Fantasy Zone II - Opa-Opa no Namida (Japan)

Fantasy Zone II - Opa-Opa no Namida is a unique side-scrolling shoot 'em up where players control the protagonist, Opa-Opa, a sentient and expressive spaceship. The primary objective of the game is to fly through vibrant and imaginative areas, destroying enemy bases known as "generators" to unlock the stage's boss.

A significant distinction of Fantasy Zone II - Opa-Opa no Namida from traditional shooters is its free-roaming movement. Opa-Opa can fly backward, forward, up, and down within the confines of the current screen, allowing players to explore the area and locate enemy bases flexibly. Defeated enemies drop coins, which are crucial and can be used to purchase upgrades from mobile "Shop" balloons that periodically appear during gameplay. These upgrades include various weapons like wide shot, laser, twin shot, and bombs, as well as engine parts to increase movement speed and extra lives.

The NES version of Fantasy Zone II - Opa-Opa no Namida also introduces a unique "Multi-Zone" system. Instead of simply flying through a linear stage, players will find multiple warp gates within each main area. These gates lead to different "sub-zones." Players must explore these sub-zones to find and destroy all the generators. Some gates might lead to bonus stages, while others could be traps or dead ends. This adds a layer of strategy and exploration to the gameplay, forcing players to think about the optimal path to complete the stage. Once all generators in a main area are destroyed, that area's boss will appear, and players must defeat it to advance to the next stage. Although a port from the Sega Master System, the NES version retains the charm, bright graphics, and challenging gameplay characteristic of the Fantasy Zone series.