Gunstar Heroes (Sega Genesis, 1997)

Where to start with a game as innovative as Gunstar Heroes? Do I start with the blast-processed fueled graphics which outshined most of the Genesis' other titles? Perhaps the fenominal soundtrack, fast-paced and enthusiastic? Or maybe I should start with the actual gameplay...

Gunstar Heroes plays like a shooter that collided with the most insane side-scroller you've ever faced. Lightning quick enemies hail down on you in furious numbers. Meanwhile you are collecting power-ups (there are a total of 14 different combos to choose from) to make it easier (at least a little bit) to batter the foes so decadently smashing into you. Let's call this a more in-depth version of that stage in TMNT 2 (for the NES) where you are surfing in the sewers, only the turtles are humans in the future on massive amounts of PCP. Did I mention that once you run out of health, its GAME OVER?!?!?

And then the graphics... Ah... the graphics. Treasure must have discovered a most secret way to make the most out of the Genesis' processing power, not only by creating excellent sprites in fine detail, but so MANY of them onscreen at once. It is truly a wonder to behold. The main highlight of the game are its boss encounters, which feature huge enemies made up of multiple sprites allowing for more fluid motion.

Last but not least we have a powerful soundtrack that keeps up with the pace of the game but always being speed-metal worthy while also coming off as enigmatic and suspenseful. The music was written and composed by Norio Hanzawa under his pseudonym NON.

Final word: Buy this game. Hell, buy it twice. Can't hurt. Treasure has made a gem that blows most of our 7th gen consoles out of the friggin' water. 'Nuff said.

I remember this game so well. There's nothing typical about this 2D shooter. The characters are weird, the bosses are bizarre and surreal, and the animations are absolutely beautiful.

Gunstar heroes is a wonderfully peculiar game. It's so awesome and at the same time it's unorthodox style makes it stand out as a unique gaming experience.

So what's so great about it? The unique gameplay mechanic in this game has to do with two different types of weapons being combined to give you a totally different weapon. As you begin you can also choose which play style you prefer, be it firing your weapon and moving at the same time or being perfectly still while firing.

The character design isn't half bad either. It definitely allows for numerous expressions and some very fluid animations that come off as simply hilarious.

Gunstar Heroes is a fun, must-have experience for every fan of the Genesis. If you don't have a Genesis, you can get this game through the Playstation network on the PS3 or on the Nintendo's virtual console service. Although in my opinion the emulation of the game is just not as good as the real thing.

Gunstar Heroes is the perfect co-op game for any Genesis owner. The graphics and sound for this game are amazing, and like many games from the developer Treasure, the gameplay is both challenging and addictive, and all around fun. This game truly pushes the Sega Genesis' hardware for all it's worth, and truly manages to blur the line between Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo in many ways. Pick this title up, you owe it to yourself!

Gunstar Hereos is one the finest action games for the Sega Genesis. My son loves it because of the good game play. We bought Gunstar Hereos because he had already bought Gunstar Super Heroes before and wanted to buy the original. He says that there is a lot of action in it and it's a lot of fun. Everyone who likes this type of game should buy or auction Gunstar Heroes on Ebay. He says there isn't anything that he doesnt like about the game.

Gunstar Heroes is probably THE cult-classic Genesis A/A side-scroller. The graphics were top-notch for the then-aging system, and the gameplay was diverse and perfect for a 2-player co-op. It can be said that GH borrows in practice from forebears like Contra, but easily carries their mantle with its eccentric enemies and quirky levels. Perfect in length for the genre and just challenging enough for you and a buddy to thoroughly enjoy.

Highest possible recommendation.