Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Fantasy Zone delivers a vibrant take on the classic arcade shooter formula, tasking players with piloting the ship Opa-Opa across eight uniquely themed planets. Each world brims with colorful creatures and hidden bases, challenging you to seek out and obliterate enemy installations before the planet’s boss will even show its face. The core loop of blasting foes, searching for bases via radar and collecting scattered coins keeps the pace brisk and engaging.

Between waves of enemies, you’ll dock at parts shops to upgrade your ship’s firepower, speed and defense using the hard-earned coins you recover. These shops introduce an element of strategic resource management: do you splurge early on enhanced weapons, or hoard funds for a later, more powerful engine boost? Those brief shopping interludes often change the tide of battle, turning challenging segments into breezy cruises through enemy formations.

Multiple versions of Fantasy Zone introduce subtle gameplay tweaks. The Master System port cuts the number of bases per level from ten to six and removes the base radar, amplifying the sense of exploration. The NES ports further adjust base counts and boss encounters, while the Sharp X68000 arrange mode adds a letter-collection gimmick and even unlocks a bonus Space Harrier–themed stage. On 3DS, you can customize lives, difficulty and firing speed, plus carry over coins between sessions—features that modernize the experience without diluting its arcade spirit.

Graphics

From the moment you blast off into the Fantasy Zone, the game’s bright, eye-catching palette stands out. Planets glow in neon hues against a backdrop of swirling galaxies, and each enemy design feels bursting with personality—whether it’s a grinning snake or a mechanical crab. Sprites are crisp and animate smoothly, retaining their charm even on smaller screens.

Despite hardware limitations of the era, Fantasy Zone artfully conveys depth through parallax scrolling, making each planet feel like a living world. The sense of movement is constant, with foreground and background layers drifting at different speeds. This visual trick enhances immersion and helps you track incoming threats while scanning for hidden bases.

The 3DS version and newer ports polish the original pixel art with slightly refined animations and more vivid color palettes, though they always maintain the classic arcade look. Animations for boss fights, explosions and shop menus are fluid and responsive. Subtle touches—like the blinking radar icon when a base is nearby—add clarity without cluttering the screen.

Story

At its heart, Fantasy Zone spins a simple yet engaging yarn: the eight-planet solar system is under siege by the nefarious Menons, whose scheme involves misappropriating foreign currency to build a fearsome army. Your mission is straightforward—recover all the lost coins scattered across each world and thwart the invaders before they overrun the zone. It’s the kind of high-concept premise that fits perfectly within a quick-hit arcade experience.

While the narrative doesn’t unfold through lengthy cutscenes, each planet’s unique design and the progression of increasingly inventive bosses convey a sense of escalating stakes. From the candy-hued fields of Planet 1 to the mechanical fortresses of Planet 8, you can almost feel the Menons tightening their grip as you advance.

Additional modes in later ports, such as the Upa-Upa mode on 3DS where you command Opa-Opa’s brother with on-the-fly weapon switching, add playful twists to the storyline. Even the alternate ending and the cameo of Sega Master System–style bosses provide fan-service nods that enrich the game’s lore and encourage multiple playthroughs.

Overall Experience

Fantasy Zone strikes an exceptional balance between pick-up-and-play simplicity and deeper strategic layers. Its blend of action, exploration and progression keeps you invested across all eight planets without ever feeling repetitive. The checkpoint-and-shop system means you’re never too far from customizing your playstyle, whether you prefer blazing through levels or meticulously clearing each stage.

Replay value is superb, thanks to difficulty settings, alternate modes and the sheer joy of chasing higher coin tallies. Two-player alternating mode fosters friendly competition, as you compare how many bases you can find or which weapons loadout works best. On modern platforms like the 3DS eShop, the ability to carry over coins and unlock extras rewards dedicated players with fresh challenges.

Overall, Fantasy Zone remains a standout in Sega’s arcade library. Its charismatic visuals, tightly tuned controls and addictive upgrade system make it a must-play for fans of retro shooters and newcomers seeking a lively arcade experience. Whether you’re after a quick session or a marathon coin-collection spree, the solar system of Fantasy Zone offers bright, buoyant fun from start to finish.

Retro Replay Score

7.4/10