is a vertically-scrolling shooter

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...

 created by Warashi

Warashi

Warashi Inc. is a small Japanese company who develops video games for arcade, home console, and mobile platforms, specializes in Mahjong and shoot 'em up titles...

 and Kaneko

Kaneko

, also referred to as , was a Japanese video game publisher founded in Suginami, Tokyo, Japan by Hiroshi Kaneko. It published a number of games both under its brand and other companies, such as Air Buster, Nexzr, Shogun Warriors, DJ Boy, Guts'n, and the Gals Panic series...

 for the arcade

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...

 and released in 1997.

System

The player's firepower consists of a main shot, up to 4 Options called Gambits, and a number of bomb

Bomb

A bomb is any of a range of explosive weapons that only rely on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy...

s. 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 are available for the main shot, as well as extra Gambits and bomb

Bomb

A bomb is any of a range of explosive weapons that only rely on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy...

s, can be found throughout the game. There are 2 types of Gambits: a forward-firing laser

Laser

A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons. The term "laser" originated as an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation...

 type, and a rapid-firing vulcan type which moves and aims at enemies when firing. The player begins with 3 bomb

Bomb

A bomb is any of a range of explosive weapons that only rely on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy...

s, which can deploy near-instantly, negate most enemy fire, and do moderate damage in a large radius around the player's ship.

Gameplay

Sengeki Striker plays more like an updated version of older shooters than many of its contemporaries, which often place more emphasis on scoring systems than simply surviving. Another aspect of older shooters

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...

 it shares is a checkpoint system, beginning with the 3rd stage.

The scoring system of Sengeki Striker itself is not well-understood. However, destroying enemy ships so that the explosion takes out other enemies, and using the strikers to destroy targets increases one's score.

Sengeki Striker bears some visual resemblance to Shienryu

Shienryu

It is a PlayStation port of the original Shienryu. It adds following:*Pocket Mode: Presented in PocketStation graphics and effects , enemies appear as blocky heart-shaped craft and bullets are tiny gray blocks, all lacking graphical detail....

, a previous game by Warashi

Warashi

Warashi Inc. is a small Japanese company who develops video games for arcade, home console, and mobile platforms, specializes in Mahjong and shoot 'em up titles...

.