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{{Short description|1993 video game}}
{{good article}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Gunstar Heroes
| image = Gunstar Heroes.jpg
| caption = North American cover art
|publisher = [[Sega]]▼
| developer = [[Treasure (company)|Treasure]]{{efn|Ported to Game Gear and 3DS by [[M2 (game developer)|M2]]''}}
|composer = Norio Hanzawa▼
▲| publisher = [[Sega]]
|programmer=Mitsuru Yaida<br />Hideyuki Suganami▼
| series =
|artist=Tetsuhiko Kikuchi<br />Hiroshi Iuchi ▼
| engine =
|producer=Masato Maegawa▼
| platforms = [[
| released = {{collapsible list|titlestyle=font-weight:normal;font-size:inherit;background:transparent;text-align:left|title=September 10, 1993|'''Sega Genesis'''{{Video game release|JP|September 10, 1993|WW|September 1993}}'''Game Gear'''{{Video game release|JP|March 24, 1995}}'''Nintendo 3DS'''{{Video game release|JP|June 24, 2015<ref>{{cite web |title=3D ガンスターヒーローズ|セガ 3D復刻プロジェクト|セガ |url=http://archives.sega.jp/3d/gh/ |website=Sega |language=ja |access-date=December 28, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150820194624/http://archives.sega.jp/3d/gh/ |archive-date=August 20, 2015 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref>|WW|August 20, 2015<ref>{{cite web |title=3D Gunstar Heroes |url=http://www.nintendolife.com/games/3ds-eshop/3d_gunstar_heroes |website=Nintendo Life |date=August 20, 2015 |access-date=December 28, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181228174810/http://www.nintendolife.com/games/3ds-eshop/3d_gunstar_heroes |archive-date=December 28, 2018 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref>}}}}
| genre
| modes
| director =
▲| producer = Masato Maegawa
| designer =
▲| programmer = Mitsuru Yaida<br />Hideyuki Suganami
| writer =
}}
'''''Gunstar Heroes'''''{{efn|{{nihongo|ガンスターヒーローズ|Gansutā Hīrōzu}} in Japan}} is a [[Run and gun (video game)|run and gun]] video game developed by [[Treasure (company)|Treasure]] and published by [[Sega]]. It was Treasure's debut game, originally released on the [[Mega Drive]] in 1993. The game's premise is centered around a pair of characters, the Gunstars, in their efforts to stop an evil empire from recovering four powerful gems. The characters can fire guns and perform a series of acrobatic maneuvers to fight enemies across the stages. There are four weapons in the game which can be combined with one other to create different shot types.▼
▲'''''Gunstar Heroes'''''{{efn|{{nihongo||ガンスターヒーローズ|Gansutā Hīrōzu}} in Japan}} is a [[
Development on ''Gunstar Heroes'' began while the staff was still working at [[Konami]] in 1991. Following what they felt was an unwillingness of Konami to embrace original ideas, the team quit in 1992 and formed Treasure to see their project through. The team wanted to develop their game for the Mega Drive because of the system's powerful [[Motorola 68000]] microprocessor. [[Sega]] would eventually agree to publish the game, but only after they were contracted to develop ''[[McDonald's Treasure Land Adventure]]'' (1993) and had been developing it for several months. The game was released worldwide in 1993 after nearly being rejected by Sega of America.▼
▲Development on ''Gunstar Heroes'' began
''Gunstar Heroes'' was a critical success, being praised for its frantic action and advanced graphics. It helped establish Treasure's place in the industry, and introduced several design conventions which would become characteristic of their later work such as large bosses and a unique sense of humor. It was rereleased several times, including dedicated ports to the [[Game Gear]] and [[Nintendo 3DS]], and received [[Gunstar Super Heroes|a sequel]] on the [[Game Boy Advance]]. In retrospect, it is considered one of the best action games of the [[Fourth generation of video game consoles|16-bit era]], and one of the [[List of video games considered the best|best video games of all time]] by various publications.▼
▲''Gunstar Heroes'' was a critical success, being praised for its frantic action and advanced graphics. It helped establish Treasure's place in the industry, and introduced several design conventions which would become characteristic of their later work such as large bosses and a unique sense of humor. It was
== Gameplay ==
[[File:Gunstar_Heroes_screenshot.png|thumb|left|
''Gunstar Heroes'' is a [[Run and gun (video game)|run and gun]] game played from a [[Side-scrolling video game|side-scrolling]] perspective similar to [[Contra (series)|''Contra'']].<ref name="
When starting a game, the player can choose
== Development ==
In 1991, several [[Konami]] employees led by programmer Masato Maegawa began holding planning sessions at coffee shops for an original game.<ref name=":4">{{Cite magazine|last=Davies|first=Jonti|date=April 2008|title=The Making Of: Gunstar Heroes|url=https://archive.org/stream/retro_gamer/RetroGamer_050#page/56/mode/2up|magazine=[[Retro Gamer
[[File:Sega-Mega-Drive-JP-Mk1-Console-Set.jpg|thumb|
Treasure wanted to develop their game for [[Sega]]'s [[
Treasure consisted of around 18 people, most being programmers from Konami.<ref name=":0" /> The staff was split in half to work on both ''Gunstar Heroes'' and ''McDonald's Treasure Land Adventure'' in parallel.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" /> The core team behind ''Gunstar Heroes'' consisted of six people: two programmers, two graphic designers, and two sound programmers.<ref name=":0" /> The staff (known by their nicknames) was composed of main programmer Yaiman, enemy and boss programmer Nami, graphic designers
[[File:GunstarHeroes_SevenForce.gif|thumb|right|The Genesis's processor made multi-limbed bosses like "Seven Force" possible.]]
Development of ''Gunstar Heroes'' lasted around nine to ten months.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":0" /> It was the team's first experience programming for the
The team approached ''Gunstar Heroes'' with an "anything goes" concept, that led to many ambitious ideas being implemented into the final game.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":1" /> One such concept was the weapon combination mechanic, which was conceived in the early planning stages.<ref name="works4" /> They experimented with weapon attributes until the end of development,<ref name="works4" /> and designed the game so players would continue discovering new weapons and devise new ways to complete stages.<ref name=":4" /> The processor also made articulated multi-limb enemies possible, like the boss "Seven Force
== Release ==
Although ''McDonald's Treasure Land Adventure'' was completed first, Treasure decided to
''Gunstar Heroes'' was released
A [[Game Gear]] port was developed by [[M2 (game developer)|M2]]. Sega asked M2 if they wanted to make a Game Gear game after being impressed by their ''[[Gauntlet (1985 video game)|Gauntlet]]'' port for the
Sega released ''Gunstar Heroes Treasure Box'' in 2006 in Japan, a compilation of Treasure games for the [[PlayStation 2]] as part of their ''[[Sega Ages|Sega Ages 2500]]'' series.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web|url=https://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/20060314/ages.htm|title=「SEGA AGES 2500シリーズ Vol.25 ガンスターヒーローズ ~トレジャーボックス~」~奥成プロデューサーに再びインタビュー!~
▲=== Later releases ===
▲Sega released ''Gunstar Heroes Treasure Box'' in 2006, a compilation of Treasure games for the [[PlayStation 2]] as part of their ''[[Sega Ages|Sega Ages 2500]]'' series.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web|url=https://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/20060314/ages.htm|title=「SEGA AGES 2500シリーズ Vol.25 ガンスターヒーローズ ~トレジャーボックス~」~奥成プロデューサーに再びインタビュー!~|last=|first=|date=March 14, 2006|website=GAME Watch|language=ja|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=2018-12-22}}</ref> Included on the compilation were ''Gunstar Heroes'', ''[[Dynamite Headdy]]'' (1994), and ''[[Alien Soldier]]'' (1995).<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":6" /> The games are run through an emulator and includes display options for filters and resolutions. The Japanese and international versions of each game were included, along with the Game Gear ports of ''Gunstar Heroes'' and ''Dynamite Headdy'', and a Mega Drive prototype of ''Gunstar Heroes''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.siliconera.com/gunstar-heroes-treasure-box/|title=Gunstar Heroes Treasure Box|last=Kalata|first=Kurt|date=|website=Siliconera|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=2018-12-23}}</ref> A gallery is included with scans of the original instruction manuals, concept illustrations, and design documents.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web|url=http://ages.sega.jp/vol25/home.html|title=SEGA AGES 2500 {{!}} Gunstar Heroes Treasure Box|last=|first=|date=|website=Sega|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=2018-12-23}}</ref> This compilation was released digitally on the [[PlayStation Store]] in 2012.<ref name=":8" />
The game was ported by M2 to the [[Nintendo 3DS]] in 2015 as part of Sega's line of ''[[3D Classics
''Gunstar Heroes'' has also been released on the [[Xbox 360]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/06/10/gunstar-heroes-review-2|title=Gunstar Heroes Review|last=Hatfield|first=Daemon|date=
==Reception==
{{video game reviews
| title = Contemporary
| CVG = 92%<ref name="CVG">{{Cite magazine |
| Edge = 6/10<ref name="edger">{{Cite magazine
| EGM =
| GI = 9.25/10<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Gunstar Heroes |magazine=[[Game Informer]] |date=September 1998 |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/legacyreviews}}</ref>
|
| MMS = 93%<ref name="mmsr">{{Cite magazine |date=October 1993 |title=Mega Drive Review: ''Gunstar Heroes'' |url=https://archive.org/details/mean-machines-sega-magazine-12/page/n69 |magazine=Mean Machines Sega |issue=12 |pages=68–71 }}</ref>
| rev2 = ''[[Sega Force]]''
| rev2Score = 94%<ref name="sforcer">{{Cite magazine
| rev3 = ''[[Sega Magazine]]''
| rev3Score = 94%<ref name="smagr">{{Cite magazine
| Fam = 29/40<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/weekly-famitsu-no.-248-september-17th-1993/page/n37/mode/1up|title=ガンスターヒーローズ [メガドライブ]|magazine=[[Famitsu]]|publisher=[[ASCII Corporation]]|date=September 17, 1993|page=38|language=JA|access-date=2022-06-24}}</ref>
| award1Pub = [[GameFan|''GameFan'' Megawards]]
| award1 = [[List of Game of the Year awards|Game of the Year]]<ref name="gfanaward"/>
| award2 = Hyper Game Award<ref>{{Cite journal |date=September 1993 |title=Gunstar Heroes Review |url=https://archive.org/details/megatech-21/page/36/mode/2up |journal=MegaTech |issue=21 |pages=36–41}}</ref>
| award2Pub = [[MegaTech]] (1993)
}}
''Gunstar Heroes'' achieved greater
The game was praised for its fast and furious action.<ref name="egmr" /><ref name="CVG" /><ref name="sforcer" /> ''Electronic Gaming Monthly'' called it "one of the most intense carts to date [...] nonstop intensity from beginning to end."<ref name="egmr" /> ''Mean Machines Sega''
The game's graphics were highlighted by several critics, with ''GamePro'' calling it "an assault on your senses."
=== Ports ===
Critics lauded the Game Gear port as a great 8-bit conversion.<ref name="mmsgg">{{Cite magazine
==Legacy==
''Gunstar Heroes'' was listed as one of the best games ever made by several publications.<ref
Being Treasure's debut game, ''Gunstar Heroes'' helped establish their reputation in the industry.<ref name=":4"/><ref name=":23">{{Cite web|url=https://www.usgamer.net/articles/a-reminder-or-is-it-a-memorial-of-gamings-original-hardcore-developer|title=A Reminder (or is it a Memorial?) of Gaming's Original Hardcore Developer|last=Parish|first=Jeremy|date=
==Notes==
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==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
*{{official website|https://www.treasure-inc.co.jp/p/gunstar_heroes.html}} {{in lang|ja}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080519085927fw_/http://www.treasure-inc.co.jp/products/lp/m_cd/guns_cd.html Official soundtrack website] {{in lang|ja}} (archived)
{{Treasure video games}}
{{Franchises owned by Sega Sammy Holdings}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:1993 video games]]
[[Category:Cooperative video games]]
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[[Category:IOS games]]
[[Category:MegaTech Hyper Game awards winners]]
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[[Category:Sega Games franchises]]
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[[Category:Video games developed in Japan]]▼
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