Overview
Whip Rush, developed by Vic Tokai and published by Renovation Products is an early Mega Drive/Sega Genesis side-scrolling shooter. It is similar to R-Type, albeit never achieving the same amount of success. The game is the sole entry in the franchise, despite the popularity of side-scrolling shooters in the era.
Story
As with most games of this type, the story is light and inconsequential. In the year 2222 AD three ships set out from Earth on an exploratory mission. Five years later (2227 AD, the year in which the events of the game take place), the ships are presumed lost. Their final transmission was "We are approaching the planet Voltegeus..." (The planet's name is also spelt as Voltegas). Soon after a Voltegian fleet materializes near Mars, spurring the action in the game.
Two informal subtitles exist for the game, both which reference the story elements: "Whip Rush: Mystery of the planet Voltegas" and "Whip Rush 2222 AD: The Invasion of the Voltegians". As noted above, however, the second subtitle can be considered incorrect, due to the invasion happening five years after 2222 AD.
Gameplay
Whip Rush is a standard side scrolling space shooter. The level scrolls from right to left and the player's ship can move freely within space as it scrolls by. As the level scrolls, enemies and obstacles are encountered.
Like other games in the genre, Whip Rush features an upgrade system, in which four different weapons are available: laser, missile, fireball, and power claw. Each weapon can be upgraded three times.
Whip Rush is notable for providing variable speeds when controlling the ship, allowing for finer control when moving amongst enemies and obstacles.
The amount of lives given to the player at the beginning of the game depends on the difficulty setting.
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