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[High Score On!] Star Soldier R for Wii plus dissertation
Sheep
Registered User, __BANNED USERS regular
Registered User, __BANNED USERS regular
This is a Star Soldier R Thread!
One of the most important things a console manufacturer must have is an identity. While brand identity can manifest itself in a company's PR and marketing, who a company is largely depends on the games associated with it's system, and this was one of the most crucial aspects to the 8 and 16-bit years. SEGA did well with their Nintendon't campaign, but it wasn't until Sonic debuted that the Genesis began to apex. Nintendo's Mario practically resurrected the games industry. Hudson and NEC joined together to create a console. That console was the PC Engine/TurboGrafx 16.
Hudson knew that a well known, highly regarded game series was needed to push sales. Bonk and Bomberman are probably the first two series most game nerds think of when they think of the PCE. Hudson had a few other exclusive titles as well. Neutopia, Nectaris, and the focus of this post, Star Soldier.
Star Soldier originally started on the NES, but really hit it's stride in terms of speed, style, and gameplay with the PC Engine titles.
The Star Soldier series is known for three things. Great music. Insane weapon system. And Caravan Mode.
Great music you say?
Yes. Great music. Almost rivals Thunderforce, but without being all Cock Rock. Don't believe me? Google. There were a couple of CDs released commercially in Japan that contained the soundtrack as well. Fast. Frentic. Memorable music.
Who doesn't love insane weapons?
Jack Thompson, that's who. But fuck him. I'd shoot at him with my blue laser of death that spreads and snakes around the screen, destroying all that lay within my path. Each game had a slightly refined weapon system that builds upon the last. The weapon system (and maybe even the series itself) was heavily inspired by GunHed/Blazing Lazers, another Hudson produced title. You pick up orbs that correspond to different weapon attributes. Some titles let you combine the weapons, while others allow you to stock them for super bombs.
What is Caravan Mode?
Hudson and their games are hugely popular in Japan, and back at the height of their greatness, and the PC Engine's fandom, Hudson would load up a bunch of games and go on tour. They had a special treat for their fans, though. Originally, Hudson would create small games based on full titles that specifically challenge players to get the highest score within a time limit. Hudson would hold competitions between players at various locations. Eventually, Caravan Mode was added to the full releases, and a variety of Hudson's shmups featured it. Starship Hector, Gunhed, Star Soldier, etc. The objective is to destroy as much on screen, uncover hidden bonuses, beat bosses in a specific way, or solve minor puzzles for extra points.
I've always enjoyed the little graphical touches the game employed. Animated sprites that jump out, morph, and then engage. It was competent, and only rivaled by the likes of Gradius and R-Type. Very little slow down.
Let's get on to the games.
Super Star Soldier
This was the first of the series to hit the PC Engine, and retained the most features from Gunhead. There's no smart bomb, but you are treated to homing missles, as well as some cool Gradius like Options. Some impressive graphical capabilities for 89/90. Pretty difficult. Death means you must start the level over. Maybe Hudson wanted to prepare us for Super R-Type.
Final Soldier
Second in the series, and the worst reviewed of them all. It never made it to the States either. Customizable weapons, Options. Not much had changed over SSS. This is generally considered the weakest of the four PC Engine titles. Graphically it's a bit stale. There are a few cool bosses, but the game largely lacks some of the cool enemy designs that we got with Soldier Blade. It's also somewhat easy compared to the other titles.
Soldier Blade
Soldier Blade, my favorite of the four. Some nice graphical tricks. Loads of stuff on the screen, Blazingly fast scrolling backgrounds. Voice sampling. The Options are gone and in place you're escorted by a pissed off little mecha. By pissed off I mean that you can stock weapon upgrades, hit the II button, and send your little buddy out ahead of you to take out whatever's unlucky to be going against you. Caravan Mode is slightly less hectic than in Final Soldier and SSS.
Star Parodier
Another title that didn't make it to the US. But then again, I don't think a single Parodier game has. Very much influenced by Konami's series. Almost identical in some places and in some enemy designs. YOu have a choice of using one of three ships. A giant Bomberman, a giant PC Engine (with a copy of Super Star Soldier in the slot), or a parody of the SSS ship. Homing missles are back. You also face off against a giant Bomberman boss that is pretty much a level straight out of Bomberman.
There was one final game released before the series went silent. Star Soldier: Vanishing Earth was released onto the N64 around 97 or 98. I never played it, it didn't look very pretty, and reports from those that have played it weren't too promising. Some gameplay changes, along with a change in perspective and a DoDonPachi style combo.
Eventually Hudson would remake Star Soldier for the Gamecube. It proved to be pretty popular, so they ported it to the PS2 and PSP. The series was largely dead until...
Star Soldier R
Star Soldier R Trailer
Star Soldier R 5min Caravan
One of Hudson's developers let it be known, through some unofficial channels, that a new Star Soldier was in the planning stages. Eventually more information pointed to the Wii console. Finally, when Nintendo started to ramp up their WiiWare service, Hudson formally announce Star Soldier R.
So what's the story with Star Soldier R?
There's a couple of changes made for the latest entry.
- There is no "Story Mode". The game consists of only various challenge modes.
- 2 Minute, 5 Minute, and Fast Shot Mode, a small minigame that counts how quickly you can fire your weapon.
- Options are back, and are controllable. Not sure on the details, but videos suggest that you have some type of control over your Options and can organize them to some degree.
- Online leaderboards. First for the series, and probably the defining feature for Star Soldier R. Since there's no level structure, this is what will keep you coming back for more.
Day one purchase for me! Caravan Mode in Soldier Blade is an obsession, and now I don't have to keep my score on an obscure shmup forum! Everyone the world over can see my skills! Will Star Soldier R be WiiWare's defining competitive game a la Geometry Wars or SuperStardust HD? Maybe not, maybe. Regardless, I'll make sure to have a higher score than you!
So why should you buy it?
The Penny Arcade forums have always been a good source of healthy competition. We'll all enjoy placing in the Top 10 on the leader boards, but with a healthy dose of shit talking here from PA, I think we can make the competition a little more intense. Plus I'm better than you and want everyone to know it.
If you need help, here's a link to the official Player's Guide
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Please PM me your high score or post it here in this thread and I'll update the list.
CLICK HERE FOR ONLINE RANKINGS
Good luck!
But I don't have enough space on my Wii for this. After buying FF:CC and DYC, I'm down to like 20 or so blocks.
Yeah, kinda lame that Bullet Hell seems to be the thing to do with shmups now days.
May 19 2008 822,600 25mg
11:59am
I'll beat you by tonight!
Oculus: TheBigDookie | XBL: Dook | NNID: BigDookie
You wonder?
Really?
I didn't know you had one for the Wii, just the 360.
May 19 2008 788,200 Big Dookie
12:59am
I'm #2 in Southeast, so I'm right behind you 25mg.
I've tried all three control schemes now, and I have to say I think I like nunchuck best. I'm not a big fan of the analog sticks on the classic controller though, so that may be part of it.
Oculus: TheBigDookie | XBL: Dook | NNID: BigDookie
High Scores updated.
Oculus: TheBigDookie | XBL: Dook | NNID: BigDookie
I haven't heard many good things about it. The roll system is kinda pointless if the game kept the similar weapons system. Basically, getting hit takes away your weapons/options. That's one of the things I liked about the game, to be honest.
http://www.hudson.co.jp/wii/wiiware/starsoldier/usa/e/main.html
Features in-depth strategies, detailed point-breakdown of each enemy and the online rankings for when you are unable to keep plugging away at the game.
My scores:
2-Minute Mode
PZH |826,100 Other
5-Minute Mode
PZH | 1,909,100 Other
And just for kicks... 9.1 on the Quick Shot mode.
Posted on the WiiWare General thread, but reiterating for good measure.
There's actually a Shoot the Credits minigame outside of the 3 game modes.
To access it, just choose the Credits option and hit A (NES sideways-wiimote controls).
There's a PDF Player's Guide.
Oculus: TheBigDookie | XBL: Dook | NNID: BigDookie
But...
Doesn't anyone else feel ripped off that theres no story mode? 2 and 5 minute mode? Come on... I paid the same price for this game that I would have paid for any number of VC titles, that would have given me a full and complete game. Which is what I expect when I purchase a game. This does not feel like a full and complete game at all.
The weapon system is dull compared to previous versions, and ok so you only have 5 mins to get your weapon system to level 6, but surely they could have come up with something better than spread shot?
Some might say that there will be future downloadable content for this game, but fuck that, I've already paid for the game. I dont want to have to pay again in order to get what I should have gotten the first time around.
But maybe that's just me....
Is it slightly on the expensive side? Yes. But it's not unprecedented. As mentioned in other threads, when Geometry Wars was released it cost 800 MS Points, which is slightly more expensive than 800 Wii Points. PacMan CE is a great game, but has very little more to offer and costs 800 MS Points as well.
Just depends on what you're looking for. SSR wasn't advertised as an arcade shooter. It's a tournament shooter. Competitive only. I think it nails it. It's addictive, requires perfection, and plenty of experimentation on the behalf of the user. There's lots of small things to take into account in order to get the highest score. That there creates tons of replay.
I think the weapon system is a nice change from the past Caravan Modes. I like how you have to charge the options and have some control over them. Charge them up for massive damage and then release them to get loads of points.
Anyway.
To quote someone from the shmup forum.
All I can say is, you've already bought it, so you might as well get as much enjoyment out of it as possible.
Oculus: TheBigDookie | XBL: Dook | NNID: BigDookie
"Best shooter ever!"
The idea that it isn't complete doesn't sting anywhere near as much as the comment that it lacks content beyond its high score model. It's designed around being a competitive shooter, so that excludes a lot of players who don't necessarily play for that reason. And it really wouldn't have hurt them to put in that single player mode. Saying it's not a full game is such an empty criticism, when there are much more scathing ways to put how this game isolates its player base and excludes players who want a different kind of experience. I assume that if this were more like Geometry Wars, folks wouldn't be complaining about not having a single player mode seeing as how it is endless. Or given that Pac-Man CE has several game types to choose from.
I just broke 1,000,000 points, so I'm pretty ecstatic. The game feels just about right as far as difficulty is concerned in scoring well, though the last 2 Simultaneous kill bonuses can be a real pain to get if you don't shoot quickly in 2-min mode. Not sure when I'm going to move on to 5 min mode score runs. Perhaps once I've dominated 2 min mode consistently. It's rare to get a vertical scrolling shooter like this, where dodging bullet curtains and taking in complex scoring systems are no longer present as a barrier into the experience. This is pure twitch type stuff, where you can actually do well with very little effort in memorization.
It rewards all the things I like in a pick up and play shoot em up. Shoot fast, shoot accurately, and don't die. Good stuff.
1,011,000 points - 2 Min Mode
I must be missing some major bonuses somewhere.
Oculus: TheBigDookie | XBL: Dook | NNID: BigDookie
If you have about 700,000 points and can kill the boss with 10 seconds or higher left on the clock, you're pretty much gravy. Yes, that includes destroying all sections quickly, those are worth significant points. I usually engage my Force Formation's defense mode, shoot the first gun section, weaken the boss substantially, then kill the top section after it rotates once and finish the rest in easy fashion.
Oculus: TheBigDookie | XBL: Dook | NNID: BigDookie
Ahh sorry, I missed that. I shall look there.
And sleep, the thing about geometry wars is that it's continuous play, the game doesnt end before you lose all your lives. Anyway, as you've stated, pretty much a mute point at this stage.
Yeah, one of my issues with PacMan CE is that there's no continuous play.
Scores:
2-Minute Mode
940,900
5-Minute Mode
2,168,900
Verified:
And for the hell of it,
Quick Shot Mode
12.3 shots/sec.
I'm having trouble beating my high score. Got slightly above 950k last night, but still.
Been playing full speed now as well.
Really wish I had an arcade stick. May try using analog.
Sleep may be best suited to answer this, but is there/will there be one pattern or play style which yields the most points, so each run becomes a matter of practicing repetition? The below quote suggest there is not pattern memorization, so does that mean random enemy spawns?
Nice. While I do enjoy bullet hells, I've become burnt out on them after playing through a bunch on the Dreamcast. What really bugs me is that they all have some sort of absorb-bullets mechanic which makes your ship invincible. It strikes me as a really cheap game design element; it's not congruent with any clever level design, it's just used when they put too many bullets on screen so it's impossible to live without it. I understand there's a skill in determining the right time to use it, but it's no different from stage to stage.
SteamID: FronWewq
Battle.net: Orange#1845
3DS Friend Code: 1289-9498-5797
Oh, there's pattern recognition, I didn't mean to insinuate otherwise. Especially given that my comments are only relative to 2 min mode. The progress I've made occurred through being aggressive, the memorization is there because enemy patterns are set. It took me a relatively short amount of time to break 1,000,000 points because save for the simultaneous kills, you don't need to know what spawns so much as that those things have to die as quickly as possible. The game doesn't ask for much out of the player other than "kill and kill fast."
Play style? Yes. Pattern? No.
Do what you need to do to destroy everything. There are a few randomized elements to the enemies to keep you from simply speedrunning it. A few surprises as well. You'll eventually make use of repetition, but that doesn't guarantee you anything. But, with any game, familiarity makes the experience smoother/easier.
As mentioned, I had a hell of a time beating my high score last night, even though I thought I was doing better. Kept missing something, some where. Gotta find it.
This is what scares most people from buying SSR, so it made me wonder:
If the game is built so much on these competitive timed runs, why not have more of them? I'm sure many people who are interested in trying out a competitive-style shooter would've been more willing to drop 800 points if there was more content, which could've easily just been more levels under equivalent time limits. Instead of two stages which are used for both 2 minute and 5 minute mode, why not have a choice of 3 different pairs of stages to go through, for a total of 6 levels. This is what strikes me as lazy/a ripoff; I can understand not having an arcade mode, but only two levels is really skimming on content, when they could've just added more Caravan levels.
SteamID: FronWewq
Battle.net: Orange#1845
3DS Friend Code: 1289-9498-5797
Switch - SW-3699-5063-5018
But don't get me wrong though. It was 20$ well spent like 3-4 years ago. I really enjoyed some of the secrets in that game. There are different paths and bosses to defeat. The music was pretty enjoyable really. I kinda liked the 3 ship selection.
Then I realized what I unknowingly did when I initially changed the fire type from Auto to Manual.
Now that I'm using automatic fire, my current high score is up to 876,600 for the two-minute mode. I'm surprised each time I play through; I don't feel like I did anything substantially better or worse, but my score keeps climbing by small increments. It's a pretty cool feeling.
I'm tempted to read every single strategy tidbit, so I can focus on hitting all the high-point enemies in the right way, but I think I'll hold off for a while and try to learn them myself.
SteamID: FronWewq
Battle.net: Orange#1845
3DS Friend Code: 1289-9498-5797