Gunstar Heroes

Development

In 1991, several Konami employees led by programmer Masato Maegawa began planning an original action shooting game at coffee shops. They pitched the idea to Konami, but were told it would not sell and it was rejected. Maegawa and his team were frustrated with the industry's reliance on sequels and arcade conversions, feeling consumers wanted original games. In 1992, they left Konami and established Treasure to continue development. Treasure wanted to develop for the Sega Genesis because Maegawa liked its Motorola 68000 microprocessor, which he found easier to program for and more powerful than the Super NES. When they approached Sega with design documents, they were not granted approval due to lacking a proven track record. Instead, Sega contracted them to develop McDonald's Treasure Land Adventure. Several months into that project, they were granted approval to work on their own game. The working title was Lunatic Gunstar, but Sega of America rejected it due to negative connotations. Blade Gunner was also rejected for copyright reasons. Sega of America suggested the word "Heroes," so the final title became Gunstar Heroes.

Release

Treasure had already finished McDonald's Treasure Land Adventure, but they chose to release Gunstar Heroes first so their debut would be an original title. Sega of America nearly blocked its release in the United States; twelve producers rejected it before Mac Senour, the last reviewer in line, gave the green light. Senour thought the other producers disliked the game because its small character sprites were out of step with the larger sprites then in fashion. He did ask Treasure to redesign one boss that resembled Adolf Hitler too closely. Gunstar Heroes came out in Japan on September 10, 1993, and in the West that same month. Sega underestimated Japanese demand, shipping only 10,000 copies at first. Sega of America also ordered a small initial print run, since they typically lacked confidence in games from Sega of Japan. The game received little promotion and spread mostly by word of mouth. GameFan ran the first English interview with Treasure's Maegawa. In Japan, about 70,000 copies sold, with 200,000 sold overseas. A 1994 arcade version for the Sega Mega-Play board gave players multiple lives per credit instead of one, added a ten-second timer for certain decisions, and allowed continuous play by inserting more credits. M2 handled the Game Gear port, released on March 24, 1995. That version removed the Dice Palace stage and ran at a lower frame rate.

Reception

Gunstar Heroes ended up being far more popular than its developer Treasure ever expected. In Japan, it topped the reader rankings in Beep! Mega Drive, while Electronic Gaming Monthly named it their Game of the Month. GameFan went further, calling it their Game of the Year and a new high point for action games. Mean Machines Sega declared it a new standard for Genesis action titles, praising it as a stunning game in both looks and play. Another critic from Electronic Gaming Monthly described it as one of the most intense games they had seen on home consoles. Sega Magazine and Sega Force both insisted it was essential for Genesis owners.

The game drew heavy praise for its relentless speed and energy. Electronic Gaming Monthly called it one of the most intense cartridges ever, with nonstop action from start to finish. Mean Machines Sega highlighted the varied level design and the frantic, high-density blasting chaos. Sega Force argued that this variety kept the game from getting boring and breathed new life into the platform genre. The ability to customize gameplay also kept things fresh, according to Computer and Video Games. Critics loved the acrobatic moves and attack options of the player characters. GamePro summed it up as chaos in a cartridge, with murderous action, excellent controls, and imaginative design. The two-player co-op mode was well received, though some reviewers noted that the screen could get too cluttered to tell the characters apart.

The visuals earned strong notices too. GamePro called the graphics an assault on the senses. Mean Machines Sega claimed the sprite rotation and scaling effects outdid what the Super NES could do. Sega Magazine pointed to the impressive scaling used on the boss Seven Force. The bosses themselves were praised for their animation and design, as were the player characters. Computer and Video Games singled out the explosion effects, and other critics noted that the sound effects paired with them boosted the game's atmosphere. One Electronic Gaming Monthly reviewer called it one of the best-looking Sega cartridges in a while.

Legacy

Gunstar Heroes appeared on many lists of the greatest games ever made. Critics praised it as a 16-bit classic, with IGN noting its speed was almost unmatched for its time. Electronic Gaming Monthly called it one of the finest two-player experiences. USgamer saw its loud, chaotic style as the perfect example of a classic Sega game, especially when compared to Nintendo's gentler titles. Nintendo World Report considered it a major creative and technical achievement for the Genesis. As Treasure's first game, it built the developer's reputation. Retro Gamer claimed it transformed the 2D platform-shooter genre. Other games, like Vectorman and Shinobi III, borrowed ideas from it. Treasure gained a dedicated fanbase, which USgamer attributed to a rare integrity in the studio's work. Many of Gunstar Heroes' design choices, including its absurd action and quirky humor, became hallmarks of Treasure's later games. A sequel, Gunstar Super Heroes, came out for the Game Boy Advance in 2005.