talk about ~Gain Ground~ fusion of action and puzzle-like strategy

• Gain Ground is a 1988 tactical action shooter by Sega, originally developed for the high-resolution System 24 arcade board.

• In 2348, a combat simulator goes berserk. Three warriors enter the system to rescue hostages and stop the supercomputer.

• Players clear stages by defeating all enemies or reaching the EXIT. Rescued POWs become new playable characters.

• Features 20 unique warriors from different eras, each with specific weapons, ranges, and movement speeds.

• While Japan had 2-player arcade versions, overseas cabinets supported 3-player simultaneous play.

• Praised as a precursor to RTS games, it offers deep strategy through character management and level navigation.

• A bug in Stage 4-8 made total annihilation impossible, which fans artistically interpreted as "self-sacrifice".

• Tiny sprites make bullets hard to see. Some units, like Mudpuppy, move too slowly for tight time limits.

• Ported to many consoles. The Genesis version adds a unique Modern Epoch with city streets and a game center.

• The "General" unit predates M. Bison. It remains a 16-bit masterpiece of "thinking action".