Under Defeat
Set in an alternative history where all-out war has erupted, development of this new release falls into the capable hands of City Connection, under supervision by Takehiro Eda and Zerodiv Fukushima Factory, well known in the shooter community for their high-quality ports of classic games. A popular arcade shooter from G.rev, Under Defeat originally released in 2005 and attracted a legion of fans thanks to its high-octane gameplay, as one or two players assume control of a heavily armed helicopter, taking on a non-stop assault of fighters, played across a semi-isometric playfield, with the unique ability to tilt shots left or right when attacking your enemy. Renowned for its explosive 3D graphics and high intensity gameplay, Under Defeat features no less than three game modes offering high levels of replayability, all of which have been integrated under supervision of G.rev. Arcade Mode faithfully replicates the original arcade experience, with a 4:3 ratio and a pseudo vertical screen. New Order Mode adapts the game for modern displays, transforming the adrenaline packed shooting action to widescreen 16:9 ratio, and New Order Mode+ brings a host of additional elements to the game, not least being a “WARNING GAUGE,” which adds a risk/reward mechanic to assist the player as they shoot, bomb and swerve through the hordes of enemy invaders. In addition, Under Defeat comes complete with an incredible soundtrack, newly boosted by video game music veteran, Shinji Hosoe (Ridge Racer series, Tekken series, etc.) and his company, Super Sweep.
SCREENSHOTS
HISTORY
Under Defeat is a 2005 vertical-scrolling shoot 'em up developed by G.rev for the Sega NAOMI arcade board.
The game is set in an alternate history WWII where two powers, the Empire and the Union are at war. You play as two German helicopter pilots in service to the Empire.
For replay videos, visit the Video Index.
Gameplay Overview
Under Defeat is a vertical, two-button shooter. Your helicopter has two weapons: a primary shot, and an Option. The primary shot consists of two anti-air vulcans and a center vulcan that can target both air and ground targets. The Option passively charges when you aren't shooting. Once fully charged, pressing the fire button will release it.
Both the primary shot and the Option can be aimed by moving left and right. Holding fire locks your aim. The game features two aiming styles, Normal and Reverse. With Normal, your helicopter aims in the direction of your movement, and with Reverse, your helicopter aims in the direction opposite to your movement.
Controls
A: Shoot / Release charged option
B: Bomb
Ships
NOTE: The original arcade and Dreamcast versions only include the VKL 5.03.
Options
There are three Option types. You start the game with the Vulcan and switch out your Option type by grabbing the Option item, which continuously cycles through the three types as it bounces around the screen. Picking up an Option item while your meter is on cooldown will automatically reset the cooldown, allowing you to charge again immediately.
Bombs
The player can hold up to 6 bombs at once. Bombs damage everything on screen and render the player invulnerable for a short period of time.
System Mechanics
Rank
Each stage has a base rank value. Your rank is calculated by adding the base value to a "rank offset", which can increase or decrease depending on how you are performing. Rank offset increases at the end of each stage when no-missing and/or no-bombing the stage. Dying decreases the rank offset by 1. Because the game has no extends (score-based or otherwise), there is no reasonable way to mitigate rank, nor is it worth doing so. These are the base rank values for each stage:
Rank primarily affects enemy fire rate and bullet speed. This is especially pronounced on the second loop, where base rank is dramatically increased. When practicing stages, it is advisable to set the rank offset to +10 to simulate the worst-case scenario.
Scoring
Enemies destroyed by the Option grant double the points, meaning that enemies with high score values are a priority target. Picking up the same type of option grants a flat 5000. Tick points are gained by shooting both destructible and indestructible objects. You also receive the following bonuses at the end of each stage:
Skill Assessment - Proportional to Contribution Percentage. Doubled if Contribution is 100%, doubled at 1 life, and tripled at 0 lives.
Fuel Conservation- The amount of time left on the boss timer multiplied by 1000.
Ammo Conservation - The number of bombs left over at the end of a stage multiplied by 10000.
Contribution
Your Contribution Percentage is the percentage of "contribution targets" that were destroyed during the stage. Many high-health tanks and turrets are contribution targets, as are certain background elements such as the howitzers in stage 1 or the ship antennae in stage 2. Random zako tanks can also spawn as contribution targets, denoted by striped paint or darker coloration.
There are also a handful of easter egg contribution targets that are easy to miss:
Near the end of stage 1, a VIP car will drive out of the building by the edge of the water.
In stage 2, during the boss battleship fight, there are two blue airplanes perched on the stern of the ship.
Near the end of stage 3, a harmless lone vehicle will drive down the road before the exploding bridge.
Loops
In order to reach the second loop, one must clear the game with an average Contribution Percentage of >95%. The second loop is a mirrored version of the first loop featuring alternate environments. Since base rank starts at +19, enemies fire more often and bullets are faster. Some enemies have different behaviors (e.g. the towers in 2-1 aim instead of firing straight forward), and others spawn revenge bullets on death.
Strategy
See (Template Page)/Strategy for stage maps, enemy and boss descriptions, walkthroughs, and advanced play strategies.
Target prioritization and screen management are highly important due to your narrow primary shot. If too many enemies clump up on screen, it's easy to get overwhelmed by intersecting bullet patterns. If you route correctly, micro-dodging is rarely a necessity.
The Option is key to both scoring and survival. The Rocket does massive damage against bosses and can one-shot large groups of enemies, while the Vulcan and Cannon can supplement your DPS and/or cover blind spots. The Option is immune to bullets, but can be destroyed if it collides with an enemy.
Version Differences
The game was ported to the Dreamcast a year after its initial arcade release. The Dreamcast port is identical to the arcade version. In 2012, Under Defeat HD was released for PS3 and Xbox 360, featuring a 16:9 mode and updated graphics. Yet another revision, Under Defeat HD+ is available on most modern platforms.
HD/HD+ has some extra features, including:
Two extra helicopters
New Order Mode, a 16:9 mode
Arranged New Order Mode
Arranged soundtracks
Rank/Contribution display
Twin stick support
In addition to new features, there appear to be a few gameplay differences between the arcade and HD versions:
Enemies seem to fire faster and more often in the original (needs confirmation)
There are some bugs/unintentional changes, like the ability to shoot the stage 2 boss while it is offscreen.
HD suffers from slowdown that isn't present in the original (fixed in HD+)
Trivia
The cows at the beginning of stage 1 are possibly a reference to the background cows that appear in every Yagawa shoot 'em up (Battle Garegga, Ibara, etc.)
Under Defeat was one of the last games released on the Sega Dreamcast. The last five games released on the platform were all shoot 'em ups, the others being Trizeal, Radirgy, Triggerheart Exelica, and Karous.
References & Contributors
1. Page text, info, and formatting by Reflector88
1CC RUNS
One-credit clears we point to as the benchmark for this game.
Show all 17 runs
TRAILERS
STORES best right now: Xbox −50%
Prices are cached from each storefront and may be out of date. Last checked 24 Sept 2026.
PRICE HISTORY
Every price change we know of, per shop. Flat means the price held; PC shops reach back through IsThereAnyDeal's archive, console shops start when this site started watching.
Nintendo eShop low: $6.99 (28 Aug 2026) , PlayStation Store low: $6.99 (27 Aug 2026) , Steam low: $9.99 (11 Sep 2026) , Xbox low: $9.99 (17 Sep 2026)
REVIEWS
Published elsewhere, collected here. Every score is the outlet's own, on the outlet's own scale. Follow the link for the full review.
“Under Defeat is a fine example of how when a good port is produced it can make a world of difference. I had this game on PS3 and it made such a little impression that I was apprehensive to cover it, but I am so glad I did. Clear River Games have absolutely knocked this game out of the park with all the available content and the clean-up job they have done, turning what was originally a “meh” game in my eyes into a top-tier shmup. It’s a hardcore shmup through and through, but with various control schemes, outstanding soundtracks, and various ways to play it through I’m absolutely in love with”
“Under Defeat is a superb game, which quite rightly earned plaudits upon release and still feels like an essential part of anyone’s shoot ‘em up library.”
“While Under Defeat does show its age - particularly with the UI - it still manages to be a brilliant challenging shoot-'em-up that has some quite unique elements. Boasting some glorious couch co-op action, some banging soundtrack options and a fierce challenge for any arcade shooting aficionados, this is one of the very best games of its kind.”
“Under Defeat is such a challenging explosion-filled shoot 'em up that it's hard to put it down, especially with its distinct modes and helicopters to pilot. Throw in flashy visuals and a great soundtrack and you have one radical arcade shooter. 🚁”
“Under Defeat brings together all versions of the game and even includes a new one, even if with few differences in fact, creating an aura of a full-bodied version of a title that can be considered a modern classic of the genre. If you are a fan and enthusiast of shoot 'em ups, you definitely need to add this one to your library.”
“Where helicopter gunship-themed video games are concerned, Under Defeat is one of the best ever. It signifies a point in time when the shoot 'em up was being propelled by a new area of creativity, and young development studios like G.Rev were leading the charge. Love it or loathe it, its lock-shot strafe and creeping bullet patterns work terrifically once you get a feel for them, and there's a cinematic scale to it all that feels somehow poignant. It's not the longest game, nor the most visually diverse, but it does what it sets out to do exceptionally well.”
“Even twenty years later, Under Defeat remains a fantastic STG well worth playing. Its progression feels satisfying, and the game never comes across as brutally unfair. When you do die, it’s usually because you’ve boxed yourself into a pattern with no way out.”
“Under Defeat (2025) is a remaster of the expertly crafted 2005 vertical shooter, offering tight gameplay, striking art, infectious music, and shmup-friendly extras that make its high difficulty rewarding and replayable.”
“The latest iteration of Under Defeat shows just how solid the original game was and remains to this day. It's simple yet effective take on the shmmup genre still provides a great challenge with fun gameplay that drives you to keep coming back again and again to better your score. Unfortunately, if it hasn't hooked you in the past, this version isn't really going to do much else to suck you in. The new additions help sweeten the pot for long-time fans but just don't do enough to pull in any new ones. All in all: fans of the game will enjoy coming back and appreciate having access to a shmup-gr”
“This is the definitive version of the game. Under Defeat is a game that feels like it never got a chance to breathe, so it is nice to finally have the ultimate version of the game available for just about every modern console and PC. This is a must have for shooter fans, definitely worth the price of admission.”
“This one’s just really darn fun to scorechase in, and I definitely see myself revisiting those Arcade leaderboards over and over in the months to come, especially with how silky smooth this port feels as a whole.”
“Under Defeat is a solid addition to the continually growing Nintendo Switch SHMUP library. It's a well-executed port that retains the ballistic awe and intensity of the original arcade game.”
Reviews are the work of the outlets named. Titles, scores and quoted excerpts are reproduced for identification and criticism; each links to the original.