Metal Stoker

• Title — Metal Stoker • Developer — Sankindo • Publisher — Face • Director — Hiroyuki Nasu • Programmer — Mikiya Nagasawa Noboru Maruyama Masayuki Akiyama • Artist — Hiroyuki Nasu Hiroki Ogawa • Composer — Hiroto Saitou Nozomu Takahashi • Released — 1991 • Genre — Multidirectional shooter • Modes — Single-player • Platforms — PC Engine

A female pilot is tasked with completing a VR training exercise and mastering the use of a prototype tank called the CS-05 Metal Stoker. However, during the course of the game, she discovers that she was actually fighting a real battle rather than performing in a simulation.

• Illustration — The first level The player assumes the role of a female pilot (presented only in several cut-scenes) controlling a prototype CS-05 tank. The tank can move and shoot in any direction, it is also possible to strafe as the tank's firing position can be locked at any time by pressing the second action button. The action is presented in a top-down perspective and takes place across 7 large fields full of enemies and obstacles, with each level being composed of several sub-stages. Most of the levels feature free-directional scrolling areas allowing the players to seek out items and enemies however they wish. Progressing through a stage requires the fulfillment of a necessary condition (usually the destruction of a group of enemies or a mini-boss), an arrow and a Go! sign appear when the conditions are met. Scattered across the stages the players can find extra lives, energy refills and power pods which expand the tank's arsenal. There are five types of weapons available: a rapid firing machine gun, a double barreled laser beam, mines, homing missiles and a force field that damages anything that runs into it. Each weapon can be powered-up by collecting the same power pod twice and can also unleash a special attack (activated by pressing Select).

Metal Stoker was created by Japanese video game developer Sankindo, who had previously worked on games like Cross Wiber and Time Cruise. Japanese film director Hiroyuki Nasu, famous for his award-winning film adaptation of the manga Bee Bop High School, was in charge of the game's direction and graphic design. The game's soundtrack was composed by Hiroto Saitou, who would later work on the PS3 adventure game Folklore (2007), and Nozomu Takahashi who, following the release of Metal Stoker, became a production manager for Studio Ghibli.