Cyber-Lip

Overview

Cyber-Lip is a sci-fi side-scrolling run-and-gun game developed and released by SNK for arcades (running Neo-Geo MVS hardware) on November 7, 1990. It was also released for the Neo Geo AES for all regions during their respective launch dates and ported to the Neo Geo CD (with added cutscenes) on April 21, 1995.

Set in futuristic 2030, players play as soldiers Roy and Brook as they shoot their way through an army of military androids in Colony C05 to take out a large malfunctioning supercomputer behind it all (the Cyber-Lip Master Defense Computer). The game draws heavy inspiration gameplay-wise from Konami's Contra series.

Gameplay

Taking inspiration from the Contra franchise, Cyber-Lip is a 2D side-scrolling shooter (with many platforming aspects as well). The game can be played with two players in a cooperative mode, but that does not differ much besides the added player. Each level consists of the main level, and then a boss at the end. To help along the way are many power-ups that affect rate of fire, type of bullets, power, etc. Unlike Contra, the weapons can be stored and cycled through.

There are other power-ups as well, including the shield (which is a rotating shield protecting the player from any enemy fire). One notable difference from other popular shooters of the time is the platform-like bot that the player rides on after dying. From there, the player can fly anywhere in the stage (albeit at the same or only slightly faster speed as walking). From this little platform, the player can shoot as well. The catch to this bot is that it is only triggered when the player respawns from death.