Sega Releases Target Bravo: Operation GHOST Upright Models

At IAAPA 2017, one of the new video game pieces to be found on the show floor was an upright version of Sega’s Target Bravo: Operation GHOST. When Operation GHOST was first launched in 2011 it was created as an upright model; when the Target Bravo update came along, that was only available in the environmental version – until now.

If you don’t recall, Target Bravo is the definitive version of Operation GHOST, the official sequel to Sega’s GHOST Squad. It let’s you choose the level and has a fun Time Attack mode where you have to complete different objectives within a set amount of time. This mode is especially entertaining with two players.

I’ve been keeping an eye out for news on this one ever since but all has been quiet on the electronic fronts – until today. I was researching games for my new book (yeah, shameless plug), I was on Sega’s site and noticed that the upright version had finally been added to their lists of new games. I’m not 100% sure when this was done but I would guess it has been in the past month or so as the last time I had made a visit to their pages it wasn’t there. But there have been no press releases or other official announcements to tout this one so that’s where it kind of snuck up on me.

There are two versions listed but it changes depending upon the region you have the site set to. If you are on Sega’s US side, it only lists the 43″ as being available (pictured above); go over to the UK side and they show a 55″ model (pictured below). I sent an email to a Sega sales rep in the US but as of this writing am not sure if both models are available worldwide or if there are set regional differences. It should be noted that the original uprights used a 55″ screen; Sega once showed a 32″ upright at a single trade show (2013, I think?) but it disappeared until these units came along.

Either way, I am happy to see another upright shooter as we’ve been getting a lot of these games only showing up in environmental cabinets. Those are cool cabs but in looking at my game floor, it would be easier to fit more uprights into place than more of the big showcase pieces and uprights can earn just fine for my situation. There also aren’t many shooters in this style available for street operators to use and they tend to favor games with a smaller footprint than what FECs are pushing.

Also for some Transformers Shadows Rising news – I did talk with a rep at Sega today who said that the sequel to Sega’s Transformers game that we saw at Amusement Expo in February will be launching in June. That is another one I’ve been looking for more info on since the expo but Sega has been rather quiet lately. If you are looking forward to playing that one, just hang tight. With a June release date it’s possible some locations might be getting one any time at this point.