Final Zone was developed by Wolfteam along with Valis in late 1986, at the time they still were an internal development division. Though the first Final Zone, released for the PC-88 in December 1986, was considered a Telenet game, the spinoff FZ Series: "AXIS" was developed by Wolfteam, while the sequel (PC-Engine, 1992), was developed by Telenet.
Final Zone and Nobuhito set the trademark for Telenet's musical style, together withShinobu Ogawa with Valis. Its music was quite catchy, and some themes, in particular the ending theme, opening theme and game over theme, are all very well composed. Telenet Game Music Collection Vol. 1 contained its soundtrack. This game is also known as "Final Zone Wolf". It was released for many systems, but not outside Japan.
FZ Series: "AXIS" used a totally different style. This time, the game was developed by Wolfteam as a company, and composed by Motoi Sakuraba and Sergeant Wolf. But it wasn't the normal Motoi Sakuraba style either... It should be heard. It had its own album release through FZ Series "AXIS". FZ Series "AXIS" was released in Japan for the X68000 and Mega Drive, and in the U.S.A. as "Final Zone" for the Genesis.
FZ Series "AXIS" was probably released in the U.S.A. as Final Zone since the real Final Zone didn't get a release there; but Final Zone II for the TurboDuo got one. As you cannot release a sequel without a prequel, it got like that. That's unfortunate, as Final Zone II often refers to Final Zone, which then would be thought of as FZ Series "AXIS" by the americans playing the games!
Final Zone II was actually called the same in both U.S.A. and Japan. It was the only Final Zone game to be released only for one system, the PC-Engine CD-ROM. It had two vocal tracks, two very funny vocals! The first vocal hosts a male voice going "Falling down! Burst into flames! With bazookas...!". Needless to say, the lyrics are fantastic, and the composition is equally well made. The other vocal is a female one, and unlike the other, it lasts for a good 4 minutes, instead of 1:30. I don't understand how the lyrics could fit into the game, but the song is quite well made this time... It sounds like some Telenet trademark sound mixed with some vocals, I think it's nice. Most of the music in Final Zone II is bland, but some tracks are so good they could've been composed by Nobuhito himself.