Naious
is a scrolling shooter video game developed and published by Exact exclusively for the Sharp X68000 in Japan on October 26, 1990. It is both the first title to be created and released by Exact for the X68000 platform, as well as the first project produced by the company.
Set in a futuristic sci-fi 2143 setting, the players assume the role of fighter pilot Manami Katagiri taking control of the ASP space fighter craft in an effort to stop the titular artificial intelligence that has turned antagonistic against humankind. Although the game was first launched by Exact on retail stores, it would later be distributed through the Takeru software vending machines, which allowed users to write commercial titles or dōjin soft on blank 5.25" floppy disks.
Despite receiving little promotion, Naious became a sleeper hit among the X68000 userbase for Exact during its initial release and received praise for various aspects such as the graphics and gameplay that would eventually lead it to be named "Game of the Year" by Japanese magazine Oh!X in its genre. After its release, Exact would go on to develop their second title for the X68000, Aquales, which was released almost a year later and garnered positive response from critics and audience alike.
Gameplay
Naious is a scrolling shoot 'em up game reminiscent of Hellfire, Thunder Cross and Whip Rush, where players assume the role of pilot Manami Katagiri taking control of the ASP space fighter craft across seven stages that take place on a futuristic sci-fi setting in a last-ditch effort to stop the titular artificial intelligence that has become rogue against humankind and defeat his army of enemies. Prior to starting, players have access to the configuration menu at the title screen of the game, where various settings can be adjusted.The players starts with only one weapon at the beginning of the game; a Vulcan shot but the ship can expand its inventory by collecting new weapons scattered on the stage such as a Wide shot and a Laser, while other power-ups appear at certain points during the stages that changes or enhances the arsenal. Players can also equip the ship with a set of two satellite "options", whose positions can be arranged and attack at the player's will. At the end of each stage, a boss must be fought to progress further through the game, with each stage increasing in difficulty. If the ship is hit by enemy fire, the players lose a live as well as both the options and the weapon in use, instead of losing all collected weapons and once all lives are lost, the game is over.