HOLE CHASER

Released by Birdy Soft in 1990, Hole Chaser is a unique action game based on the doujin software "Nukeru Master," enhanced with new story elements and visuals for its commercial debut. Players navigate a small spacecraft through a fortified space station to rescue their kidnapped girlfriend, facing extremely challenging, drift-heavy physics in zero-gravity environments. While the gameplay is unforgiving—crashing into walls will bounce you back and end your run—it gained a cult following due to the rewarding CG scenes of the heroine revealed upon clearing each stage. This title stands as a precious relic of the industry's early days, capturing the raw energy of a fan-made project finding its way to the commercial market.

The protagonist's girlfriend, Kasumi Makita, has been kidnapped by a mysterious organization seeking a super-compact nuclear bomb invented by her father. To rescue her, the hero climbs into a small spacecraft and infiltrates the enemy's headquarters—a static satellite hovering above Japan. The goal of the game is to navigate the labyrinthine, zero-gravity fortress within the time limit and safely bring Kasumi home.