Heavy Unit
PC Engine · 1988
About this game
Heavy Unit is a side scrolling shoot-em-up arcade game developed by Kaneko and published by Taito in 1988.
It was ported to the PC Engine and Sega Mega Drive by Taito and was released on December 22, 1989.
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There was also a Mega Drive port by Toho entitled "Heavy Unit: Mega Drive Special" released on December 26, 1990.
The player takes control of a star ship that can transform in to a mecha by obtaining a specific type of power up.
Set in 2013, mankind's first artificial star and planet, "Le Tau", is under attack from genetically modified alien monsters.
The player must navigate a "Heavy Unit", a heavily armed, transforming mecha, in order to defeat the onslaught and protect the human colony.
The player's ship had two forms: a space-ship and a giant robot.
Players started controlling the Heavy Unit in its space-ship form as default.
As they progressed, they could change the ship into its robot form, thus changing its firing mode and mobility.
A checkpoint was active however and the Heavy Unit only had one hit.
Power Ups are dropped by a specific enemy ship which appears in fixed points during the levels.
Every level of the game contains a mid-boss and a final boss.
Both the ship and the robot modes use two fire buttons, one for the primary (frontal) fire and one for auxiliary fire.
The ship mode uses a frontal laser gun which becomes a spread show with the power ups, plus missiles which drops like bombs as auxiliary fire.
The robot mode has a frontal laser gun which increases in power with the power ups plus homing missiles as auxiliary fire.
An interesting element of the game is represented by the hidden bonuses (usually 1UP) which can be revealed by shooting certain parts of the scenario or by continuously hitting certain indestructible enemies.
There is at least one hidden bonus in every level of the game.
About PC Engine
Known as the TurboGrafx-16 outside Japan, the PC Engine (1987) punched well above its small form factor and was hugely successful in Japan despite a limited Western release. Because the Western TurboGrafx-16 library is comparatively small and undersold relative to the platform's technical merits, complete-in-box North American copies are notably scarcer — and pricier — than their Japanese PC Engine counterparts.
Gamevaro tracks Heavy Unit for PC Engine with separate market values for loose, complete-in-box (CIB) and factory-sealed copies, sourced from real eBay sales. Prices also vary by region — PAL, NTSC-U and NTSC-J releases of the same game often sell for different amounts due to print run sizes and regional collector demand.
Adding Heavy Unit to a Gamevaro collection takes seconds — search by title or scan the box barcode, and the app fills in cover art, release details and current pricing automatically. This PCE release dates back to 1988.
Price history
Market values by condition
Recent sales
| Date | Type | Region | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-12 | Loose / Item only | NTSC-J | €23.89 |
| 2026-07-12 | Boxed (CIB) | NTSC-J | €52.52 |
| 2026-07-12 | Sealed / New | NTSC-J | €99.30 |
| 2026-07-10 | Loose / Item only | NTSC-J | €23.88 |
| 2026-07-10 | Boxed (CIB) | NTSC-J | €52.50 |
| 2026-07-10 | Sealed / New | NTSC-J | €99.26 |
Rarity & condition
Only a handful of market sales have been tracked for Heavy Unit, suggesting it doesn't trade hands very often — a sign of relative scarcity compared to more common PC Engine titles.
Complete-in-box (CIB) copies typically command a premium over loose cartridges/discs because the original box and manual are more fragile and get discarded or damaged over time — fewer complete sets survive.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Heavy Unit worth?
Heavy Unit for PC Engine is currently worth €23.89 loose, €52.52 complete in box, and €99.30 factory sealed. Prices are based on real sales and update regularly on Gamevaro.
Is Heavy Unit rare?
Heavy Unit has only a handful of tracked market sales, suggesting relative scarcity compared to more common PC Engine titles.
What's the difference between loose, CIB and sealed for Heavy Unit?
Loose means cartridge or disc only, CIB (complete in box) includes the original box and manual, and sealed means factory-sealed and never opened. For Heavy Unit, loose is €23.89 and CIB is €52.52 — CIB commands a premium because original boxes and manuals are fragile and often don't survive.
Ratings & Reviews
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