Blazing Lazers
Encyclopedia
Blazing Lazers, known in Japan
as , is a shoot 'em up
video game developed by Hudson Soft
and Compile
. It was released in Japan on for the PC Engine, and it was released in North America in November 1989 for the TurboGrafx-16
. It was later released on the Wii
's Virtual Console
in North America on , in Europe on , in Australia on , and in Japan on . It was released for the PlayStation Network in Japan on . It is based on the Japanese film Gunhed
(only referenced in the Japanese version). In the game, a fictional galaxy is under attack by an enemy space armada called the Dark Squadron, and this galaxy's only chance for survival is the Gunhed Advanced Star Fighter, who must destroy the Dark Squadron and its Super Weapons. The gameplay features fast vertical scrolling and a wide array of weapons for the player to use.
Blazing Lazers was developed by the same personnel who developed other video game series such as Puyo Puyo
and Super Bomberman
as well as other games such as Zanac
, The Guardian Legend
, and DoReMi Fantasy: Milon's DokiDoki Adventure
. It was one of the first games released for the TurboGrafx-16 and has received critical praise for its graphical capabilities, lack of slowdown, intense gameplay, and sound.
if they are hit by an enemy or projectile, with the game continuing at a previously–crossed checkpoint. The game ends when all lives have been lost, but the game awards 1-up
s when the player scores a particular number of points. The game provides four continue
s in which players can restart the game at that level in which their previous game ended provided the system is not turned off.
The player controls a rapid-fire main cannon, which can either be upgraded or changed to other types of weapons by collecting various numbered power-up
s and purple orbs called "gel capsules." Players can collect optional power-ups to help fight through the game such as "multibodies" that shadow their actions, homing missiles
, shields, and enhanced firing capabilities known as "full fire". The player carries a limited supply of "cluster bombs" that can be deployed, destroying large quantities of enemies and bosses within the player's vicinity. Players have the function of selecting the speed of their ship, which can be toggled by pressing a button on the gamepad, among five different speeds (the button cycles between them in order). The number of triangles that appear below the player's score designate the speed of the player's ship. This allows players to customize the behavior of their ship at any time, trading off freedom of movement against ease of control: a faster ship is more agile, a slower ship can be maneuvered precisely.
and Compile
. Notable developers include Masamitsu "Moo" Niitani, president of Compile and creator of Zanac
, The Guardian Legend
and the Puyo Puyo
series; Mikio Ueyama, director of the Super Bomberman
series for the Super NES
, and Tadayuki Kawada, designer of the Super Famicom
game DoReMi Fantasy
. The game was released as Gunhed on for the Japanese PC Engine console as a tie-in to the live action
film of the same name. It was subsequently released in North America as Blazing Lazers in November 1989, with the game localized for the North American audience by removing the references to the Gunhed
film. The game was rereleased on the Wii's
Virtual Console
service in North America on , in Europe on , in Australia on , and in Japan on . It was released for the PlayStation Network in Japan on . During development of the game Super Star Soldier
, NEC
considered calling the game Blazing Lazers II because of the similarity in gameplay with Blazing Lazers. The game was featured in a preview of future TurboGrafx-16 games in Electronic Gaming Monthly
in November 1989. In a section previewing new TurboGrafx-16 games, said that game was a "total blast from start to finish".
The game has been considered by game reviewers as one of the better shoot 'em up
video games in the genre as well as one of the best games on the TurboGrafx-16
gaming console. Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser from Dragon
reviewed the game in its "The Role of Computers" column, giving the game 5 out of 5 stars. Brett Alan Weiss from Allgame
considered this game as "one of the most highly regarded games in the TurboGrafx-16 library". VideoGames & Computer Entertainment featured a walkthrough of the game which spanned over two issues in 1990; they praised the game, saying that it is "one of the fastest games for the TurboGrafx-16", that it "will keep you going for hours".
Steve Harris reviewed the game in Electronic Gaming Monthly in November 1989. He said that Blazing Lazers was the next best game to the much-anticipated port of R-Type
. He noted the great gameplay and spectacular graphics, sound, and music. He appreciated the amount of detail in the game's graphics. He said that the large bosses in the game were the best part, saying that they "were enough to make even die-hard veterans of video game wars cringe in terror". His only criticism of the game was its difficulty, especially in the game's final level; he says that the final level is near-impossible if players have lost all their power-ups. The game would be featured in a series of cheats in the magazine's January 1990 issue. It was reviewed again in the magazine's December 1989 issue by Harris and three other reviewers. In the review, Harris added that the game takes advantage of the TurboGrafx-16's processors with its animation and gameplay. Ed Semrad appreciated the detailed backgrounds, difficulty, and action, but he criticized the game for being repetitive. Donn Nauert called Blazing Lazers the best game on the console, while Martin Alessi called it the best shoot 'em up on any console; Alessi added that the gameplay, graphics, and sound are "near perfect".
Blazing Lazers received further praise after it was released on the Virtual Console. Mike Fahey from Kotaku
describes the game as the "best damn shooter on the TurboGrafx, if not best game overall". Lucas Thomas from IGN
referred to the game as superior to other shoot 'em up games such as Super Star Soldier
, Gradius III
, and the R-Type
series. Thomas further asserts that the game had "pushed the [TurboGrafx-16] to its limits". Frank Provo from GameSpot
also gave positive reviews for Blazing Lazers, saying that the game, despite the plain graphics and aesthetics, compensates with intense gameplay and a "ridiculous orgy of firepower". He also lauds the game for its diverse weaponry, lack of graphical slowdown seen in some older console games, and the superior, futuristic audio, which he says has an "optimistic quality" to it.
Jeremy Parish from the site 1UP.com
praised Blazing Lazers, saying that the game is "drowned in goodness". Justin Leeper from GameSpy
especially praised the game also for its lack of slowdown, stating that prior to 1989 players could only experience the same in arcades
. He claimed that the game surpassed any game on the Nintendo Entertainment System
at that time. He lauds the smooth scrolling, lush background graphics, and "catchy tunes." Paul Glancey from the UK
-based magazine Computer and Video Games
gave it a score 96%, praising the gameplay, difficulty, graphics and sound, calling it "utterly incredible" and stating "Anyone on the quest for the ultimate shoot 'em up—this is it! THIS IS IT!!".
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
as , is a shoot 'em up
Shoot 'em up
Shoot 'em up is a subgenre of shooter video games. In a shoot 'em up, the player controls a lone character, often in a spacecraft or aircraft, shooting large numbers of enemies while dodging their attacks. The genre in turn encompasses various types or subgenres and critics differ on exactly what...
video game developed by Hudson Soft
Hudson Soft
, formally known as , is a majority-owned subsidiary of Konami Corporation is a Japanese electronic entertainment publisher headquartered in the Midtown Tower in Tokyo Midtown, Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, with an additional office in the Hudson Building in Sapporo. It was founded on May 18, 1973...
and Compile
Compile (software company)
Compile Co., Ltd. was a Japanese video game company established on April 7, 1982, under the name Programmers-3. Founded by Masamitsu Niitani , they were famed for developing shooters and puzzle games such as Aleste and Puyo Puyo.Compile filed for bankruptcy and disbanded in 2003, but the franchise...
. It was released in Japan on for the PC Engine, and it was released in North America in November 1989 for the TurboGrafx-16
TurboGrafx-16
TurboGrafx-16, fully titled as TurboGrafx-16 Entertainment SuperSystem and known in Japan as the , is a video game console developed by Hudson Soft and NEC, released in Japan on October 30, 1987, and in North America on August 29, 1989....
. It was later released on the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
's Virtual Console
Virtual console
A virtual console – also known as a virtual terminal – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some operating systems such as UnixWare, Linux, and BSD, in which the system console of the computer can be used to switch between...
in North America on , in Europe on , in Australia on , and in Japan on . It was released for the PlayStation Network in Japan on . It is based on the Japanese film Gunhed
Gunhed (film)
is a 1989 Japanese live-action mecha film. It is an adaptation of the manga "Gunhed" by Kia Asamiya.-Plot:In 2038, a gang of scavengers infiltrate an industrial complex on a island within a prohibited zone. They are looking for the element Texmexium, which is rare and very valuable...
(only referenced in the Japanese version). In the game, a fictional galaxy is under attack by an enemy space armada called the Dark Squadron, and this galaxy's only chance for survival is the Gunhed Advanced Star Fighter, who must destroy the Dark Squadron and its Super Weapons. The gameplay features fast vertical scrolling and a wide array of weapons for the player to use.
Blazing Lazers was developed by the same personnel who developed other video game series such as Puyo Puyo
Puyo Puyo
is the inaugural game in the Puyo Puyo series originally released in 1991 by Compile for the MSX2. Since its creation, it uses characters from . It was created by Masamitsu "Moo" Niitani, the founder of Compile, who was inspired by certain elements from the Tetris and Dr...
and Super Bomberman
Super Bomberman
Super Bomberman is the first video game in the Bomberman series to appear on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It is also the first four-player game to be released on the Super NES.-Gameplay:...
as well as other games such as Zanac
Zanac
is an arcade-style shoot 'em up video game designed by Compile and published in Japan by Pony Canyon and in North America by FCI.It was released for the MSX computer, the Family Computer Disk System, the Nintendo Entertainment System, and for the Virtual Console. It was reworked for the MSX2...
, The Guardian Legend
The Guardian Legend
The Guardian Legend, known in Japan as , is a hybrid action-adventure/shoot 'em up video game developed by Compile for the Nintendo Entertainment System . It is the sequel to the 1986 MSX game Guardic, and was published and released in Japan by Irem in 1988, in North America by Brøderbund in 1989,...
, and DoReMi Fantasy: Milon's DokiDoki Adventure
DoReMi Fantasy: Milon's DokiDoki Adventure
is a 1996 game released only in Japan for the Super Famicom by Hudson Soft. The game is a sequel of the 1988 NES game Milon's Secret Castle.It was re-released for the Wii's Virtual Console at a cost of 900 Wii Points, available in North America on March 10, 2008 under the "Import" category, and in...
. It was one of the first games released for the TurboGrafx-16 and has received critical praise for its graphical capabilities, lack of slowdown, intense gameplay, and sound.
Gameplay
The player takes control of the Gunhed Star Fighter through nine vertically-scrolling areas. The player's mission is to destroy the Dark Squadron and its eight enemy Super Weapons. Every area contains one or more bosses, all of which must be destroyed before continuing in the game. Players lose a lifeHealth (gaming)
Health is a game mechanic used in role-playing, computer and video games to give value to characters, enemies, NPCs, and related objects. This value can either be numerical, semi-numerical as in hit/health points, or arbitrary as in a life bar....
if they are hit by an enemy or projectile, with the game continuing at a previously–crossed checkpoint. The game ends when all lives have been lost, but the game awards 1-up
1-up
1-up , pronounced "one up", is a term in console video gaming that commonly refers to an item that gives the player an extra life, to complete the game. In certain games, it is possible to receive multiple extra lives at once...
s when the player scores a particular number of points. The game provides four continue
Continue (video gaming)
Continue is a common term in video games for the option to continue the game after all of the player's lives have been lost, rather than ending the game and restarting from the very beginning.-Arcade games:...
s in which players can restart the game at that level in which their previous game ended provided the system is not turned off.
The player controls a rapid-fire main cannon, which can either be upgraded or changed to other types of weapons by collecting various numbered power-up
Power-up
In computer and video games, power-ups are objects that instantly benefit or add extra abilities to the game character as a game mechanic. This is in contrast to an item, which may or may not have a benefit and can be used at a time chosen by the player...
s and purple orbs called "gel capsules." Players can collect optional power-ups to help fight through the game such as "multibodies" that shadow their actions, homing missiles
Missile
Though a missile may be any thrown or launched object, it colloquially almost always refers to a self-propelled guided weapon system.-Etymology:The word missile comes from the Latin verb mittere, meaning "to send"...
, shields, and enhanced firing capabilities known as "full fire". The player carries a limited supply of "cluster bombs" that can be deployed, destroying large quantities of enemies and bosses within the player's vicinity. Players have the function of selecting the speed of their ship, which can be toggled by pressing a button on the gamepad, among five different speeds (the button cycles between them in order). The number of triangles that appear below the player's score designate the speed of the player's ship. This allows players to customize the behavior of their ship at any time, trading off freedom of movement against ease of control: a faster ship is more agile, a slower ship can be maneuvered precisely.
History
Blazing Lazers was co-developed by Hudson SoftHudson Soft
, formally known as , is a majority-owned subsidiary of Konami Corporation is a Japanese electronic entertainment publisher headquartered in the Midtown Tower in Tokyo Midtown, Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, with an additional office in the Hudson Building in Sapporo. It was founded on May 18, 1973...
and Compile
Compile (software company)
Compile Co., Ltd. was a Japanese video game company established on April 7, 1982, under the name Programmers-3. Founded by Masamitsu Niitani , they were famed for developing shooters and puzzle games such as Aleste and Puyo Puyo.Compile filed for bankruptcy and disbanded in 2003, but the franchise...
. Notable developers include Masamitsu "Moo" Niitani, president of Compile and creator of Zanac
Zanac
is an arcade-style shoot 'em up video game designed by Compile and published in Japan by Pony Canyon and in North America by FCI.It was released for the MSX computer, the Family Computer Disk System, the Nintendo Entertainment System, and for the Virtual Console. It was reworked for the MSX2...
, The Guardian Legend
The Guardian Legend
The Guardian Legend, known in Japan as , is a hybrid action-adventure/shoot 'em up video game developed by Compile for the Nintendo Entertainment System . It is the sequel to the 1986 MSX game Guardic, and was published and released in Japan by Irem in 1988, in North America by Brøderbund in 1989,...
and the Puyo Puyo
Puyo Puyo
is the inaugural game in the Puyo Puyo series originally released in 1991 by Compile for the MSX2. Since its creation, it uses characters from . It was created by Masamitsu "Moo" Niitani, the founder of Compile, who was inspired by certain elements from the Tetris and Dr...
series; Mikio Ueyama, director of the Super Bomberman
Super Bomberman
Super Bomberman is the first video game in the Bomberman series to appear on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It is also the first four-player game to be released on the Super NES.-Gameplay:...
series for the Super NES
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
, and Tadayuki Kawada, designer of the Super Famicom
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
game DoReMi Fantasy
DoReMi Fantasy: Milon's DokiDoki Adventure
is a 1996 game released only in Japan for the Super Famicom by Hudson Soft. The game is a sequel of the 1988 NES game Milon's Secret Castle.It was re-released for the Wii's Virtual Console at a cost of 900 Wii Points, available in North America on March 10, 2008 under the "Import" category, and in...
. The game was released as Gunhed on for the Japanese PC Engine console as a tie-in to the live action
Live action
In filmmaking, video production, and other media, the term live action refers to cinematography, videography not produced using animation...
film of the same name. It was subsequently released in North America as Blazing Lazers in November 1989, with the game localized for the North American audience by removing the references to the Gunhed
Gunhed (film)
is a 1989 Japanese live-action mecha film. It is an adaptation of the manga "Gunhed" by Kia Asamiya.-Plot:In 2038, a gang of scavengers infiltrate an industrial complex on a island within a prohibited zone. They are looking for the element Texmexium, which is rare and very valuable...
film. The game was rereleased on the Wii's
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
Virtual Console
Virtual console
A virtual console – also known as a virtual terminal – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some operating systems such as UnixWare, Linux, and BSD, in which the system console of the computer can be used to switch between...
service in North America on , in Europe on , in Australia on , and in Japan on . It was released for the PlayStation Network in Japan on . During development of the game Super Star Soldier
Super Star Soldier
Super Star Soldier is a scrolling shooter video game released in 1990 for the TurboGrafx-16 system. It is the sequel to Star Soldier, and part of a vertical-scrolling shooter series by Hudson Soft. According to the company, many people believed Super Star Soldiers graphics were the best of any...
, NEC
NEC
, a Japanese multinational IT company, has its headquarters in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. NEC, part of the Sumitomo Group, provides information technology and network solutions to business enterprises, communications services providers and government....
considered calling the game Blazing Lazers II because of the similarity in gameplay with Blazing Lazers. The game was featured in a preview of future TurboGrafx-16 games in Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly is a bimonthly American video game magazine. It has been published by EGM Media, LLC. since relaunching in April of 2010. Its previous run, which ended in January 2009, was published by Ziff Davis...
in November 1989. In a section previewing new TurboGrafx-16 games, said that game was a "total blast from start to finish".
The game has been considered by game reviewers as one of the better shoot 'em up
Shoot 'em up
Shoot 'em up is a subgenre of shooter video games. In a shoot 'em up, the player controls a lone character, often in a spacecraft or aircraft, shooting large numbers of enemies while dodging their attacks. The genre in turn encompasses various types or subgenres and critics differ on exactly what...
video games in the genre as well as one of the best games on the TurboGrafx-16
TurboGrafx-16
TurboGrafx-16, fully titled as TurboGrafx-16 Entertainment SuperSystem and known in Japan as the , is a video game console developed by Hudson Soft and NEC, released in Japan on October 30, 1987, and in North America on August 29, 1989....
gaming console. Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser from Dragon
Dragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
reviewed the game in its "The Role of Computers" column, giving the game 5 out of 5 stars. Brett Alan Weiss from Allgame
Allgame
Allgame is a commercial database of information about arcade games, video games and console manufacturers.Allgame is owned by All Media Guide, along with Allmusic and Allmovie....
considered this game as "one of the most highly regarded games in the TurboGrafx-16 library". VideoGames & Computer Entertainment featured a walkthrough of the game which spanned over two issues in 1990; they praised the game, saying that it is "one of the fastest games for the TurboGrafx-16", that it "will keep you going for hours".
Steve Harris reviewed the game in Electronic Gaming Monthly in November 1989. He said that Blazing Lazers was the next best game to the much-anticipated port of R-Type
R-Type
is a side scrolling shoot-em-up arcade game produced by Irem in 1987. The player controls a space fighter named R-9a "Arrowhead" to defend humanity against a mysterious but powerful alien life-form known as "Bydo", which was later discovered to be not entirely alien in origin...
. He noted the great gameplay and spectacular graphics, sound, and music. He appreciated the amount of detail in the game's graphics. He said that the large bosses in the game were the best part, saying that they "were enough to make even die-hard veterans of video game wars cringe in terror". His only criticism of the game was its difficulty, especially in the game's final level; he says that the final level is near-impossible if players have lost all their power-ups. The game would be featured in a series of cheats in the magazine's January 1990 issue. It was reviewed again in the magazine's December 1989 issue by Harris and three other reviewers. In the review, Harris added that the game takes advantage of the TurboGrafx-16's processors with its animation and gameplay. Ed Semrad appreciated the detailed backgrounds, difficulty, and action, but he criticized the game for being repetitive. Donn Nauert called Blazing Lazers the best game on the console, while Martin Alessi called it the best shoot 'em up on any console; Alessi added that the gameplay, graphics, and sound are "near perfect".
Blazing Lazers received further praise after it was released on the Virtual Console. Mike Fahey from Kotaku
Kotaku
Kotaku is a video games-focused blog. It is part of Gawker Media's "Gawker" network of sites, which also includes Gizmodo, Deadspin, Lifehacker, io9 and Jezebel. Named to CNET News' Blog 100, Kotaku is consistently listed in the top 40 of Technorati's Top 100...
describes the game as the "best damn shooter on the TurboGrafx, if not best game overall". Lucas Thomas from IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
referred to the game as superior to other shoot 'em up games such as Super Star Soldier
Super Star Soldier
Super Star Soldier is a scrolling shooter video game released in 1990 for the TurboGrafx-16 system. It is the sequel to Star Soldier, and part of a vertical-scrolling shooter series by Hudson Soft. According to the company, many people believed Super Star Soldiers graphics were the best of any...
, Gradius III
Gradius III
Gradius III, known in Japan as , is a side-scrolling shooting game originally released for the arcades in Japan and Asia in . It is the second sequel to the original Gradius for the arcades following Gradius II, and was followed by Gradius IV. Gradius III was rereleased for the Super Nintendo...
, and the R-Type
R-Type
is a side scrolling shoot-em-up arcade game produced by Irem in 1987. The player controls a space fighter named R-9a "Arrowhead" to defend humanity against a mysterious but powerful alien life-form known as "Bydo", which was later discovered to be not entirely alien in origin...
series. Thomas further asserts that the game had "pushed the [TurboGrafx-16] to its limits". Frank Provo from GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
also gave positive reviews for Blazing Lazers, saying that the game, despite the plain graphics and aesthetics, compensates with intense gameplay and a "ridiculous orgy of firepower". He also lauds the game for its diverse weaponry, lack of graphical slowdown seen in some older console games, and the superior, futuristic audio, which he says has an "optimistic quality" to it.
Jeremy Parish from the site 1UP.com
1UP.com
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
praised Blazing Lazers, saying that the game is "drowned in goodness". Justin Leeper from GameSpy
GameSpy
GameSpy Industries, Inc., known simply as GameSpy, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software. GameSpy dates back to the 1996 release of an internet Quake server search program named QSpy. The current...
especially praised the game also for its lack of slowdown, stating that prior to 1989 players could only experience the same in arcades
Video arcade
An amusement arcade or video arcade is a venue where people play arcade games such as video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, merchandisers , or coin-operated billiards or air hockey tables...
. He claimed that the game surpassed any game on the Nintendo Entertainment System
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
at that time. He lauds the smooth scrolling, lush background graphics, and "catchy tunes." Paul Glancey from the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
-based magazine Computer and Video Games
Computer and video games
A video game is an electronic game that involves human interaction with a user interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. The word video in video game traditionally referred to a raster display device, but following popularization of the term "video game", it now implies any type of...
gave it a score 96%, praising the gameplay, difficulty, graphics and sound, calling it "utterly incredible" and stating "Anyone on the quest for the ultimate shoot 'em up—this is it! THIS IS IT!!".