Genesis REVIEWS: Gunstar Heroes
I must confess that I wasn't a big fan of Treasure's other games on the Genesis. Alien Soldier was definitely a solid shooter, but it was too chaotic and hard to follow, and the less said about Light Crusader, the better.
I am also not a big fan of the Run & Gun genre, finding it too limited and repetitive for great games to come out of it.
Which is why it is doubly surprising that I managed to enjoy Gunstar Heroes so much, proving that this game is a pinnacle for both the console and the genre.
Tips:
Series:
For those reading one of my Genesis review blogs for the first time, here is the basic concept:
I already reviewed a bunch of SNES games, so, naturally, I am going to review the games of its prime competition. Does the SEGA Genesis stand a chance against the legendary SNES library?
My review series is based on the top 100 list of Retro Sanctuary
Originally, I posted most of my content on a football forum called "Goallegacy," which was the first online community I had ever joined. I found it to be the best place for a football fan (the REAL football, not handegg) to hang out on the internet, but the forum is not as active as it was years ago.Next Game:
I know that one Dtoid member hoped I would enjoy a Treasure game, and now it came to pass that I did indeed enjoy one. Still a toss-up between this game and Hard Corps as the best Genesis run-and-gun.
Two games remain in the list, but I got a weird request to review a game from one Goallegacy poster. So, for the next game, I will be reviewing Ringside Angel, a wrestling game with some "unique" characteristics. It's going to be a shorter-than-usual review, though.
Stay Tuned. For Previous Genesis Game Reviews:
I am also not a big fan of the Run & Gun genre, finding it too limited and repetitive for great games to come out of it.
Which is why it is doubly surprising that I managed to enjoy Gunstar Heroes so much, proving that this game is a pinnacle for both the console and the genre.
3: Gunstar Heroes:-
Year: 1993.
Genre: Run & Gun.
Publisher: Sega.
Developer: Treasure.
"No!... The Earth, under one person's power"
In the Genesis era, games like Gunstar Heroes didn't usually make any effort to tell a story or to have any sort of narrative. While this is mostly the case for Gunstar Heroes, it actually puts in more effort in crafting a story than other similar games.
Starting with an opening narrative, the evil empire managed to take control of the entire earth, and it's up to the heroic Gunstar Heroes to save the world. To do so, they must take back the 4 power gems.
That's a very basic story, but the style of the game manages to add more character than that.
Featuring a unique sprite design for its characters, Gunstar Heroes achieves a similar effect to the Metal Slug series by crafting a world that's full of character. That's mostly apparent with the absurdly Bison-like character (from the Street Fighter series), Smash Diakatsu, who showcases a lot of humor and personality through his design and animation.
"Your journey ends here"
Gunstar Heroes plays at the outset like any other run-and-gun game, but with a few differences. First, you can pick any of the four beginning levels. Second, you can choose between two shooting styles through your choice of characters. Either fixed shooting or fixed aim. The first option allows you to aim your shot at a single point and keep firing, but that sacrifices the ability to move and shoot at the same time. Obviously, the second option is the best.
That's not the only difference that counts, though. Besides the ability to run and... well, gun, this game allows the hero some significant mobility as well as a variety of offensive options.
You can slide into enemies, as well as do some drop-kick attacks. Also, when getting close, you could throw them at each other, with even some bosses being susceptible to that move. Since the game gives you a health bar instead of the one-hit kills of the Contra and Metal Slug series, this expanded move-set allows for extremely chaotic fun.
Added to your variety of beat-em-up moves are, of course, the weapons themselves. The game basically offers a system where you can have two gems that affect your main gun out of four kinds. There is homing, laser, flame thrower, and rapid fire. Each type has been featured in run & gun games in the past, and you could probably guess how it behaves.
Gunstar Heroes not only gives you the ability to switch between two types, but also to combine them for an extra devastating effect. As far as I can tell, all weapon combinations are valid in some way, but some are clearly more suitable for the majority of the game.
"Welcome to the Dice Palace"
With such a great gameplay foundation to build on, Gunstar Heroes can only fail if the levels do not do justice to the gameplay. Thankfully, that's not the case here.
Each stage is in some way drastically different than the other. With even one stage that plays more like a shmup than a run-and-gun game, and another taking place in something similar to a board game. This variety is especially apparent considering the bosses.
As seen in later Treasure games, they have a tendency to put their best work with their bosses, and that started here. From small-sized baddies to those that cover nearly half the screen, the bosses in the game are among the best in the genre.
By being both fair and fearsome, they manage to strike the perfect balance between challenge and frustration.
Since this game is meant as a score-attack game, though, it is supposed to be finished in one sitting. Meaning that there are no passwords or saving, but that's a small issue if you're considering emulated versions.
"Ha, Ha, Ha... If you want to save Yellow, come to me with all the gems"
With its character designs being part of the charm, and its varied levels needing to look varied, this is a game that manages to do both justice through its graphics. Through both good sprite art and very good background design, the game looks great despite the chaos on the screen.
It's a great sight to see a multitude of bullets and enemies flying about, and you mowing through them with your double flamethrower.
Special mention needs to be reserved for the surprisingly good 3D graphics, though. Somehow, the game manages to put in a couple of sequences where 3D polygons interact with 2D space without being overly offensive to the eye.
Audio-wise, the game is just as good. Through both effects and music, it showcases an energetic tone throughout. Something that particularly invites players to go forward despite the difficulties faced.
In Conclusion:
Most of the time, I am confident of what I think my opinion on a game would be. In this case, I thought Treasure would have a third strike, and they would be out. It's their first game, and their latter efforts gave me no reason to celebrate.
Which is why I am happy that this time I was wrong. This game is not only a fine first-time effort by Treasure, but a very good game as well.
Final: 9/10 (Highly Recommended)
In the Genesis era, games like Gunstar Heroes didn't usually make any effort to tell a story or to have any sort of narrative. While this is mostly the case for Gunstar Heroes, it actually puts in more effort in crafting a story than other similar games.
Starting with an opening narrative, the evil empire managed to take control of the entire earth, and it's up to the heroic Gunstar Heroes to save the world. To do so, they must take back the 4 power gems.
 |
| NOOOOOOOO! |
That's a very basic story, but the style of the game manages to add more character than that.
Featuring a unique sprite design for its characters, Gunstar Heroes achieves a similar effect to the Metal Slug series by crafting a world that's full of character. That's mostly apparent with the absurdly Bison-like character (from the Street Fighter series), Smash Diakatsu, who showcases a lot of humor and personality through his design and animation.
"Your journey ends here"
Gunstar Heroes plays at the outset like any other run-and-gun game, but with a few differences. First, you can pick any of the four beginning levels. Second, you can choose between two shooting styles through your choice of characters. Either fixed shooting or fixed aim. The first option allows you to aim your shot at a single point and keep firing, but that sacrifices the ability to move and shoot at the same time. Obviously, the second option is the best.
That's not the only difference that counts, though. Besides the ability to run and... well, gun, this game allows the hero some significant mobility as well as a variety of offensive options.
You can slide into enemies, as well as do some drop-kick attacks. Also, when getting close, you could throw them at each other, with even some bosses being susceptible to that move. Since the game gives you a health bar instead of the one-hit kills of the Contra and Metal Slug series, this expanded move-set allows for extremely chaotic fun.
 |
| It's pure chaos at times |
Added to your variety of beat-em-up moves are, of course, the weapons themselves. The game basically offers a system where you can have two gems that affect your main gun out of four kinds. There is homing, laser, flame thrower, and rapid fire. Each type has been featured in run & gun games in the past, and you could probably guess how it behaves.
Gunstar Heroes not only gives you the ability to switch between two types, but also to combine them for an extra devastating effect. As far as I can tell, all weapon combinations are valid in some way, but some are clearly more suitable for the majority of the game.
"Welcome to the Dice Palace"
With such a great gameplay foundation to build on, Gunstar Heroes can only fail if the levels do not do justice to the gameplay. Thankfully, that's not the case here.
Each stage is in some way drastically different than the other. With even one stage that plays more like a shmup than a run-and-gun game, and another taking place in something similar to a board game. This variety is especially apparent considering the bosses.
 |
| Boss battles are exciting and fun |
As seen in later Treasure games, they have a tendency to put their best work with their bosses, and that started here. From small-sized baddies to those that cover nearly half the screen, the bosses in the game are among the best in the genre.
By being both fair and fearsome, they manage to strike the perfect balance between challenge and frustration.
Since this game is meant as a score-attack game, though, it is supposed to be finished in one sitting. Meaning that there are no passwords or saving, but that's a small issue if you're considering emulated versions.
"Ha, Ha, Ha... If you want to save Yellow, come to me with all the gems"
With its character designs being part of the charm, and its varied levels needing to look varied, this is a game that manages to do both justice through its graphics. Through both good sprite art and very good background design, the game looks great despite the chaos on the screen.
It's a great sight to see a multitude of bullets and enemies flying about, and you mowing through them with your double flamethrower.
 |
| Look behind you, man |
Special mention needs to be reserved for the surprisingly good 3D graphics, though. Somehow, the game manages to put in a couple of sequences where 3D polygons interact with 2D space without being overly offensive to the eye.
Audio-wise, the game is just as good. Through both effects and music, it showcases an energetic tone throughout. Something that particularly invites players to go forward despite the difficulties faced.
In Conclusion:
Most of the time, I am confident of what I think my opinion on a game would be. In this case, I thought Treasure would have a third strike, and they would be out. It's their first game, and their latter efforts gave me no reason to celebrate.
Which is why I am happy that this time I was wrong. This game is not only a fine first-time effort by Treasure, but a very good game as well.
Final: 9/10 (Highly Recommended)
 |
| Keep on lovin' you |
Pros:
- Good visual characterization
- Great run & gun gameplay
- Great weapon and level variety
- Great graphics and soundtrack
Cons:
- Can be unfairly difficult
Tips:
- For maximum defense, take homing weapons and move to avoid being hit.
- For maximum offense, it's all about the flamethrower, baby.
- In the Shmup stage, you will live and die by your combination, so try for a homing flamethrower.
- Don't always use the combination effect; sometimes a single option is the best (rarely so).
- You can double the weapon style for double the single-type impact.
- Always go with free movement.
Series:
For those reading one of my Genesis review blogs for the first time, here is the basic concept:I already reviewed a bunch of SNES games, so, naturally, I am going to review the games of its prime competition. Does the SEGA Genesis stand a chance against the legendary SNES library?
My review series is based on the top 100 list of Retro Sanctuary
Originally, I posted most of my content on a football forum called "Goallegacy," which was the first online community I had ever joined. I found it to be the best place for a football fan (the REAL football, not handegg) to hang out on the internet, but the forum is not as active as it was years ago.
Next Game:
I know that one Dtoid member hoped I would enjoy a Treasure game, and now it came to pass that I did indeed enjoy one. Still a toss-up between this game and Hard Corps as the best Genesis run-and-gun.Two games remain in the list, but I got a weird request to review a game from one Goallegacy poster. So, for the next game, I will be reviewing Ringside Angel, a wrestling game with some "unique" characteristics. It's going to be a shorter-than-usual review, though.
Stay Tuned.
For Previous Genesis Game Reviews:
This blog was originally posted in Destructoid Community Blogs on December 12th, 2017. The blog was slightly edited to fit my newer review format.
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