Gunstar Heroes
Encyclopedia
is a run and gun video game developed by Treasure and published by Sega
.
Treasure's debut game was originally released on the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis in late 1993, and later on, ported to the Game Gear by M2
. On February 23, 2006, Gunstar Heroes was released as part of the Gunstar Heroes: Treasure Box Collection for the PlayStation 2
. It is also available on the Nintendo
Wii
's Virtual Console
. In 2009 it was released on June 10 for Xbox Live Arcade
and June 11 for PlayStation Network.
Unlike most games in the genre, the player has a life total calculated in numbers. Death to a player requires multiple hits but just one death will issue the option to continue from the start of the level or to end the game. Players have unlimited continues.
The main highlight of the game are its boss encounters, which often feature large enemies made up of multiple sprites allowing for fluid movement.
Japanese story
By combining two weapons, a new weapon can be formed. For example, combing Lightning and Chaser gives a homing lightning beam attack.
.
's handheld machine, Game Gear. The port was handled not by Treasure, but by development house M2
. As the console's power could not be matched to that of the Mega Drive
, the game was significantly scaled down, stripping its multi-player mode, Black's Dice Maze, and several graphic effects. It does, however, add in a few new features such as a jetpack level and the chance to drive one of the walker robots from later in the 16-bit version.
The game received a PC port on December 17, 2004 as a part of the Sega Honpo series, titled .
On February 23, 2006, Sega released a Treasure-oriented entry in their Sega Ages
series for PlayStation 2
. Named , it contained Gunstar Heroes prominently (to the extent of it being on the front cover), along with Dynamite Headdy
and Alien Soldier
. Treasure Box also contains the various versions of these titles (such as Game Gear versions, versions from different countries and a Japanese prototype, which is essentially the full completed game but lacking tweaks), as well as digital manuals and other bonus materials.
Gunstar Heroes was released December 11, 2006 in North America on the Wii
Virtual Console
and December 15, 2006 in Europe. A version for Xbox Live Arcade
and Playstation Network was released on June 10, and June 11 in 2009, respectively, with online co-op, leaderboards, and 'improved graphics' via smoothing. However both the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 versions have reported that the online co-op feature is a step backwards from the original, due to the inability to rejoin your partner upon death. Instead players must wait for their partner to also die in order for the level to start over, whereas in the original you could rejoin immediately in return for half of your partner's HP.
Gunstar Heroes debuted on the iOS platform on November 22, 2010.
, a Gunstar sequel for the Game Boy Advance
. The game makes a few changes to the gameplay, such as having a fixed weapon selection and the addition of 'super' attacks controlled by the trigger.
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
.
Treasure's debut game was originally released on the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis in late 1993, and later on, ported to the Game Gear by M2
M2 (game developer)
M2 M2 M2 (有限会社Ｍ２(エムツー) is a Japanese video game developer, best known for handling emulation of re-released games, such as some Sega Ages titles and Wii Virtual Console titles....
. On February 23, 2006, Gunstar Heroes was released as part of the Gunstar Heroes: Treasure Box Collection for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
. It is also available on the Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
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 2009 it was released on June 10 for Xbox Live Arcade
Xbox Live Arcade
Xbox Live Arcade is a type of video game download distribution available primarily in a section of the Xbox Live Marketplace, Microsoft's digital distribution network for the Xbox 360, that focuses on smaller downloadable games from both major publishers and independent game developers...
and June 11 for PlayStation Network.
Gameplay
Gunstar Heroes is a side scrolling shooter. The player has four weapons to choose from, and they can be combined in various pairs to create a total of 14 unique weapons. In addition to the weapons, the player can engage enemies in close quarters combat. It is possible to grab and toss enemies, perform sliding and jumping attacks and a long-range skid.Unlike most games in the genre, the player has a life total calculated in numbers. Death to a player requires multiple hits but just one death will issue the option to continue from the start of the level or to end the game. Players have unlimited continues.
The main highlight of the game are its boss encounters, which often feature large enemies made up of multiple sprites allowing for fluid movement.
Plot
Western Story- The Gunstar Dynasty has been the protector of the planet Gunstar 9 (G-9) for generations. In his youth, Dr. Brown defeated Golden Silver, a destructive android that traveled millions of miles to suck G-9 dry of all its resources. Dr. Brown was able to extract the four famous Mystical Gems, the robot's power source, and imprisoned it on one of G-9's moons.
- Years later, a new menace rises. Smash Daisaku, a vicious dictator found out that the Gunstars knew the location of the Mystical Gems. One day, Smash Daisaku kidnapped the Gunstar twins' older brother Green and used a mind control machine to make Green obey his orders.
- With Green's help, Smash Daisaku amassed all four Mystical Gems, has turned Gunstar 9's peaceful worker droids into deadly menaces, and is now preparing to leave for Gunstar 9's moon to reactivate Golden Silver.
Japanese story
- The world was nearing its end. An evil organization created the ultimate weapon, Golden Silver, the God of Ruin, to destroy countless cities on Earth from the moon. The Gunstars (Red, Blue, Green, and Yellow) seeing the Earth turn into a living hell before them and fueled by anger, had a showdown with the powerful Golden Silver. At length, after an arduous battle, they defeated the evil God of Ruin. To make sure he was never resurrected, they sealed his body on the moon and took the 4 gems that powered him, and sealed them away in separate places on Earth. The Gunstars, having been pushed to their limits, prayed for a new civilization to arrive, and they began their long sleep. All that is, except for one...
- Time passed, and a new civilization was built on Earth. A legend was spread across the land. "Revive the God that sleeps on the moon, and he will guide the most righteous people to Utopia."
- Grey, the commander of the dictatorship calling themselves "Empire", believed in this legend and attempted to carry it out. So he sent people to the moon in a battleship called the "Ark", in order to mine for the 4 gems that would call the God forth. It was then that the leader of the underground mining excursion, Professor Brown, uncovered some capsules, in which the Gunstars were having their long sleep.
- Once they awakened, they learned of the Empire's plan to revive Golden Silver. Their companion, Green, whom they had remembered being with them until the very last moment, had lost his previous memories and was assisting the Empire in the revival of the God of Ruin.
- "We won't let such a tragedy happen again! We'll get back the gems and put a stop to the revival of Golden Silver!" Once Professor Brown heard the Gunstar's words, he decided to betray the Empire and promised to help the Gunstars in their battle.
Characters
- Gunstars Red and Blue: The playable characters. Twin brothers who protect the planet.
- Gunstar Yellow: Navigator and sister of the Gunstars, she gives them short briefings on the levels.
- Professor Brown: He deactivated Golden Silver in the past, but is too old to do so again, Instead, he becomes Red and Blue's mentor.
- Gunstar Green: The mind controlled/amnesiac older brother of the twins who now works for the Empire. He controls a giant shapeshifting Mech, the Seven Force.
- Grey: The leader of the Empire. He desires to awaken Golden Silver and reshape the planet to his desires.
- Smash Daisaku: Grey's red-suited subordinate. He appears throughout the game to oppose Red and Blue. He is referred to as "Colonel Red" in the American instruction manual.
- Pink, Orange, and Black: High-ranking Empire commanders who appear as stage bosses.
Weapons
Gunstar Heroes featured four basic weapon types: Force, a powerful shot that fires rapidly; Lightning, a straight shot that goes through enemies; Chaser, which homes in on enemies; and Flame, a shot that is very effective at close range.By combining two weapons, a new weapon can be formed. For example, combing Lightning and Chaser gives a homing lightning beam attack.
Reception
Gunstar Heroes was awarded Best Action Game of 1993 by Electronic Gaming MonthlyElectronic 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...
.
Versions and releases
Shortly after its original release, Gunstar Heroes made its way to SegaSega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
's handheld machine, Game Gear. The port was handled not by Treasure, but by development house M2
M2 (game developer)
M2 M2 M2 (有限会社Ｍ２(エムツー) is a Japanese video game developer, best known for handling emulation of re-released games, such as some Sega Ages titles and Wii Virtual Console titles....
. As the console's power could not be matched to that of the Mega Drive
Sega Mega Drive
The Sega Genesis is a fourth-generation video game console developed and produced by Sega. It was originally released in Japan in 1988 as , then in North America in 1989 as Sega Genesis, and in Europe, Australia and other PAL regions in 1990 as Mega Drive. The reason for the two names is that...
, the game was significantly scaled down, stripping its multi-player mode, Black's Dice Maze, and several graphic effects. It does, however, add in a few new features such as a jetpack level and the chance to drive one of the walker robots from later in the 16-bit version.
The game received a PC port on December 17, 2004 as a part of the Sega Honpo series, titled .
On February 23, 2006, Sega released a Treasure-oriented entry in their Sega Ages
Sega Ages
Sega Ages refers to a number of compilations or re-releases of classic video games from developer and publisher Sega.-Saturn version:Sega-AM2 released several Sega Ages games for the Sega Saturn in Japan:...
series for PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
. Named , it contained Gunstar Heroes prominently (to the extent of it being on the front cover), along with Dynamite Headdy
Dynamite Headdy
is a video game released in 1994 by Sega and produced by Treasure. It was released on the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis system, with ports to the Sega Game Gear and Sega Master System. A port for the Sega 32X was planned, but due to the system's low popularity, the port was canceled...
and Alien Soldier
Alien Soldier
is a side-scrolling run and gun video game developed by Treasure for the Sega Mega Drive. The game was released in Japan and Europe, but not in the US , but it can be rather expensive due to its rarity in either region...
. Treasure Box also contains the various versions of these titles (such as Game Gear versions, versions from different countries and a Japanese prototype, which is essentially the full completed game but lacking tweaks), as well as digital manuals and other bonus materials.
Gunstar Heroes was released December 11, 2006 in North America 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...
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...
and December 15, 2006 in Europe. A version for Xbox Live Arcade
Xbox Live Arcade
Xbox Live Arcade is a type of video game download distribution available primarily in a section of the Xbox Live Marketplace, Microsoft's digital distribution network for the Xbox 360, that focuses on smaller downloadable games from both major publishers and independent game developers...
and Playstation Network was released on June 10, and June 11 in 2009, respectively, with online co-op, leaderboards, and 'improved graphics' via smoothing. However both the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 versions have reported that the online co-op feature is a step backwards from the original, due to the inability to rejoin your partner upon death. Instead players must wait for their partner to also die in order for the level to start over, whereas in the original you could rejoin immediately in return for half of your partner's HP.
Gunstar Heroes debuted on the iOS platform on November 22, 2010.
Sequel
On October 6, 2005, Treasure and Sega released Gunstar Super HeroesGunstar Super Heroes
Gunstar Super Heroes is a Game Boy Advance title created by Treasure Co. Ltd. It is the sequel to Gunstar Heroes...
, a Gunstar sequel for the Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
. The game makes a few changes to the gameplay, such as having a fixed weapon selection and the addition of 'super' attacks controlled by the trigger.
External links
- Official Treasure Co. Ltd Webpage
- GameFAQs: Gunstar Heroes
- Sega of Japan Official Sega Ages Vol.25 "Treasure Box" Webpage
- Sega Ages page with promotion and concept art
- Gunstar Heroes Mega Drive review from Mean Machines ArchiveMean MachinesMean Machines was a market-leading multi-format gaming magazine released between 1990 and 1992 in the United Kingdom. Its style was popular with gamers of the time for its irreverent humor, anarchic editorial tone and style, and its sometimes outrageously outspoken reviews.- Origins :In the late...