Reviews | Game Boy Advance
Gunstar Super Heroes
By Ryan Mixey / April 12, 2008
This review was originally published on SegaFans.
The handheld sequel to Gunstar Heroes is superior to the original in many ways, yet still carries over many flaws, while also introducing some new ones. There is a huge amount of different stages, but many of the variety stages are boring and too easy, such as the sections where you ride on top of Yellow's ship, rotating the screen while firing at enemy waves (in a way similar to Gyruss, except that you are stationary). The rotation and sprite scaling effects are superb, but the action is so subdued that your time would be better spent cleaning your room until the next stage begins.
On the other hand we have the vertical shooting stage, where you pilot a chopper through a city, capable of firing in all 360 degrees while taking out ground enemies with bombs. The catch is that your heli is flying somewhat low, so buildings act as walls, while at the same time your hitbox is enourmous. This gives you precious little space for maneuvering, making a no-miss a feat of miraculous proportions. There are a few different paths through the city, but they all end in a spot where you're going to be smothered in enemy fire. It ends up being best just to try and fly headlong into the enemy and hope you don't become trapped. The worst part is that bullets actually knock the ship around, so you'll find yourself bouncing back and forth as you are battered by them, unable to move until your health is completely depleted.
The run and gun sections on the other hand are considerably improved. For one thing, the player's abilities are all very useful now, allowing not only for fixed and standard shooting, but even strafing while firing in a fixed direction. Your arsenal of moves is much greater than before, giving you more freedom in dealing with obstacles. A huge variety of added jump kicks increase maneuverability in the air and on the ground, while a new sword attack can be used for close range attacking and destroying enemy bullets. Enemy formations are well balanced, and stages feature lots of mid- to large-size enemies to break up the monotony of destroying armies of small fries. The amount of enemy types is simply staggering, so each stage will have some surprises for you.
Unfortunately, what Josh mentioned in his review of the original, about the reasoning behind the hit points, is also true for the sequel: there are certain areas that are practically impossible to finish without taking damage, such as the final boss fight. At least those moments are few, leaving the rest of the game feeling quite fair.
The biggest problem is that the game comes off feeling like a tech demo because it's so short and lacking in substance. There are so many areas that just feel weak, especially towards the end, because they are always bookended by various watered down variety stages that serve no real purpose other than to show off the hardware and waste a little more of your time. Even bosses seem bland, as many of them are exceptionally puny and often fall victim to the most boneheaded strategies (Endless uppercuts? You win!). Even when playing on the hardest setting bosses feel like after-dinner mints: insubstantial and unsatisfying. You have such a diverse set of actions yet you hardly ever get to use them, and the game never really presses you to do so. Still, the time attack mode is very addictive, so coming back to beat your old records and shoot for no-miss runs will be compulsive for weeks after your first completion.
