Like all other games in the EDF series (with the solitary exception of Insect Armageddon, being an American-made game), it was released in Japan prior to being released elsewhere. The Chikyuu Boueigun (Earth Defense Force) was part of a series of budget games produced in Japan known as the Simple series. The game reached a moderate level of success in Japan and was then released in Europe. It is one of only two franchises of the Simple series to be released outside of Japan, the other being OneeChanbara. However, they did not feel that the success of the game would carry off to North America and therefore it was never released there.