Star Luster

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Star Luster
Arcade system
Nintendo VS. System

Star Luster

space combat simulator video game developed and published by Namco for the Family Computer in Japan.[1] and adapted for play in arcades via the Nintendo VS. System.[2] Star Luster is set in the same universe as Namco's Bosconian (1981), and the gameplay has strong similarities to Atari, Inc.'s Star Raiders
from 1979.

An enhanced version of Star Luster was published for the X68000 in August 1994.[3] A sequel, Star Ixiom, was released for the PlayStation in 1999.

Star Luster was initially met with mixed reviews and poor sales. The game's reliance on obtuse level objectives and random enemy encounters have been blamed for its lack of popularity, in addition to the Famicom's userbase being primarily children that didn't understand its design. Retrospectively, Star Luster has received more positive reviews for its 3D perspective and presentation.

Gameplay

Looking out from the ship's cockpit at an enemy.

Star Luster involves moving through open space via a first-person cockpit view and engaging enemy ships. The player's ship has limited fuel and can be refueled at bases. A map and

regenerating shield and may be the first game with such a mechanic.[4]

Reception

Star Luster initially received mixed reviews and struggled to gain sales.[6][7] The game's lack of popularity has been blamed on its complex design, which relies heavily on random encounters and obtuse level objectives that, at the time, were seen as too confusing and esoteric for a console game.[6] Critics also believed producing the game for the Famicom, a game console targeted primarily towards children, was a factor in Star Luster's poor commercial reception.[6] A reviewer for Family Computer Magazine highlighted the game's usage of a radar and 3D perspective. They believed the radar was difficult to understand at first, but overtime the player would become used to it.[5]

Retrospective reviews of Star Luster have labeled it a masterpiece.[7][8] Yuge believed the first-person viewpoint was impressive for the time, and highlighted the game's sense of tension and Star Wars-esque presentation. The magazine believes the game's first-person perspective was what led to the game's initial mixed reception, as it was considered too advanced for the time.[7] Continue writer Zenji Ishii considers Star Luster important and influential for the space combat simulator genre, with a high level of action and strategy.[8]

Legacy

In 1998, the game was included on a compilation made for the

Wii Virtual Console in Japan on March 4, 2008.[10]

A sequel,

Galaxian 3), the GeoSword from Starblade, and the Galaxip from Galaxian
.

The game was a significant inspiration for director Katsuya Eguchi when he was working on Star Fox 2.[11] Castlevania series producer Koji Igarashi has listed Star Luster as his second-favorite NES game.[12]

Notes

  1. ^ Japanese: スターラスター, Hepburn: Sutā Rasutā

References

  1. ^
    1UP.com. IGN. Archived from the original
    on October 18, 2012. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  2. Killer List of Videogames. International Arcade Museum. Archived from the original
    on June 5, 2020. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  3. ^ "レトロンバーガーOrder 41：「ナムコットコレクション」がFCタイトルだけだったので，FC以外から俺セレクションをクーソーする編" [Retron Burger Order 41: "Namcot Collection" was only an FC title, so I'm fantasizing about my selection from other than FC]. 4Gamer.net (in Japanese). Aetas. July 4, 2020. Archived from the original on October 31, 2020. Retrieved November 28, 2020.
  4. ^ Sullivan, Lucas (March 10, 2014). "Top 7 Games you didn't know did it first". GamesRadar+. Future plc. Archived from the original on August 12, 2020. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  5. ^ a b "5月10日号特別付録 ファミコンロムカセット オールカタログ」". Vol. 7, no. 9. Tokuma Shoten. Family Computer Magazine. 10 May 1991. p. 204.
  6. ^
    ISBN 9784865119855
    .
  7. ^ a b c Endo, Akihiro (June 1, 2003). ユーゲーが贈るファミコン名作ソフト100選 アクション部門 [100 Selection of Famicom Masterpiece Software Presented by Yuge] (in Japanese) (Number 7 ed.). Yuge. pp. 14–19.
  8. ^
    ISBN 9784872338225
    .
  9. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original
    on August 12, 2020. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  10. ^ "スターラスター (FC)". Famitsu (in Japanese). Kadokawa Corporation. Archived from the original on August 29, 2019. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  11. ^ Reeves, Ben. "The Inside Story On The Star Fox Sequel That Took 22 Years To Release". Game Informer.
  12. ^ Hoffman, Chris (October 2005). "Nintendo Entertainment System 20th Anniversary". No. 46. Play. pp. 84–87. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
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