Raiden Fighters (ライデンファイターズ, Raiden Faitāzu?) is a 1996 scrolling shooter arcade game by Seibu Kaihatsu. It is followed by the sequel, Raiden Fighters 2: Operation Hell Dive. It introduced unique gameplay elements that are a departure from the original Raiden series. Raiden Fighters' plot is not directly apparent in and of itself. The opening prologue of Raiden Fighters 2 hints at a plot from its predecessor, which the sequel follows. The protagonist squadron must quell a massive guerrilla uprising headed by a ruthless dictator. The setting of this conflict appears to take place in eastern Asia, as the briefings for each "Mission" include a war plan superimposed over a map depicting the countries of China and Japan. The game's seven levels are divided into three distinct Missions. The first two Missions have three levels each. The final Mission is a lengthy fight through the enemy's fortress. By default, the stage order is chosen at random. Players can force a spec...