3D Gunstar Heroes

"Treasure’s visually stunning side-scrolling shooter, Gunstar Heroes is now re-mastered in 3D! Take advantage of Gunslinger Mode by choosing between FREE and FIXED shot modes on the fly and cycling through all your weapons. However, firepower can only take you so far! Go the distance and make it to the long-awaited boss battles with double life with the new Mega Life Mode. Take on the enemies alone or with a friend using two-player co-op via local wireless and save the world from destruction."

The standalone Nintendo eShop release of the game is being played here. The game is also part of Sega 3D Reprint Archives 3: Final Stage (セガ3D復刻アーカイブス3 FINAL STAGE) for the Japanese region.

This is a 'No Skillz' run of the game. I am utilising features specific to the 3DS game to show casual play utilising MegaLife mode for double health and Gunslinger Mode which allows you to switch both weapon orbs at will with the left / right shoulder buttons. I play on Expert difficulty which isn't so bad with the extras enabled. We have a longplays for the Mega Drive game if you want to see the game as originally intended.

I refrain from switching between free and fixed to add a little challenge even if it makes fights take longer than normal. Ideally with this mode enabled Free is better for running and gunning and switching to Fixed would be ideal for the Bosses where you don't have room to move and constant aim would be better.

During Stage 6, you are presented with Timeron's Challenge which is to survive for as long as possible against ever changing attacks. To complete the challenge you need to survive for 100 real-time minutes, that's 1h40mins which is not practical to record for the video. If you complete it, all you get is a huge soul bonus score which doesn't count for much in a game with no leader board. I may record this as an extra bonus video in the future but for now I just destroy Timeron and move on.

The game is a run and gun platform shooter with plenty of bad guys to plough through before getting to the big bad boss at the end of each stage which act as bullet sponges taking a while to take down. Its a great looking game on the mega drive and can maintain a high framerate even when the screen gets crazy sprite heavy. After choosing a play style at the start of the game you get a choice of four weapons each useful in their own right. After collecting other weapons during play you can have two orbs to create different combinations of weapon fire. This can either help or hinder you, at specific encounters. Choose wisely. There are also throws and slides as alternate moves to take out the enemies and I believe you are invincible for a moment while the attack happens.

--- US/EU ---
00:00:00 Intro
00:04:22 Dice Palace
00:11:15 Flying Battleship
00:16:40 Ancient Ruins
00:20:58 Underground Mine
00:31:12 Stage 5
00:38:24 Stage 6
00:49:40 Stage 7
01:00:38 Ending

After completing the initial run, I switch to the Japanese region and switch to the unlocked Megashot mode which doubles weapon damage, but not melee and makes short work of the bosses! I play on Normal with fixed weapons fire this time while retaining gunslinger mode. I also apply a screen filter and enable Mega Drive 2 sound. Only Notable difference with the game apart from the dialogue is that it shows game over at the end of the attract mode demo.

---- JP ----
01:04:22 Intro
01:07:00 Ancient Ruins
01:10:52 Underground Mine
01:16:05 Flying Battleship
01:20:08 Dice Palace
01:26:15 Stage 5
01:34:30 Stage 6
01:44:40 Stage 7
01:51:46 Ending
01:55:50 Game Over
01:56:08 Credits