reasons behind the Sega CD's commercial failure, citing them as a waste of the system's capabilities.[39] In describing the cinematic gameplay in the 2009 action game Ninja Blade, producer Masanori Takeuchi attributed the quick time event game mechanic featured in his title to LaserDisc games like Dragon's Lair and Time Gal.[40]
Todd Ciolek referred to the protagonist as one of the first human heroines in the industry. He further added that Reika was an appealing lead character that Taito could have easily turned into a mascot and featured in other games and media.[4] Bundy also noted that Reika was an early female video game protagonist, predating Samus Aran.[41] He commented, however, that her original appearance did not have much impact until Time Gal gained mainstream recognition on the Sega CD.[37] The character was later included in Alfa System's shooting gameCastle of Shikigami III—Taito published the arcade version in Japan.[4][42] In the game, Reika features attacks and a personality similar to her original debut as well as an updated visual design.[4] Reika's also appeared in the 2011 Elevator Action remake Elevator Action Deluxe as one part of downloadable content.[43]
In July 2023, a sequel titled Time Gal Re:Birth was revealed to be included as a bonus downloadable content pack for the Taito LD Game Collection.[44] It will follow a new character named Luna, who is sent on a mission to stop the villain Luda as well as Reika. The collection will also include an HD remaster of the original game as part of the base game.[45] On April 10, 2025 the game will receive a standalone release on Nintendo Switch, in Japan only, the same day the remaster will release on Steam in North America.[46]
↑ At the time, Electronic Gaming Monthly featured four review scores similar to the Japanese magazine Famitsu. Each individual score ranges from 0 to 10, and the total combined score has a total maximum of 40.
1 2 Staff (1992). Time Gal Mega CD Manual (in Japanese). Toshima, Tokyo, Japan: Wolf Team. p.2-3. Archived from the original on 11 July 2018. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
↑ Kapalka, Jeff (July 11, 1993). "'Time Gal' Delivers Animated Thrills". Syracuse Herald American. p.15. Retrieved January 18, 2018. BEING A FAN of Japanese anime (or Japanimation), I think that the animations are top-notch. Time Gal is very much in the tradition of characters like Lum from "Urusei Yatsura", "A-Ko Magami" (Project A-Ko) and Kei and Yuri, the Lovely Angels from "Dirty Pair" (does anyone out there get these references, or is it just me?), with one difference.
1 2 Bundy, Larry (2020-05-12). "Female Protagonists in Video Games Before Samus Aran". Fact Hunt: Fascinating, Funny and Downright Bizarre Facts about Video Games. United Kingdom: Unbound. p.36. ISBN9781783528325.
↑ Bundy, Larry (2020-05-12). "Female Protagonists in Video Games Before Samus Aran". Fact Hunt: Fascinating, Funny and Downright Bizarre Facts about Video Games. United Kingdom: Unbound. p.31. ISBN9781783528325.
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