Gunstar Heroes is undoubtedly one of the most iconic titles for the Mega Drive. But what makes it so special? First, let's talk about Treasure, the developer behind the game. There's an interesting story here.
Treasure was founded in 1992 by former Konami members and quickly established itself as a renowned developer for Sega, thanks to its ability to create high-quality, action-packed games. Their creations were true gems for console fans. On September 10, 1993, Treasure made its debut with Gunstar Heroes, which would not only become a console classic but also a milestone in gaming history. But before becoming a classic, believe it or not, Gunstar Heroes was on the brink of never being released.
According to Mac Senour, a former Sega producer, the game was initially rejected by several people before it reached him. He picked up the controller, played for a few minutes, and then slammed it down on the ground, and said, "This is the game of the year." Everyone around him laughed at his statement. But Mac Senour was willing to bet all his chips on the project because he strongly believed in its potential. You can see the interview by clicking here, if you are interested.
Did Mac Senour's prediction prove to be right? Well, the game received an impressive fourteen nominations for Game of the Year and, furthermore, secured the 33rd position in the 2009 Guinness Book Gamers Edition. Not too shabby. Gunstar Heroes was only made possible through the determination of its development team and Mac Senour's vision.
This brings us an important lesson: We should never doubt ourselves, even if others doubt or ridicule our ideas. A determined team turned a discredited project into a gaming industry icon. Gunstar Heroes is not only one of the best Mega Drive games but also one of the best run 'n' gun games ever made. Now, without further ado, let's talk about the game, starting with the plot. It's important to note that there are significant differences between the international version and the Japanese version, which apparently is the canonical version. I played the international version, and that's the one I'll talk about.
The game's story revolves around the Gunstar brothers, Red and Blue, who join forces to face the evil empire led by Colonel Red and stop their plans to resurrect the Golden Silver destruction robot.
The story may not be very deep or relevant, but nobody cares because you are quickly rewarded with frenetic action, and man, this game is intense. As soon as you enter the first stage, the screen is filled with an impressive number of sprites and visual effects, thanks to the Motorola 68000's ability to handle multiple elements on the screen simultaneously.
"What makes the Genesis the superior machine?" It has "blast processing."
The stages are diverse, ranging from a mine cart chase to a very epic battle against a free-falling robot. In fact, this is my favorite boss fight in the game, the Seven Force. This boss has seven different forms that randomly alternate after each defeat. It's an intense and highly enjoyable fight.
Visually, the game is beautiful; it's definitely one of the prettiest on the Mega Drive. Everything is colorful, detailed, and the enemies are quite expressive. The game makes clever use of the Mega Drive's color palette.
The soundtrack was handled by Norio Hanzawa, who did an excellent job. The music may not be the best of all time, but it gets you pumped at the right moments. The boss themes are truly memorable, especially the Seven Force theme, which is my favorite in the game. I shouldn't forget to mention that this music has an arranged version, and it's simply sensational, not to mention more aggressive than the original. I highly recommend checking out the official album on YouTube.
And finally, the gameplay offers an innovative approach compared to other games in the same genre. The game provides four basic weapon types, each with its own distinct characteristics:
1. Force: This is a rapid-fire weapon, similar to a machine gun, and it's great for covering a wide area with projectiles.
2. Lightning: Lightning is a laser that cuts through enemies and obstacles. It's excellent for long-range attacks and piercing through enemies in a straight line.
3. Chaser: This weapon fires homing projectiles that track enemies. However, individual damage is lower than the other weapons.
4. Flame: It's a short-range weapon, similar to a flamethrower, and it has high destructive power. It's the weapon with the highest individual damage in the game.
You can combine two of the four basic weapons to create new and powerful attacks. For example, when you combine the Lightning shot with the Chaser, the result is a guided lightning attack. There are 14 different combinations, and each offers a unique gaming experience, giving the player the freedom to choose a strategy that suits their playstyle. In fact, this combination was the one I used the most.
Another significant feature of Gunstar Heroes is that the game offers a health bar, starting with 100 hit points and increasing after each level. So, no hit and kill here, making it more accessible and less punishing. It's an excellent entry point for those starting to venture into games of the same genre.
The game also has a cooperative mode, so if you have a friend to play with, it's well worth it because it certainly adds an extra layer of fun. But if you prefer to play alone, the fun is guaranteed as well. Playing with a friend, of course, brings an extra layer of enjoyment.
In summary, Gunstar Heroes was a technical marvel of its time. It's one of those games that transcends the barriers of time and still impresses to this day. The game offers everything a fan of the genre could ask for: innovative gameplay, a versatile weapon system, frenetic action, and creative bosses (although some of them are a bit lazy). Finally, that's it...
Treasure was founded in 1992 by former Konami members and quickly established itself as a renowned developer for Sega, thanks to its ability to create high-quality, action-packed games. Their creations were true gems for console fans. On September 10, 1993, Treasure made its debut with Gunstar Heroes, which would not only become a console classic but also a milestone in gaming history. But before becoming a classic, believe it or not, Gunstar Heroes was on the brink of never being released.
According to Mac Senour, a former Sega producer, the game was initially rejected by several people before it reached him. He picked up the controller, played for a few minutes, and then slammed it down on the ground, and said, "This is the game of the year." Everyone around him laughed at his statement. But Mac Senour was willing to bet all his chips on the project because he strongly believed in its potential. You can see the interview by clicking here, if you are interested.
Did Mac Senour's prediction prove to be right? Well, the game received an impressive fourteen nominations for Game of the Year and, furthermore, secured the 33rd position in the 2009 Guinness Book Gamers Edition. Not too shabby. Gunstar Heroes was only made possible through the determination of its development team and Mac Senour's vision.
This brings us an important lesson: We should never doubt ourselves, even if others doubt or ridicule our ideas. A determined team turned a discredited project into a gaming industry icon. Gunstar Heroes is not only one of the best Mega Drive games but also one of the best run 'n' gun games ever made. Now, without further ado, let's talk about the game, starting with the plot. It's important to note that there are significant differences between the international version and the Japanese version, which apparently is the canonical version. I played the international version, and that's the one I'll talk about.
The game's story revolves around the Gunstar brothers, Red and Blue, who join forces to face the evil empire led by Colonel Red and stop their plans to resurrect the Golden Silver destruction robot.
The story may not be very deep or relevant, but nobody cares because you are quickly rewarded with frenetic action, and man, this game is intense. As soon as you enter the first stage, the screen is filled with an impressive number of sprites and visual effects, thanks to the Motorola 68000's ability to handle multiple elements on the screen simultaneously.
"What makes the Genesis the superior machine?" It has "blast processing."
The stages are diverse, ranging from a mine cart chase to a very epic battle against a free-falling robot. In fact, this is my favorite boss fight in the game, the Seven Force. This boss has seven different forms that randomly alternate after each defeat. It's an intense and highly enjoyable fight.
Visually, the game is beautiful; it's definitely one of the prettiest on the Mega Drive. Everything is colorful, detailed, and the enemies are quite expressive. The game makes clever use of the Mega Drive's color palette.
The soundtrack was handled by Norio Hanzawa, who did an excellent job. The music may not be the best of all time, but it gets you pumped at the right moments. The boss themes are truly memorable, especially the Seven Force theme, which is my favorite in the game. I shouldn't forget to mention that this music has an arranged version, and it's simply sensational, not to mention more aggressive than the original. I highly recommend checking out the official album on YouTube.
And finally, the gameplay offers an innovative approach compared to other games in the same genre. The game provides four basic weapon types, each with its own distinct characteristics:
1. Force: This is a rapid-fire weapon, similar to a machine gun, and it's great for covering a wide area with projectiles.
2. Lightning: Lightning is a laser that cuts through enemies and obstacles. It's excellent for long-range attacks and piercing through enemies in a straight line.
3. Chaser: This weapon fires homing projectiles that track enemies. However, individual damage is lower than the other weapons.
4. Flame: It's a short-range weapon, similar to a flamethrower, and it has high destructive power. It's the weapon with the highest individual damage in the game.
You can combine two of the four basic weapons to create new and powerful attacks. For example, when you combine the Lightning shot with the Chaser, the result is a guided lightning attack. There are 14 different combinations, and each offers a unique gaming experience, giving the player the freedom to choose a strategy that suits their playstyle. In fact, this combination was the one I used the most.
Another significant feature of Gunstar Heroes is that the game offers a health bar, starting with 100 hit points and increasing after each level. So, no hit and kill here, making it more accessible and less punishing. It's an excellent entry point for those starting to venture into games of the same genre.
The game also has a cooperative mode, so if you have a friend to play with, it's well worth it because it certainly adds an extra layer of fun. But if you prefer to play alone, the fun is guaranteed as well. Playing with a friend, of course, brings an extra layer of enjoyment.
In summary, Gunstar Heroes was a technical marvel of its time. It's one of those games that transcends the barriers of time and still impresses to this day. The game offers everything a fan of the genre could ask for: innovative gameplay, a versatile weapon system, frenetic action, and creative bosses (although some of them are a bit lazy). Finally, that's it...
2 Comments
Hello! It's always nice to meet a fellow Lain.
ToasterNinja
7 months ago