NFG Games + GameSX

Star Soldier for Nintendo's Gamecube is an overlooked gem, with solid gameplay that's more of an update to the original Famicom game than a sequel. It doesn't change much of the original game. The enemies are sort of abstract and the gameplay is simple. But the 1985 Star Soldier is remembered fondly because it was a great game, and so is this 2003 update.

The controls are simple, with only two attack options: main and blast. The main shot is much more powerful when the button is pressed rapidly, but there is a weak autofire attack when the button is held down.

The blaster attack is a short range shotgun-style blast that can take out enemies, enemy bullets and ground targets in a surprisingly large area. It takes a few seconds to charge before it can be used again, but can be otherwise used without restriction.

The player can also select different movement speeds.

Star Soldier has a unique powerup system that ties the player's ability to upgrade their weapons to their shields.

Collecting a floating [P] icon will power up the player's ship. It takes three [P] powerups to reach maximum power, at which time exciting music will play and the player becomes briefly invulnerable.

When max power is reached the player is granted three shields. Shields do not protect the player from enemy ships. The shield is represented by circles that move around the player's ship, with three, two or one circles representing the number of shields remaining.

If the player is hit by an enemy bullet a shield is lost, and the powerup level decreases. After a third consecutive bullet strike the player's shields will be exhausted, and a fourth strike will destroy the player's ship, and one life will be lost.

When a player with a shield takes a hit, the weapon power level is decreased. The power level cannot then be increased, nor shields replenished, until all shields are lost. This creates a situation where a player must either play with reduced weapon power or take additional hits to destroy the shields in order to power back up.

When the player loses all three shields it takes only one more powerup to reach full power, add three new shields, and enjoy another short period of invulnerability.

Star Soldier has three game modes: the main game and two timed caravan modes.

The main game is very similar to the original 8-bit Star Soldier, with levels that feature many similar enemy and level elements. Unlike most modern shmups the enemy patterns are less patterned and more scattered, which makes the game seem a bit old fashioned.

But the music, graphics and controls are refined to perfection, with just enough modernity added to keep it from being a simple graphic update.

In the 80s Hudson Soft toured Japan with shoot-em-up caravan events, and this game continues this grand tradition. The timed games give the player 2- or 5-minute timed sessions to try and get the top score.

These timed games are excellent fun, very obviously built by people who loved the original games. They radiate excitement and channel the best parts of the Famicom and PC Engine games caravan games.

The manual for the game is full of advice.

• You can move while the blaster weapon is firing, allowing you to drag the blast a little bit. The Blaster already has a very wide impact, but by moving at the same time you can destroy even more.
• Set your speed to maximum, especially on the timed games. You'll reach enemy formations and destroy them more quickly.
• Don't hold the button down. Manual rapid-fire is vastly more powerful.

• ZEG - Sometimes in a level a [Z] icon will appear. When destroyed they give the player a point bonus which increases for every sequential ZEG thus eliminated: 500, 1,000, 4,000, 10,000, 40,000, 80,000 and finally 100,000 points each. Finding the ZEGs is critical to a good score.

• Delilah - A pair of eye-like structures that open a little bit every time they receive a hit from the player weapons. They're only worth 1,000 points each, but if both Delilahs are destroyed within a second of each other they're worth 80,000 points. If there are three destroyed at the same time they're worth 120,000 points.
• Lazarus - A giant cybernetic head that assembles from four pieces. If Lazarus is destroyed before assembling into a single unit, it's worth 80,000 points. If destroyed after fully assembling itself, it's worth only 1,000 points.

The manual suggests that other bonuses are hidden in the terrain, and invites you to shoot anything suspicious.

There are also formation bonuses, where destroying every enemy in a group results in a bonus. This bonus decreases as the enemies survive, so destroying them all as quickly as possible is key to higher scores.

Takahashi Meijin was Hudson Soft's ambassador for a long time. You might remember him from such games as Adventure Island (AKA Wonder Boy). He was famous for reaching 16 presses per second when playing Star Soldier and other games.

He offers some tips for players trying to get the best score in the two-minute timed game.

• Aim for 600,000 points!
• Stay relaxed, dont use unnecessary force on the controller. You can also hold down the trigger.
• If you memorize the enemy patterns you will be able to play more smoothly, know when to use rapid fire, and get the formation bonuses.
• Formation bonuses are worth more than the bonus awards dropped by destroyed enemies.
• Keeping your 4- or 5-way shot is important when destroying Delilahs.
• Some enemies cannot be destroyed with your regular shot, but if you grab a powerup when you have shields it will destroy them.
• Destroying every enemy in a formation will release the next formation immediately. Destroying formations quickly allows more formations to appear, which can increase your score.
• The boss can be killed quickly by getting close and using rapid fire. The blaster attack will clear enemy bullets and do a lot of damage!