Strike Gunner S.T.G.

Strike Gunner S.T.G. is a vertical scrolling Shoot 'em up game originally released on the arcades in 1991 by Athena and Tecmo then later ported for the Super Nintendo. The player takes control of a high-tech jet, the "Strike Gunner" of the title, and faces wave after wave of enemies, ranging from helicopters, jets, tanks and airships, among others.

Plot
According to the instruction manual:

"In the last years of the 20th century, the nations of the world have united to dismantle their massive arsenals of nuclear doom. With the promise of permanent world peace finally at hand, only a madman would still harbor dreams of world domination. Such a madman is the dictator of Sovinia, a small but cunning rebel nation.

"In his insane lust for power, he has joined forces with a huge, hostile war force from beyond this planet, armed with weapons more powerful than anything ever seen before by man. The Allied Countries of Earth try to resist, but without nuclear weapons, their efforts are futile. By 2008, most of the planet lies in ruins; then, in an ironic twist of treachery, the alien forces turn against their ally, and set out to complete their conquest and colonization of Earth

"Now, with the survival of the human race at stake, the allied countries join forces with the rebel dictatorship in a last-ditch effort to drive out the invaders. At their secret fortress deep in the Amazon Jungle, the greatest scientists of Earth carefully analyze the alien weaponry, and develop the weapon to end all weapons: Strike Gunner. With time running out, and few resources remaining, only two can be built; but those two can combine at will into one superfighter of astonishing power. With an awesome arsenal of offensive and defensive devices at your command, and your own unmatched courage and skill as a fighter pilot, the Earth may yet be saved!"

Gameplay
The player goes through various levels and stages, usually based around certain environmental elements such as snow or desert, and faces numerous types of enemies. The levels feature wave after wave of normal enemies ranging from helicopters to turrets that usually only require one or two hits to destroy. At various points in each level, the player faces a boss vehicle, such as a giant airship or an enormous desert tank. At certain points, a stealth bomber (or in later levels, a space shuttle or capsule) will appear to airdrop the player laser power-ups, recharge special weapons, or give a speed boost.

Using the Strike Gunner, the player is armed with a dual red laser weapon that can be upgraded several times to a more powerful blue laser. In addition to this weapon, the player chooses a second, more powerful "special weapon" with a limited charge before they begin the mission. There are 15 advanced weapons to pick from such as the devastating MegaBeam Cannon or AntiAir Mines (see below for a complete list). This allows for a strategic approach to the game because certain weapons are more effective on certain missions. The "special weapon" has various limitations, depending on which one is being used; for example, the MegaBeam Cannon is extremely powerful, but only lasts less five seconds and can only be used once per charge.

The game supports two players as well, with two Strike Gunners (Player 1 is Jane, red, and Player 2 is Mark, blue) facing the same missions as single player. This adds another layer of strategy to the game because each player can choose their own "special weapons" and utilize a deadly combination of timed special attacks. Players can link their aircraft in two different ways by pressing the X or Y button.

Special weapons
All 15 special weapons are available to the player at the start of the game. The player has 10 seconds to choose which weapon he wishes to use. After each stage, the player must select a new special weapon. They may not select the one they used in the previous stage. Most of the weapons are self-explanatory:


 * Plasma Shield: A powerful energy shield that protects the player for just about 12 seconds before it fades off. The shield can also be used as a weapon if the player touches an enemy while in the shield.
 * Homing Missile: As the name suggests, it fires two missiles that detect the enemies and fly towards them.
 * Atomic Missile: One powerful atomic projectile that destroys anything in its explosion area.
 * Laser Cannon: Fires two red high-precision laser shots.
 * MegaBeam Cannon: The most powerful weapon in the game, it fires a hyper-powerful laser beam that destroys anything on its way. While using it, the player becomes invincible. However, it only takes about 4 seconds and it consumes all the player's special weapon bar.
 * AntiAir Mines: As the name suggests, explosive projectiles that takes down helicopters.
 * Sonic Wave: Fires a sonic blast which blinks the screen and clears the entire area around the player.
 * Sonic Shooter: Fires continuous sonic waves. Able to destroy enemy shots that cannot be destroyed with simple fire.
 * Spray Missile: Several missiles are fired and "spread" toward the enemies.
 * Photon Torpedo (a nod to Star Wars and Star Trek): Fire five light torpedoes. The player is able to control the direction of the shot.
 * Comrade Fighter: Creates two extra "little jets" which attach to the Strike Gunner, multiplying the fire power for 3. It takes about 15 seconds before it flies off the screen.
 * Adhesive Bombs: Air mines that attaches to the enemies and blows them away.
 * Heavy Vulcan: A high-precision shotgun, fires a constant spare of shots against the opponent.
 * Heat Arrow: As the name suggest, fires an arrow projectile that detects the enemies' heat and chases them.
 * AutoAim Vulcan: similar to the Heavy Vulcan, but the fire is against all directions.

Port Differences
Strike Gunner was ported from the arcades to the Super Nintendo/Famicom, although there were a few differences that resulted in the process:


 * The HUD was changed slightly in the home console version where it was set along the sides of the screen rather than the bottom.
 * The final boss was completely redesigned in the home console version as well as it being made significantly weaker.
 * The ending and Credit sequence was changed in the home console version, mostly to utilize Mode 7 effects.

Reception
Strike Gunner S.T.G. received mixed reviews from critics, but positive reviews from gamers. Nintendo Power rated the game a 3.2 out of 5, while Gamerankings.com gave it a 4/10, complaining about the game's repetitiveness and difficulty. However, 1UP.com gave the game an A. Gamers found the game to be enjoyable and "just plain fun".