Gunstar Super Heroes

Gunstar Super Heroes is a run-and-gun action game and the sequel to Treasure's legendary 1993 Genesis classic. Set after the original, the story follows siblings Red and Blue as they battle the Empire to prevent the resurrection of the God of Ruin, Golden Silver. Players choose between Red and Blue, each with unique weapons and different story paths. The gameplay delivers relentless side-scrolling action with three selectable weapon types, melee combos, and a supercharge meter that unleashes devastating screen-clearing attacks. Level design is wildly inventive, jumping from shooting corridors to top-down segments and even a board game-style stage. The game features six levels, massive screen-filling bosses, and references to Treasure's past work.

Game Boy Advance

Released in October 2005, Gunstar Super Heroes is a technical masterpiece for the handheld. Developed by Treasure and published by Sega, it pushes the GBA's hardware to its limits with astonishing visual effects. The graphics feature zooming, scaling, rotation, and parallax scrolling, all while maintaining a rock-solid framerate even with dozens of sprites on screen. Critics hailed it as one of the best-looking games on the system. The audio complements the action with explosive sound effects and solid background tracks. The game earned widespread acclaim, with aggregate scores around 83-88%. However, the adventure is notably short, often completable in under an hour, and lacks the cooperative multiplayer mode of its predecessor. Despite its brevity, Gunstar Super Heroes is celebrated as a must-own title, delivering a polished and intensely fun experience that serves as a brilliant swan song for the console.