Edit filter log

'[http://www.example.com link title]'''Bold text'''{{Infobox VG |title = Gunstar Heroes |image = [[Image:Gunstar Heroes.jpg|250px]] |caption=North American boxart |developer = [[Treasure (company)|Treasure]] |publisher = [[Sega]] |designer = Yoshiyuki Matsumoto, Hideyuki Suganami |engine = |released = {{vgrelease|North America|NA|[[September 9]], [[1993]]}}<br />{{vgrelease|Japan|JPN|[[September 10]], [[1993]]}}<br/>{{vgrelease|Europe|EU|[[1993]]}} |genre = [[Shoot 'em up#Run and gun|Run and gun]] |modes = [[Single player]], [[Cooperative gameplay|Cooperative]] |ratings = [[Videogame Rating Council|VRC]]: GA<br />[[Entertainment Software Rating Board|ESRB]]: Everyone 10+<br />[[Office of Film and Literature Classification (Australia)|OFLC]]: PG<br />[[Pan European Game Information|PEGI]]: 3+ |platforms = [[Sega Mega Drive|Sega Mega Drive/Genesis]]<br>[[Sega Game Gear|Game Gear]]<br>[[Virtual Console]] |media = 8-[[megabit]] [[Cartridge (electronics)|cartridge]] |requirements = |input = }} {{nihongo|'''''Gunstar Heroes'''''|ガンスターヒーローズ|Gansutā Hīrōzu}} is a [[Shoot 'em up#Run and gun|run and gun]] [[video game]] developed by [[Treasure (company)|Treasure]] and published by [[Sega]]. The game name '''''may''''' be based on the '''GUNSTAR''' space ship from the movie '''The Last Starfighter''' which was released in July of 1984. 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]] [[Virtual Console]] and was announced for PS3's [[PSN]] and Xbox 360's [[Xbox Live Arcade]] for a Summer 2009 release.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sega Bringing Back Gunstar Heroes, Sonic 3 and Others|url=http://gamefreaks365.com/newsarticle.php?sid=3119|accessdate=2009-05-14}}</ref> In the '''The Last Starfighter''' the '''''GUNSTAR''''' was a kick butt space battleship. A last line of defense to defend the galaxy from Xur & the Kodan Armada. == 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. Therefore, death to a player requires multiple hits but just one death will issue the option to continue or to end the game. The main highlight of the game are its boss encounters, which often feature large enemies made up of multiple [[Sprites (computer graphics)|sprites]] allowing for fluid movement. == Plot == ;American 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 :(This is considered the proper storyline that sets up the sequel, ''[[Gunstar Super Heroes]]'') :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 older brother of the twins who now works for the Empire. He controls a giant Mech, 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. *'''Pink, Orange, and Black:''' High-ranking Empire commanders who appear as stage bosses. ==Weapons== ''Gunstar Heroes'' featured four basic weapon types: Force, Lightning, Chaser, and Flame.<ref>“Gunstar Heroes: Weapons Details,” ''Game Informer'' 181 (May 2008): 105.</ref> ==Reception== Fans of '''The Last Starfighter''' were of course hoping for the game to be based on the one showcased in the movie and not a corny game for small children. RogueSynapse has designed a game based on the movie and the link can be found in the External Reference section. ''Gunstar Heroes'' was awarded Best Action Game of 1993 by [[Electronic Gaming Monthly]].<ref name="egmbuyersguide1994">{{cite journal |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |year=1994 |month= |title=Electronic Gaming Monthly's Buyer's Guide |journal= |volume= |issue= |pages= |id= |url= |accessdate=2009-01-09 |quote= }}</ref> == Versions and rereleases == [[Image:GunstarHeroesGG.png|thumb|Game Gear version.]] Shortly after its original release, ''Gunstar Heroes'' made its way to [[Sega]]'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 [[Sega Mega Drive|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 {{nihongo|"''Sega Game Honpo Gunstar Heroes''"|セガゲーム本舗 ガンスターヒーローズ}}. On [[October 6]], [[2005]], Treasure and Sega released ''[[Gunstar Super Heroes]]'', a ''Gunstar'' sequel for the [[Game Boy Advance]]. The game makes few changes to the gameplay, such as having a fixed weapon selection and the addition of overpowered attacks controlled by the trigger. On [[February 23]], [[2006]], Sega released a Treasure-oriented entry in their ''[[Sega Ages]]'' series for [[PlayStation 2]]. Named {{nihongo|"''Treasure Box''"|トレジャーボックス|toreja bokkusu}}, 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. ==See also== *[[The Last Starfighter]] *[[Gunstar Heroes (Soundtrack)]] *''[[Gunstar Heroes: Sound Collection]]'' ==References== <references/> ==External links== * The Last Starfighter [Internet Movie Database] [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087597/] * [Rogue Synapse design of a Last Starfighter Game with REAL GUNSTAR] [http://www.roguesynapse.com/games/last_starfighter.php] * [http://www.treasure-inc.co.jp Official Treasure Co. Ltd Webpage] * {{moby game|id=/gunstar-heroes}} * [http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/genesis/data/563327.html GameFAQs: Gunstar Heroes] * [http://sega.jp/ps2/ages25/ Sega of Japan Official Sega Ages Vol.25 "Treasure Box" Webpage] * [http://ages.sega.jp/vol25/ Sega Ages page with promotion and concept art] * [http://www.meanmachinesmag.co.uk/review/410/gunstar-heroes.php Gunstar Heroes Mega Drive review] from [[Mean Machines|Mean Machines Archive]] {{Treasure}} [[Category:1993 video games]] [[Category:Game Gear games]] [[Category:PlayStation 2 games]] [[Category:Run and gun games]] [[Category:Sega Mega Drive games]] [[Category:Treasure Co. games]] [[Category:Virtual Console games]] [[fr:Gunstar Heroes]] [[ko:건스타 히어로즈]] [[ja:ガンスターヒーローズ]] [[fi:Gunstar Heroes]]'