http://www.netjak.com/images/games/vintage/gunh/gunhbox.jpg

I can't emphasize enough how much I loved Gunstar Heroes on the Genesis back in the day, so I am really excited to hear it is being ported to the PS3: (http://www.411mania.com/games/columns/103684)

Speaking of which, Gunstar Heroes has recently shown up for ESRB approval for XBLA, PSN, and Wii. Gunstar Heroes is a Contra-like shooter for the Sega Genesis. It is a really solid title and I'm glad it's going to come to the PS3 after it wasn't included in Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection.

http://i18.tinypic.com/2q1gdnl.jpg
http://ui10.gamefaqs.com/457/gfs_80820_2_12.jpg



IMHO, this is the best arcade action title ever made *these pics are from the Genesis version). Designed by Treasure (the same team that made Contra), it's a similar-styled horizontal co-op soldier-shooter with an light-hearted, colorful anime look to it. Even beyond Contra though, it is the action and original gameplay elements that make it the top tier classic that many fans love about it.

The weapon system is cool because you can take any two of the four different guns (laser, flame, bullets, homing) and combine them to form a unique powerful super gun, each combination offering different effects.

You could double up homing arrows for example, sending out more shots that flew at a faster rate, or you could combine something like lasers with the flame for a REALLY powerful beam with extremely short range.... 16 super weapons to create in all.

http://image.allmusic.com/00/agg/screen300/drs000/s065/s06580n6slm.jpg

The level design is really amazing because of the different play mechanics each one offers. Besides standard run and gunning there is a mine cart level, a space shoot'em up and the infamous game board level where every single space you land on after rolling the dice teleports you to a different boss battle!

http://ui18.gamefaqs.com/17/gfs_80820_2_6.jpg

Speaking of bosses, it is this game where Treasure first earned the unofficial title as king of the boss designs. There are a TON of mini, mid, and major bosses in this game, with the most memorable one being 7-Force. It still ranks as maybe my favorite boss ever in any game - on the hardest difficulty he changes in all of his seven different forms throughout the long battle before he goes down.


http://ui19.gamefaqs.com/1202/gfs_80820_2_4.jpg

http://hg101.classicgaming.gamespy.com/gunstarheroes/gunstarheroes-13.png

http://hg101.classicgaming.gamespy.com/gunstarheroes/compare-genesis12.png

Even if they don't go all out with the HD the visuals, I won't complain because it was already one of the best looking games ever released on the Genny (a generic HD filter will be fine). Despite the screen being cluttered with a ton of activity on the hardest level, it always looked crisp running at 60 fps. Beating that hardest difficulty on one credit was one of my favorite gaming moments back in the day, and I look forward to re-learning my patterns to try and do it again.

Now all I need is Guardian Heroes from the Saturn to come onto the PSN, and then the top titles left on my old-school wishlist will have been all crossed off.

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

first Ikaruga, now this.
more Treasure Ltd. games please!

you dont need to convince me. i know how good it is :)

i just hope they do a HD remake of it, like with street fighter and some throphy support would not hurt either, otherwise no sell. i can always play the game for the 10000 time on my sega megadrive.

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

first Ikaruga, now this.
more Treasure Ltd. games please!

Whaaaaaaat? Ikaruga is coming to the PSN? That'd be awesome, I really miss that game. The last minute or so of that game is zen bliss.

Whaaaaaaat? Ikaruga is coming to the PSN? That'd be awesome, I really miss that game. The last minute or so of that game is zen bliss.

I didn't hear about this either! Ikaruga was a CLASSIC!

He made that up... Ikaruga's not coming to the PS3.

He made that up... Ikaruga's not coming to the PS3.

Hmmm yeah I googled and it looks like it is only on XBLA. Maybe that is what he was referring to.

I was referring to Ikaruga being ported in HD to XBLA. That was Treasure's first port over this generation. I wish this is a trend for the rest of their catalogue (Guardian Heroes, Radiant Silvergun, Alien Soldier, Sin & Punishment etc...)

Gunstar Heroes was awesome, one of my favorites as well.

I have something a little more rare along the same lines, how many of you remember this one... ;)

http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv81/DGP_bucket/5-6-09GunnersHeavenJP004.jpg

Never released in N.America, Japan and UK only (mine is JP from 1995) and it is one of the earliest playstation game releases (pretty much a straight Gunstar replica).

Jason

hah, wow. I remember seeing Gunners Heaven in magazines and wanting it real bad, but actually never seen it anywhere.

Hmm...I guess I can retire my PS2 Treasure Sega Ages collection now.

Doh yah!

[IMG]

IMHO, this is the best arcade action title ever made *these pics are from the Genesis version). Designed by Treasure (the same team that made Contra), it's a similar-styled horizontal co-op soldier-shooter with an light-hearted, colorful anime look to it. Even beyond Contra though, it is the action and original gameplay elements that make it the top tier classic that many fans love about it.


Treasure didn't develop Contra, nor were they ever involved with it.

Treasure was solely made up of ex-Konami employees... the same team that created Contra for them.

I don't believe that's true, a search just now didn't reveal anything to back it up. How'd they get a entire development team to leave Konami together and go work for them? Did Konami kill a studio off that then formed Treasure? Seems odd they'd of done such a thing considering the international success of the Contra series at the time.

Edit - And as soon as I posted that, I finally found something that suggest it was formed by former Konami employees (Though nothing specifically about it being the same that had worked on the Contra series, or that the team in its entirety moved to Treasure, it might've just been 1-2 ex Konami employees who founded it).

Yep, at least a few of them were involved with the development of Contra III for the SuperNes before forming Treasure, so you were right. Sorry for doubting it, I envisioned most of the Contra development team leaving Konami when you said such a thing, and it didn't sound very plausable.

http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3140190

I don't believe that's true, a search just now didn't reveal anything to back it up.

It's the very first line on their Wikipedia entry. :confused: A translation of their japanese webpage also reveals the same info.


edit: Their wikipedia page has some interesting info about how the company operates: "Treasure does not have a rigid hierarchy. There are not designated 'directors' from project to project; all directors also work as programmers, artists, or composers, and may work on other projects that they are not directing."

Sounds like an awesome place to work :p

That's actually where I finally found it. :)

A search using Yahoo hadn't been productive and I thought I'd check Wikipedia as a last resort before anyone had the opportunity to correct me, just in case I was wrong.

I also thought it was interesting when I was checking things out, that 6 of the 7 Treasure employees that worked on the Genesis title also worked on the GBA game a decade later, and that all 7 were still Treasure employees (At the time the GBA title was released at least). They appear to have a really good employee retention rate due to things like what you mentioned. A lot of other developers would do well to pay a bit more attention to such things to keep their talent...

Never released in N.America, Japan and UK only (mine is JP from 1995) and it is one of the earliest playstation game releases (pretty much a straight Gunstar replica).Indeed -- SCPS10006 :eek: