Burning Rangers is a video game developed by Sonic Team for the Sega Saturn system. The player takes on the role of a new recruit to the futuristic firefighting organisation of the title, and must explore locations where various emergencies have taken place, extinguishing fires and rescuing survivors.

The game is set in a futuristic society in which fire is one of the few major hazards remaining. The Burning Rangers are an elite group of firefighters who have been formed to help cope with such emergencies. The core members of the team are Chris Partn, Big Landman and Lead Phoenix (also known as Reed); as well as two new recruits, Shou Amabane and a woman called Tillis. The latter two are the only characters playable initially, although the others may be unlocked through the use of a password feature. Other major characters within the game include Iria Klein and Neal Belmondo, and there are many cameo appearances from Sonic Team staff including Yuji Naka and Naoto Ohshima.

The game is notable for its random level generation system, which is unlocked after completing the game once. To help the player find their way around these unfamilar stages, a navigation system was included - at any time, the player may radio back to Chris, who will provide helpful information about nearby hazards and objectives.

Released in early 1998 to mixed reviews and a dwindling number of Saturn owners, to date the title has not received a sequel. However, a downloadable mission making many references to Burning Rangers was created for Sonic Team's Phantasy Star Online.

The game's memorable characters were designed by Hiroyuki Ochi . Yuji Naka has stated in interviews that Sonic Team wanted the silhouette of a Burning Ranger wearing their "Burneer Unit" jet-pack to resemble that of an angel.

External links

• The Burning Rangers page of The GHZ, a general Sonic Team fan site.
• Interview transcript An interview with Sonic Team which first appeared in Sega Saturn Magazine , discussing various aspects of Burning Rangers