Psyvariar
Encyclopedia
is a vertically scrolling shooter arcade game
developed by Success Corporation on Taito
's G-NET hardware.
The game is known for heavy uses of Engrish
at game intro.
Player's fighter has a hit box of 1x1 pixel at the centre of fighter.
In the beginning of a game, player's fighter is AXION 001. A fighter can gain levels by buzzing of destroying enemy units or buzzing. Once the fighter gains sufficient level, it changes form and its firing patterns are altered. Fighter's level is maintained between stages, lives, and credits.
If a stage is completed with only 1 credit, the high score for that area is saved in the game hardware's non-volatile memory, providing the score for that area is higher than previous record.
When buzzing causes the fighter to transform, the damage to nearby enemy units increase. If a fighter is rolling, the buzz radius increases, fighter's hit box is reduced, and the buzz collision detection is only done once every 2 frames.
If a stage is completed with only 1 credit, not only the high score of the area is saved, but also the replay for that area, providing the score for that area is higher than previous record. Once a replay for that area is saved, it becomes available in Replay mode.
In replay mode, there are following extra stages:
Area XX stage can only be played by completing Area X-D in replay mode. Once X-D has been completed, all Area XX stages become selectable. The Area XX stages are similar in design to their Area X counterparts but they have an increased number of enemies that fire denser bullet patterns.
New features include:
Two special editions were also available in Japan. The Special Sound Box included an audio CD
of the game's soundtrack, and the Special Capture Box included a gameplay DVD
of both games being fully completed by expert players. The PlayStation 2 version of the individual games were later released separately as budget range
titles.
European version retained all the features of the Japanese release and includes a 60 Hz mode.
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
developed by Success Corporation on Taito
Taito
Taito may mean:*Taito Corporation, a Japanese developer of video game software and arcade hardware*Taito, Tokyo, a special ward located in Tokyo, Japan*Taito, also known as matai, paramount chiefs according to Fa'a Samoa...
's G-NET hardware.
The game is known for heavy uses of Engrish
Engrish
refers to unusual forms of English language usage by native speakers of some East Asian languages. The term itself relates to Japanese speakers' tendency to inadvertently substitute the English phonemes "R" and "L" for one another, because the Japanese language has one alveolar consonant in place...
at game intro.
Control
- Rolling: Rapidly moving the joystick in opposite directions. Rolling briefly increases moving speed.
- Rolling shot: Press fire button when rolling. In this firing mode, the fighter fires in concentrated forward formation for a brief moment.
Fighters
| Fighter | AXION 001 (1st Form) | AXION 002 (2nd Form)) | AXION 003 (3rd Form) | ? (4th Form) | ? (5th Form) | ? (Final Form) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum level | none | 8 | 17 | 33 | 54 | 88 |
Player's fighter has a hit box of 1x1 pixel at the centre of fighter.
In the beginning of a game, player's fighter is AXION 001. A fighter can gain levels by buzzing of destroying enemy units or buzzing. Once the fighter gains sufficient level, it changes form and its firing patterns are altered. Fighter's level is maintained between stages, lives, and credits.
Stages
There a 6 stages in each game. After completing Stage 1 (Area 1), player can choose the area within the higher numbered stage to be completed. More difficult (and higher-scoring) areas become selectable only if the fighter's level reaches the requirement before choosing next stage.| Stage | Required level |
|---|---|
| Area 2-C VALLEY | 8 |
| Area 3-B CLOUD-BANK | 18 |
| Area 4-C ASTEROID-BELT | 26 |
| Area 4-D COLONY | 32 |
| Area 5-B PHOTON | 38 |
| Area 5-C GRAVITON | 53 |
| Area 6-B GLUON | 52 |
If a stage is completed with only 1 credit, the high score for that area is saved in the game hardware's non-volatile memory, providing the score for that area is higher than previous record.
Buzz system
Each time an enemy unit or bullet gets very close to player's fighter without destroying player's fighter, a "buzz" occurs. For each buzz, the fighter gains experience (indicated by meter at the top of the screen). When the fighter gains sufficient experience, its level increases, and it becomes temporarily invulnerable. During that period, fighter can inflict damages to enemy units by colliding. Player can use this short period to risk buzzing more bullets to quickly reach the next level, or to avoid particularly difficult bullet patterns. The collision area for trigger buzz to occur is a circular area surrounding fighter's hit box, covering the fighter's body.When buzzing causes the fighter to transform, the damage to nearby enemy units increase. If a fighter is rolling, the buzz radius increases, fighter's hit box is reduced, and the buzz collision detection is only done once every 2 frames.
Psyvariar -Revision-
It is an update to Psyvariar -Medium Unit-. There are following changes:- Added replay function, and an associated replay mode.
- Rearranged stages. Enemies fire denser and faster bullet patterns, especially bosses.
- Player-controllable fighters and their firing patterns were changed.
- In boss battle, a life gauge for boss's critical portion is shown.
- A bullet can now be buzzed as many times as possible, which allows much higher scores and levels.
- Buzz can be performed by holding bomb button when bomb stock is empty.
- Added Internet ranking (closed as of 31 March 2001)
Normal mode
At the end of each stage, the game shows following statistics:- Destruction rate: The percentage of enemy units destroyed using current credit. If the value is 100, player gains 1 life.
- Destruction bonus: Player gains 10000 points for every percentage.
- Max BUZZ chain: The maximum amount of buzz obtained with current credit in the completed stage, compared to buzz obtained with all the lives spent in the stage.
- Total BUZZ: Total amount of buzz obtained with current credit in the completed stage.
- BUZZ bonus: Player gains 500 points for every buzz in Max BUZZ chain and Total BUZZ fields.
- Stage total: Total bonus points player gained in the completed stage.
Replay mode
It allows player to choose a stage for which a high score is available. Player can watch a replay for the chosen stage before playing. Player can choose up to 5 areas per game. When player starts a stage, player has the same amount of fighters as the one in the replay stage. Unlike Normal mode, if player loses all lives in a stage, the game cannot be continued.Fighters
| Fighter | AXION 001? (1st Form) | AXION 002? (2nd Form)) | AXION 003? (3rd Form) | ? (4th Form) | ? (5th Form) | ? (6th Form) | ? (Final Form) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum level | none | 16 | 40 | 80 | 128 | 192 | 256 |
Stages
In Normal mode, there are 4-8 stages in each game, depending on the fighter's level. In addition to the branching system in Psyvariar -Medium Unit-, After completing area 2, 3, or 4 stage with very high fighter level, the next stage becomes a danger stage (Area X), where the type of X-area depends on fighter's level. An X-area can only be played 1 time per game, with easier X-area played first. After completing an X-area stage, the next selectable stage is a higher numbered area (if one remains). If the 3rd X-area stage (stage 7) is completed with sufficient fighter level, the next stage is Area X-D. If a sufficiently high fighter level is not achieved the game will end after stage X-B.| Stage | Required level |
|---|---|
| Area 2-C VALLEY | 16 |
| Area 2-D VOLCANO | 24 |
| Area 3-B CLOUDBANK | 24 |
| Area 3-C CITY | 80 |
| Area 4-B ZERO SPACE | 45 |
| Area 4-C COLONY | 96 |
| Area X-A PHOTON | 56 |
| Area X-B GRAVITON | 118 |
| Area X-C WEAKBOSON | 163 |
| Area X-D GLUON | 218 |
If a stage is completed with only 1 credit, not only the high score of the area is saved, but also the replay for that area, providing the score for that area is higher than previous record. Once a replay for that area is saved, it becomes available in Replay mode.
In replay mode, there are following extra stages:
- Area XXA (Photon-X)
- Area XXB (Graviton-X)
- Area XXC (Weakboson-X)
- Area XXD (Gluon-X)
Area XX stage can only be played by completing Area X-D in replay mode. Once X-D has been completed, all Area XX stages become selectable. The Area XX stages are similar in design to their Area X counterparts but they have an increased number of enemies that fire denser bullet patterns.
SoftBank, DoComo, au versions
It includes only 11 areas, but internet ranking is integrated into the phone service. Replays can be transferred between players.Psyvariar -Complete Edition-
It is a compilation that contains both Psyvariar -Medium Unit- and -Psyvariar Revision-.New features include:
- Option to use a separate button to roll
- SECRET LAB jukebox
- Ability to display hit boxes
Two special editions were also available in Japan. The Special Sound Box included an audio CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
of the game's soundtrack, and the Special Capture Box included a gameplay DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
of both games being fully completed by expert players. The PlayStation 2 version of the individual games were later released separately as budget range
Budget range
Budget range is the name given to software that are sold for a fraction of a regular product price...
titles.
European version retained all the features of the Japanese release and includes a 60 Hz mode.