For some, Operation Tiger: Second Mission will never be over.
Remember Operation Wolf? It was my first experience of first person shooters (even if it was technically a light gun rail shooter) and I absolutely loved the arcade version. So much, in fact, that I was willing to accept the drop in graphic quality for the Commodore 64 port (an Ocean software release, which was pretty decent, despite lacking a light gun).
Well, we’re hearing news that the lost and mostly forgotten sequel Operation Tiger: Second Mission has been found. This was an arcade machine released in 1998 (and far from the only sequel) but largely overlooked at the time, probably in favour of more sophisticated (albeit similar) shooters like Time Crisis.
The machine’s PCB has been dumped, resulting in a playable, authentic version (as opposed to the previously available MAME ROM) which you can see below.
Admittedly, it seems Operation Tiger: Second Mission isn’t as good as any of the previous titles (Operation Thunderbolt (1988), Operation Wolf 3 (1994) and Operation Tiger (1998)), which might explain its Japan-only release. I should add, aside from the arcade version of Operation Thunderbolt, I wasn’t aware of any of the other sequels – they didn’t make it to my part of the world.
(Operation Wolf got a VR-ready re-release in 2023.)
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Christian Cawley is the founder and editor of GamingRetro.co.uk, a website dedicated to classic and retro gaming. With over 20 years of experience writing for technology and gaming publications, he brings considerable expertise and a lifelong passion for interactive entertainment, particularly games from the 8-bit and 16-bit eras.
Christian has written for leading outlets including TechRadar, Computer Weekly, Linux Format, and MakeUseOf, where he also served as Deputy Editor.
When he’s not exploring vintage consoles or retro PCs, Christian enjoys building with LEGO, playing cigar box guitar, and experimenting in the kitchen.
