Triggerheart Exelica is a vertical scrolling shoot 'em up developed and published by Warashi for the SEGA Dreamcast. The game first appeared in arcades on the Sega NAOMI hardware in 2006 before reaching the Dreamcast in 2007 as one of the final commercial releases on the platform. Players take control of one of two young heroines, Exelica or Crueltear, as they fight against a massive enemy fleet across five stages of intense bullet patterns. The core mechanic that sets this shooter apart is the anchor system, which lets pilots grab enemy ships with a tethered hook and swing them around like wrecking balls. Captured foes can be hurled at other targets, crashed into bullets to clear the screen, or used as temporary shields. This grappling concept gives the shooting action a fresh tactical layer rarely seen in the genre. The art direction blends anime character portraits with detailed sprite work, giving the title a charming visual identity.
Updated: Jun 22, 2026
Screenshots

1.2 GB · Dreamcast ROMs
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Specifications
| Platform | Dreamcast ROMs |
|---|---|
| Genre | Strategy |
| File Size | 1.2 GB |
| Release Year | 2006 |
| Developer | Warashi |
| Updated | Jun 22, 2026 |
Overview
Triggerheart Exelica is a vertical scrolling shoot 'em up developed and published by Warashi for the SEGA Dreamcast. The game first appeared in arcades on the Sega NAOMI hardware in 2006 before reaching the Dreamcast in 2007 as one of the final commercial releases on the platform. Players take control of one of two young heroines, Exelica or Crueltear, as they fight against a massive enemy fleet across five stages of intense bullet patterns. The core mechanic that sets this shooter apart is the anchor system, which lets pilots grab enemy ships with a tethered hook and swing them around like wrecking balls. Captured foes can be hurled at other targets, crashed into bullets to clear the screen, or used as temporary shields. This grappling concept gives the shooting action a fresh tactical layer rarely seen in the genre. The art direction blends anime character portraits with detailed sprite work, giving the title a charming visual identity.
The Dreamcast port adds several features beyond the original arcade release, including an arrange mode with rebalanced scoring rules and remixed music tracks. Players can choose between the standard arcade experience or the home exclusive content based on their skill level and preference. Score attack fans can chase high scores through ranking modes that record top performances per character and difficulty setting. The five stages take pilots through varied environments, from cloud-filled skies to mechanical fortresses, with each level capped by a large boss encounter that tests the anchor mechanics in creative ways. Two-player cooperative play is supported, letting friends combine grappling techniques for huge combo chains. Difficulty options range from beginner to expert, opening the title to newcomers while still rewarding genre veterans. As one of the last licensed Dreamcast games, Triggerheart Exelica stands as a fitting send-off, proving the console retained a passionate shooter audience right up until its final days.