Gunstar Heroes (Genesis)

Blow up everything.

Prototype Info

Unused Graphics#

This stylized Nataraja was used in the prototype version. It was on the left side of the Happy Item Room found in Black's stage, along with a door that cannot be entered. In the final version, the left side is featureless.

This sign, which also appeared in the prototype, was used in stage 5 before being replaced by the Outrun billboard.

Unused Music#

The ending of the game is 20 seconds too short to play this track in its entirety.

Timeron Challenge#

In Stage 6, the player runs into Timeron from Stage 4 again. The player is challenged to see how long they can last, as a timer appears on-screen and a hail of homing bullets is unleashed. Timeron can easily be taken out in a few shots, leaving this challenge largely optional. However, if the player somehow manages to survive 100 in-game minutes, Timeron will admit defeat, self-destruct, and the following messages will appear on-screen:

GIVE UP!!

YOU OPEN THE
- SATORI MIND -

REPROGRAMMED BY
1993-NAMI

Afterward, the player is awarded with a Soul Bonus of 930,410 points. This number appears to be a date: April 10, 1993.

"NAMI" refers to designer and enemy programmer Hideyuki Suganami, who also led the development of Alien Soldier, Mischief Makers, and Sin and Punishment. The "SATORI MIND" text, aside from "satori" being a Buddhist term for "enlightenment", is a nod to Satori: Shooting Practice Program, an obscure X68000 game that this bullet-dodging minigame is more or less a big reference to.

Regional Differences#

Life Meter#

Japan	International

"Life" is changed to "Vitality" in all non-Japanese versions of the game.

Dice Palace Clear#

Japan	International

The international versions aren't as stingy with their congratulations.

Duck Battalion#

Japan	International

A typo in the Duck Battalion's name was fixed.

Revisional Differences#

The version included in Classic Collection was changed back to region free, like the prototype.

References#