An offbeat horizontal shooter with a biomechanical fighter, short but musically rich and well paced. A lovely lesser known gem.
Your verdict
Category
Shooter1 player7+
Description
Science-fiction horizontal shoot-'em-up with two bionic ships. Published by Activision, released in the United States in 1993. Two organic ships with bionic power-ups modifying abilities, massive alien bosses and electronic metal soundtrack. SNES port of Data East's shooter.
BioMetal review
3/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Polished"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
1/5
Story
★★★★★
"Anecdotal"
Atypical, the game integrates in its Western version dance tracks by the group 2 Unlimited, fusing shooter and electro with rare daring. The rousing beats stick to the futuristic action with an infectious energy. This singular sonic identity, a world away from the genre's codes, makes it a memorable curiosity.
The North American version of Data East's shooter, the most widely distributed of the three territories. It is also the most affordable way into the title, the NTSC cartridge circulating without trouble. Collecting interest therefore shifts to the clean complete copy and the unwarped cardboard box, both trickier to secure. Its desirability rests on its standing as a connoisseur's niche shmup rather than any marked scarcity on the US market.
Is BioMetal still worth playing in 2026?
A horizontal shooter published by Activision, BioMetal builds on a chain weapon system called the Gam, which orbits the ship to slice enemies and projectiles. The idea livens up the classic formula and the difficulty stays high. The soundtrack, swapped in the West for 2 Unlimited tracks, still divides opinion. Visually decent without dazzling, it is a solid shmup for genre fans after original mechanics and old fashioned challenge on 16 bit.
