<s>
Steel	B-Application
Empire	I-Application
(	O
originally	O
released	O
as	O
in	O
Japan	O
,	O
and	O
otherwise	O
known	O
in	O
various	O
English	O
materials	O
as	O
The	O
Steel	B-Application
Empire	I-Application
or	O
Empire	B-Application
of	I-Application
Steel	I-Application
)	O
is	O
a	O
horizontally	O
scrolling	O
shooter	O
released	O
on	O
the	O
Sega	B-Operating_System
Genesis	I-Operating_System
1992	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Versions	O
for	O
the	O
Game	B-Device
Boy	I-Device
Advance	I-Device
were	O
released	O
in	O
2004	O
and	O
a	O
Nintendo	B-Operating_System
3DS	I-Operating_System
in	O
2014	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
is	O
scheduled	O
to	O
release	O
for	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
in	O
2023	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Steel	B-Application
Empire	I-Application
is	O
notable	O
amongst	O
shoot	O
'	O
em	O
up	O
games	O
for	O
its	O
unique	O
aesthetic	O
designs	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mostly	O
low-tech	O
in	O
nature	O
,	O
with	O
its	O
being	O
set	O
in	O
the	O
late-19th	O
century	O
of	O
an	O
alternate	O
world	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
aircraft	O
,	O
weaponry	O
,	O
powerups	B-Operating_System
,	O
environments	O
,	O
enemies	O
and	O
bosses	O
are	O
heavily	O
stylized	O
adding	O
strong	O
steampunk	O
elements	O
to	O
the	O
style	O
,	O
themes	O
and	O
visuals	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
original	O
leaked	O
Japanese	O
arcade	B-Application
beta	I-Application
version	I-Application
(	O
now	O
rare	O
and	O
the	O
source	O
code	O
of	O
which	O
is	O
believed	O
lost	O
)	O
,	O
the	O
popular	O
Mega	B-Operating_System
Drive	I-Operating_System
version	O
and	O
the	O
GBA	B-Device
remake	O
were	O
all	O
critically	O
well	O
received	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
My	O
idea	O
for	O
Steel	B-Application
Empire	I-Application
was	O
to	O
bring	O
those	O
designs	O
to	O
life	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Instead	O
they	O
were	O
published	O
by	O
Flying	O
Edge	O
and	O
Cube	O
Corporation	O
,	O
which	O
eventually	O
ended	O
up	O
on	O
the	O
Sega	B-Operating_System
Mega	I-Operating_System
Drive	I-Operating_System
as	O
Steel	B-Application
Empire	I-Application
and	O
minor	O
variants	O
across	O
PAL	B-Language
territories	O
in	O
1992	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
in-game	O
credits	O
of	O
Western	O
versions	O
specify	O
that	O
the	O
inspiration	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
came	O
from	O
the	O
1819	O
novel	O
Imperio	O
do	O
Aceiro	O
(	O
Empire	B-Application
of	I-Application
Steel	I-Application
)	O
by	O
Caar	O
H	O
.	O
Schitch	O
,	O
but	O
there	O
is	O
no	O
meaningful	O
evidence	O
that	O
this	O
book	O
actually	O
exists	O
outside	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
universe	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sega	O
contracted	O
well	O
known	O
cover	O
artist	O
Marc	O
Ericksen	O
for	O
Steel	B-Application
Empire	I-Application
's	O
retro	O
steam	O
era	O
look	O
,	O
closely	O
following	O
the	O
inventive	O
creations	O
battling	O
onscreen	O
(	O
see	O
above	O
right	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
requested	O
him	O
to	O
specifically	O
design	O
and	O
execute	O
the	O
battle	O
scarred	O
steel	O
plate	O
title	O
block	O
logo	O
,	O
which	O
appeared	O
as	O
both	O
the	O
"	O
Steel	B-Application
Empire	I-Application
"	O
and	O
"	O
Empire	B-Application
of	I-Application
Steel	I-Application
"	O
iterations	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
General	O
Styron	O
's	O
Steel	B-Application
Empire	I-Application
are	O
commonly	O
called	O
the	O
Motorheads	O
by	O
their	O
subjects	O
and	O
enemies	O
alike	O
,	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
Steel	B-Application
Empire	I-Application
's	O
emblem	O
of	O
a	O
blue-grey	O
,	O
steel	O
,	O
mustachioed	O
colossal	O
head	O
,	O
sometimes	O
emitting	O
steam	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
is	O
the	O
Republic	O
of	O
Silverhead	O
,	O
placed	O
far	O
from	O
the	O
reach	O
of	O
the	O
Steel	B-Application
Empire	I-Application
,	O
centered	O
in	O
Antarctica	O
,	O
and	O
where	O
some	O
of	O
the	O
greatest	O
minds	O
in	O
the	O
world	O
have	O
fled	O
from	O
Styron	O
's	O
tyranny	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
If	O
the	O
wider	O
world	O
were	O
to	O
also	O
harness	O
the	O
power	O
of	O
lightning	B-Architecture
and	O
the	O
atom	O
,	O
it	O
could	O
pose	O
a	O
threat	O
to	O
Styron	O
's	O
coal	O
and	O
steam-based	O
status	O
quo	O
,	O
and	O
so	O
all	O
"	O
abominations	O
of	O
nature	O
"	O
the	O
dictator	O
would	O
see	O
ended	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Silverhead	O
have	O
a	O
small	O
yet	O
elite	O
air	O
force	O
,	O
whose	O
symbol	O
is	O
a	O
silver	O
eagle	B-Protocol
with	O
a	O
star	O
between	O
its	O
wings	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Silverhead	O
air	O
force	O
is	O
also	O
feared	O
for	O
the	O
"	O
Imamio	O
Thunder	O
"	O
–	O
known	O
as	O
the	O
"	O
Lightning	B-Architecture
Bomb	O
"	O
to	O
Silverhead	O
's	O
enemies	O
–	O
which	O
is	O
more	O
powerful	O
than	O
anything	O
in	O
Motorhead	O
's	O
arsenal	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
further	O
several	O
missions	O
will	O
take	O
the	O
player	O
into	O
the	O
vast	O
subterranean	O
(	O
and	O
partially	O
submerged	O
)	O
caverns	O
of	O
Liedengel	O
where	O
Motorhead	O
is	O
gathering	O
a	O
surprise	O
attack	O
force	O
against	O
Silverhead	O
;	O
Sky	O
District	O
Zektor	O
;	O
and	O
the	O
foremost	O
defenses	O
of	O
the	O
Steel	B-Application
Empire	I-Application
–	O
the	O
heavily	O
fortified	O
Gardandi	O
Islands	O
,	O
which	O
lay	O
in	O
front	O
of	O
Dama	O
,	O
Motorhead	O
's	O
capital	O
city	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Steel	B-Application
Empire	I-Application
is	O
a	O
multi-directional	O
scrolling	O
shooter	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
unlike	O
many	O
scrolling	O
shooters	O
,	O
Steel	B-Application
Empire	I-Application
allows	O
the	O
player	O
to	O
fire	O
from	O
behind	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
ahead	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Small	O
blasts	O
of	O
explosive	O
directed	O
energy	O
are	O
used	O
by	O
the	O
aircraft	O
fighters	O
of	O
Silverhead	O
as	O
a	O
form	O
of	O
standard	O
,	O
unlimited	O
ammunition	O
;	O
although	O
this	O
is	O
not	O
greatly	O
effective	O
against	O
the	O
majority	O
of	O
the	O
heavily	O
armored	O
forces	O
of	O
the	O
Steel	B-Application
Empire	I-Application
and	O
its	O
allies	O
,	O
and	O
is	O
virtually	O
ineffective	O
against	O
the	O
bosses	O
and	O
mini-bosses	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
have	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
collect	O
powerups	B-Operating_System
by	O
flying	O
into	O
them	O
,	O
although	O
the	O
best	O
tend	O
to	O
be	O
in	O
hard-to-reach	O
places	O
,	O
or	O
in	O
the	O
center	O
of	O
enemy	O
formations	O
,	O
or	O
dropped	O
by	O
the	O
bigger	O
,	O
and	O
tougher	O
enemies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
powerups	B-Operating_System
include	O
:	O
</s>
<s>
Imamio	O
Thunder	O
,	O
commonly	O
known	O
as	O
lightning	B-Architecture
bombs	O
,	O
are	O
what	O
the	O
Motorheads	O
fear	O
the	O
most	O
,	O
for	O
they	O
are	O
bewildered	O
by	O
its	O
nature	O
and	O
have	O
little	O
defense	O
against	O
it	O
in	O
their	O
ships	O
made	O
of	O
steel	O
and	O
conductive	O
metals	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Imamio	O
is	O
the	O
most	O
powerful	O
weapon	O
in	O
Silverhead	O
's	O
arsenal	O
,	O
and	O
therefore	O
your	O
most	O
effective	O
weapon	O
against	O
the	O
forces	O
of	O
the	O
Steel	B-Application
Empire	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
large	O
black	O
orb	O
which	O
is	O
fired	O
from	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
ship	O
vertically	O
upwards	O
,	O
expanding	O
and	O
transforming	O
rapidly	O
to	O
reveal	O
a	O
skull-and-lightning	O
symbol	O
,	O
the	O
Imamio	O
quickly	O
explodes	O
a	O
few	O
dozen	O
feet	O
above	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
explosion	O
of	O
the	O
Imamio	O
causes	O
hundreds	O
of	O
extremely	O
high-temperature	O
,	O
high-energy	O
streaks	O
of	O
lightning	B-Architecture
to	O
rain	O
down	O
that	O
heavily	O
damage	O
any	O
aircraft	O
or	O
ground-based	O
enemy	O
in	O
the	O
vicinity	O
which	O
is	O
composed	O
of	O
conductive	O
metals	O
;	O
the	O
Silverhead	O
crafts	O
are	O
designed	O
with	O
non-conductive	O
materials	O
to	O
withstand	O
such	O
a	O
bombardment	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Imamio	O
can	O
be	O
used	O
to	O
clear	O
almost	O
all	O
typical	O
Steel	B-Application
Empire	I-Application
enemies	O
from	O
the	O
screen	O
,	O
and	O
is	O
capable	O
of	O
wiping	O
out	O
entire	O
Motorhead	O
squadrons	O
at	O
once	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Due	O
to	O
the	O
rarity	O
of	O
lightning	B-Architecture
bombs	O
,	O
they	O
are	O
best	O
used	O
with	O
strategy	O
,	O
and	O
sparingly	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Steel	B-Application
Empire	I-Application
features	O
a	O
kind	O
of	O
leveling-up	O
system	O
;	O
every	O
three	O
powerups	B-Operating_System
increase	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
firepower	O
strength	O
by	O
one	O
level	O
,	O
up	O
to	O
a	O
maximum	O
of	O
20	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
If	O
the	O
player	O
uses	O
a	O
continue	O
,	O
their	O
level	O
is	O
retained	O
and	O
enemies	O
will	O
continue	O
to	O
drop	O
powerups	B-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
bosses	O
and	O
mini-bosses	O
include	O
larger	O
and	O
more	O
heavily	O
armored	O
rare	O
enemies	O
such	O
as	O
flying	O
ironclads	B-Application
,	O
and	O
gigantic	O
,	O
steampunk-inspired	O
mechanical	O
golems	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
One	O
of	O
the	O
two	O
options	O
is	O
the	O
eagle-like	O
"	O
Striker	O
"	O
–	O
a	O
small	O
,	O
light	O
,	O
swift	O
and	O
maneuverable	O
attack	O
aircraft	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
other	O
option	O
of	O
craft	O
available	O
to	O
the	O
player	O
is	O
the	O
"	O
Z-01	O
"	O
or	O
"	O
ZEP-01	O
"	O
;	O
the	O
first	O
line	O
of	O
the	O
code	O
being	O
"	O
Zeppelin	B-Application
"	O
,	O
a	O
reference	O
to	O
the	O
fact	O
the	O
Z-01	O
is	O
a	O
form	O
of	O
rigid	O
airship	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unlike	O
most	O
Zeppelins	B-Application
,	O
however	O
,	O
the	O
Z-01	O
does	O
not	O
rely	O
on	O
gas	O
or	O
wind	O
for	O
movement	O
,	O
but	O
with	O
advanced	O
energy	O
maneuvering	O
rockets	O
,	O
and	O
is	O
significantly	O
armored	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Steel	B-Application
Empire	I-Application
saw	O
successful	O
sales	O
in	O
both	O
markets	O
,	O
and	O
acquired	O
cult	O
status	O
in	O
Japan	O
,	O
and	O
to	O
a	O
lesser	O
degree	O
also	O
in	O
the	O
Western	O
world	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Computer	O
and	O
Videogames	O
Magazine	O
Issue	O
126	O
gave	O
Steel	B-Application
Empire	I-Application
a	O
score	O
of	O
90%	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2004	O
,	O
a	O
port	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
for	O
the	O
Game	B-Device
Boy	I-Device
Advance	I-Device
was	O
released	O
in	O
Japan	O
by	O
Starfish	O
Inc.(ja )	O
,	O
made	O
up	O
of	O
members	O
of	O
the	O
original	O
developer	O
HOT・B	O
,	O
retitled	O
Koutetsu	O
Teikoku	O
from	O
HOT・B	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2005	O
,	O
British-based	O
software	O
house	O
Zushi	O
Games	O
–	O
ZOO	O
Digital	O
Publishing	O
brought	O
this	O
remake	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
to	O
Western	O
markets	O
as	O
Steel	B-Application
Empire	I-Application
for	O
the	O
GBA	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
features	O
numerous	O
alterations	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
function	O
on	O
the	O
smaller	O
screen	O
of	O
the	O
Game	B-Device
Boy	I-Device
Advance	I-Device
,	O
including	O
alterations	O
to	O
some	O
boss	O
attack	O
patterns	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2012	O
,	O
in	O
response	O
to	O
some	O
calls	O
for	O
a	O
new	O
remake	O
of	O
Steel	B-Application
Empire	I-Application
,	O
original	O
HOT・B	O
lead	O
game	O
designer	O
Yoshinori	O
Satake	O
stated	O
that	O
it	O
"	O
would	O
be	O
great	O
"	O
if	O
it	O
could	O
be	O
made	O
available	O
on	O
a	O
modern	O
,	O
7th	O
generation	O
console	O
via	O
online	O
distribution	O
,	O
but	O
a	O
direct	O
remake	O
of	O
Steel	B-Application
Empire	I-Application
is	O
today	O
unlikely	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
Satake	O
,	O
"	O
the	O
arcade	O
and	O
Mega	B-Operating_System
Drive	I-Operating_System
source	O
code	O
has	O
been	O
lost	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
there	O
have	O
been	O
technical	O
difficulties	O
in	O
porting	O
the	O
game	O
already	O
due	O
to	O
some	O
of	O
the	O
more	O
idiosyncratic	O
features	O
of	O
the	O
Mega	B-Operating_System
Drive	I-Operating_System
version	O
(	O
such	O
as	O
cinematics	O
,	O
effects	O
,	O
bosses	O
,	O
music	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
"	O
To	O
make	O
a	O
proper	O
sequel	O
I	O
'd	O
probably	O
need	O
more	O
development	O
funds	O
than	O
we	O
had	O
for	O
the	O
GBA	B-Device
version	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Steel	B-Application
Empire	I-Application
was	O
a	O
sepia-colored	O
steampunk	O
world	O
,	O
but	O
this	O
would	O
be	O
a	O
dark	O
,	O
grey	O
steampunk	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
August	O
2013	O
,	O
Starfish	O
announced	O
its	O
intention	O
to	O
release	O
another	O
remake	O
of	O
Steel	B-Application
Empire	I-Application
,	O
this	O
time	O
for	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Operating_System
3DS	I-Operating_System
handheld	O
system	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
3DS	B-Operating_System
version	O
would	O
take	O
advantage	O
of	O
the	O
handheld	O
's	O
3D	O
screen	O
and	O
feature	O
additional	O
graphic	O
and	O
difficulty	O
improvements	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
July	O
2014	O
,	O
Nintendo	O
itself	O
announced	O
that	O
Steel	B-Application
Empire	I-Application
would	O
be	O
released	O
by	O
Teyon	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
for	O
Nintendo	B-Operating_System
3DS	I-Operating_System
as	O
a	O
download	O
from	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Application
eShop	I-Application
on	O
July	O
31	O
,	O
2014	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
August	O
2022	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
announced	O
that	O
Mebius	O
would	O
be	O
releasing	O
the	O
game	O
for	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
in	O
2023	O
.	O
</s>
