In 1993, fledgling developer Treasure dropped a serious bomb on the action genre in the form of Gunstar Heroes - a game that pushed the Genesis to its limits while providing one the most enjoyable experiences of the 16-bit generation. As Treasure's first stateside release, Gunstar Heroes did not initially receive the amount of attention it deserved; however, since then, a cult following has remained indelibly loyal. Now, as one of first titles for download on Nintendo's Virtual Console service, both long-time fans and newcomers alike have the opportunity to blast through Gunstar 9 one more time.

As with most shooters, Gunstar Heroes' storyline is secondary to the gameplay. Bad guys capture helpless good guy. Good guy's hero companions blow through droves of enemies and giant mecha, fly space pods and play dice games in order to facilitate said Good guy's rescue. Simple enough (albeit slightly zany). The game's true glory lies in the play mechanic.


One of the most intriguing aspects of Gunstar Heroes is its take on weapon customization, which is conducted on the fly (granted you can find the power-ups you need). Each character is allowed two weapon slots, within which 4 different weapon types - fire, lightning, homing, and machine gun - can be mixed and matched. For instance, two green homing nodules produce a blisteringly fast stream of stars that lock onto targets, which is especially useful for boss battles that require a lot of dodging. Also, combining the flamethrower and machine-gun power-ups creates a weapon that shoots explosive projectiles. The variety of distinct fusions adds a certain strategic element to the gameplay, as finding the right weapon for the situation is always important.

Another of Treasure's accomplishments is the speed and fluidity of Gunstar Heroes. The game is fast, as most great run-and-guns are, but this is especially impressive considering its original graphical limitatations. Numerous enemies and explosions fill the screen with little to no slow-down and bosses are constructed of sprites that scale with ease. During multiplayer, combat becomes beautifully chaotic, and the mayhem is met with similarly smooth results. It may not seem all too admirable in retrospect, but Gunstar did things that other games of the time only dreamt of. This was a feat in itself, considering that the Genesis was largely considered to be the technically inferior platform of its generation. The truest test is measured against time and Gunstar looks as beautiful as it ever has, especially with the added clarity and vibrancy of modern televisions.

We would be remiss to not recommend this game just as any serious gamer would be to not heed the call. Gunstar Heroes is a masterpiece of a shooter, accessible yet deep, with a gameplay style that has yet to be trumped by any other similar action title. For those that missed it the first time around, now is the time to right that wrong.