SUPER STAR SOLDIER
スーパースターソルジャー

MAKER: HUDSON SOFT / INTER STATE / KANEKO
RELEASE DATE: 6 JULY 1990 / 1991
STYLE: VERTICAL SHOOT 'EM UP
FORMAT: HUCARD
RATING:

 

Overview
Considered as a kind of unofficial sequel to the hit game Gunhed, Super Star Soldier follows the same formula, with a selection of upgradeable weapons and a variety of space and land-based landscapes to fly over. Smart bombs are achieved by collecting flashing power-up orbs, and these also give you an extra bonus - the ability to continue from the point of death for each one you collect. Once you run out of these, you are set back to a restart point earlier in the level.

You say...
Super Star Soldier is probably my favourite Soldier series game.  Obviously the plot is blah blah blah ALIENS, but this is one of the purest arcade-style shooters on the system in my opinion.  It looks incredible, and the amount going on would be overwhelming at times if not for the sheer amount of screen clearing death you're capable of generating.  The power up system is brilliantly simple:  4 weapons, each with three levels of power, along with things like homing missiles.  There's also a subtle advantage to choosing the right weapon for the right sections.  Music is some of the best on any HuCard in my opinion.  Where this game really gets it right, is taking everything good about arcade shooters, and reworking it to a home system.  It's not an incredibly difficult game, the fun comes from the variance in stages, and the thrill of what comes next.

Also, power ups are not sparse.  This game doesn't fall into the trap of restarting you at a checkpoint with peashooter just before a boss.  It never punishes you, it wants you to play.  Against it, some of the backgrounds could be a little more detailed, but to its credit, it's an early release.  I'd say this game lacks very little for what it is, a thoroughly enjoyable vertical shooter that never makes you want to scream in frustration.  I've sat down and played through as far as I can get for a whole afternoon, getting a bit further each time, and I've loved every minute.
soop

Turbo Views Review

 

 

Screens

Gameplay Video Longplay Video from World of Longplays
     
 

Images
Front Cover

 

Music