Gunstar Super Heroes

Though the adventure is ridiculously short and there's not much of a plot to get behind, Gunstar Super Heroes through both its supreme gameplay and technical achievements is simply too brilliant and addictive a game to ignore.

The game takes the proverbial pants off every other GBA shooter, and leaves them flailing around their ankles.

Gunstar Super Heroes is a wonderful game and deserves, nay, needs, to be in anyone's GBA collection.

A thrilling ride, but with so little strategic variety, and without the benefit of multiplayer, a certain sameness takes hold and unfortunately cuts short what could have been a fantastic portable shooter resurgence. [Christmas 2005, p.111]

Even with these ill-advised changes, it's still one helluva game: Creative, unpredictable levels keep you on your toes, killer bosses pepper the levels, and impossibly good graphics erupt from your aging GBA.

IT'S LESS THAN AN HOUR LONG.

The omission of a co-op mode and the lack of longevity hurt Gunstar Super Heroes a bit, but overall it's still a fantastic game that deserves a spot in anyone's Game Boy Advance library.

A fine adventure with a lot of old-school charm. [Dec 2005, p.186]

The game is fun, but it has some tedious parts such as the helicopter stage or the parts where you are on top of the small ship. So if you want some good boss and mini-boss fights then this game is for you.

It seems a shame that this inferior sequel makes us all take turns.

This must-buy game is not for the weak of heart. There's enough action here to wear your thumbs out for entire days.

Sure, the game only has about six levels, but when you consider all the time you'll puti into it with the different difficulty settings and characters; you'll have to think about the well-being of your thumbs and fingers.

It's frantic, satisfying, very challenging and full of the sorts of explosive set-pieces, generous destruction and screen-filling sprites that made the original such an enormous success. [Christmas 2005, p.113]

This game is just a blast to play – it's too bad there's no 2-player or cooperative mode via a link, but it's easily the best Game Boy Advance game I've played in quite some time.

Its fast, furious action and brilliant visual style will appeal to any side-scrolling action fan.

In fact, the entire game seems to be pushing the GBA to its limits. This is arguably the best looking GBA game around, with all sorts of scaling, rotation, parallax scrolling, and all sorts of neat, SNES-caliber effects.

The graphics will probably have a few of you dumbfounded wondering just how powerful GameBoy Advance really is.

If twitchy, button mashing games that require some thinking skills are your cup of tea, Gunstar will certainly deliver.

This fantastic action game pushes the GBA as hard as it can, all the while offering some seriously tight and fun gameplay throughout the special effects display.

GFH will be an absolute boon for anyone who has fond memories of its MegaDrive predecessor, but it's still the kind of game that'll upset people who don't take kindly to frustration. In other words, if you were pissed off by games like "Ninja Gaiden," you'll get pissed off with this.

The game was built for action, and it truly shows.

Treasure definitely knows action and 2D gaming. If you thought the action was intense in "Astro Boy: The Omega Factor", then you will love what they have done with Gunstar.

It's the work of masters at the height of their craft. [Dec 2005, p.118]

The gameplay variety and overall visual and audio experience is outstanding-- if only such a fun game were lengthier.

It more than meets expectations, with its addictive gameplay, scorekeeping, and level-selecting all well-suited for GBA gaming on the go.

GSH carefully sidesteps out of the shadow of its imposing ancestor and manages to be one of the most addictive and unadulterated blasters on Nintendo's handheld.

The simpler past is sometimes as good as the present. [Dec 2005, p.71]

The beating heart of GSH is one of awing action and great craftsmanship, one in the same as its parent's. It may be jaded posturing from an over-analytical critic, but nothing will eclipse the original Gunstar Heroes. That comparison isn't everything, though, and as far as handheld action games go, nothing will eclipse Gunstar Super Heroes.

If you were a fan of the original you need to find this game; if you're not a GBA owner it's worth picking up a new Game Boy Micro just for this game.