City Connection has announced Metal Black S-Tribute will launch in February 2023.

Metal Black S-Tribute is launching on February 1st for Windows PC (via Steam), with console ports planned for Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 4.

Metal Black S-Tribute is the latest in City Connection’s series of re-releases. Previous ports include: Layer Section & Galactic Attack, Cleopatra Fortune, and Elevator Action Returns.

Here’s a rundown on Metal Black S-Tribute:

Metal Black S-Tribute

Metal Black was originally released as a side-scrolling shooter arcade game by Taito in 1991. This game is a reproduction of the home console version released by Bing in 1996.

Power-ups

Level up your beam by grabbing the power-ups floating on screen called NEWALONE (round molecules colored red, blue, and yellow). There are five levels (the highest being MAX) to power up your shots.

When the beam gauge is full, you can perform beam energy attacks. However, the beam gauge will decrease with each of these attacks, and once it is empty the beam energy attack cannot be used.

There are two types of beam energy attacks.

• Focused Beam: Makes a focused attack to the front while the energy shot button is pressed and held. When the beam gauge is at maximum, this will fire MAX lasers.
• Release Beam: When the beam gauge level is at MAX, pressing the energy shot button will fire an attack that damages all enemies.

The boss of each stage also launches beam energy attacks. When the beam from your ship collides with the beam from a boss, the interference creates a huge ball of energy, which moves from the side with a higher gauge to the side with a lower gauge.

Convenient features and option settings only available in S-Tribute

• Rewind – Rewind gameplay a by certain amount of time and resume.
• Slow Mode – Slow game pace down with a single button press.
• Quick Save/Load – Save game state at any point.
• Online Ranking – Switch to online ranking mode in settings to enter your score into the online leaderboards and check how you compare with others.
• Unlimited Credits – The limit on the number of continues can be disabled, allowing for infinite continues.
• Stage Select – The game can be started from any stage.
• Energy Acquisition Amount – Change the amount of energy increased when acquiring NEWALONE. Raising the amount makes it possible to easily reach maximum power and casually enjoy the game. Lowering the amount makes it harder to accumulate energy, so that gameplay is more challenging.
• Energy Release Amount – Change the amount of energy decreased when performing a beam energy attack. Lowering the amount makes it possible to use the attack longer, raising the amount shortens the attack.
• Scan Lines – Mimics the nostalgic CRT monitor display.

S-TRIBUTE

Reprints of classics produced and developed by City Connection with the Zebra Engine during the Saturn era. Play a variety of titles with improved controls and new features.