History VideoGame / ZeroRanger

"[[green:GRAPEFRUIT]]"]]

* CharacterSelectForcing: The GiantEnemyCrab boss that can be optionally encountered in Normal Mode's Stage 2-3 and is mandatory in Light Mode's Stage 3 heavily favors the back-shot weapon. Without it, the only way to safely damage it is with the bombs that it can sometimes spawn, making it more likely that the boss will just time out and charge up the tower to guarantee health loss. Also, even accessing it on Normal requires use of the lock-on shot. If you picked the charge shot, you can't target it while it's in the sea in the background and thus can't trigger it.

* RouteBoss: In Stage 2-3, a GiantEnemyCrab replaces the serpent midboss if you use your lock-on shot (sorry, charge shot users don't get to fight the crab) to shoot several shadows in the ocean.

* NonStandardGameOver: Lose during the TrueFinalBoss sequence and [[spoiler:[[DeletionAsPunishment your save file is erased]] as you get the cutscene you get when you first start the game. Turns out, said cutscene is Mido or Dori failing to stop the Lotus Jewel in the past, which is what just happened.]]

* NonStandardGameOver: Lose during the TrueFinalBoss sequence and [[spoiler:you get the cutscene you get when you first start the game. Turns out, said cutscene is Mido or Dori failing to stop the Lotus Jewel in the past, which is what just happened.]]

* ForegoneVictory: In Stage 2-4, [[spoiler:it is impossible to actually die in the ''[=FinalBoss=]'' segment. Every time you get hit you'll just automatically bomb, and if you use your last bomb your bombs will just restock.]]

* AIIsACrapshoot: "Erasure," the supercomputer coordinating the allied forces, has been hijacked by GREEN ORANGE and turns all its fighters against the player. [[spoiler:In truth it's acting of its own free will - it's GREEN ORANGE's "sister," who was separated from it when manusya stole the power of the Lotus Jewel.]] Played straight with Regret, the AI that [[spoiler:replaces Erasure in the new timeline.]]

** The game has a colorblind mode that changes all green colors to be blue instead, which contrasts more clearly for every form of colorblindness except achromatopsia. [[spoiler:This feature is actually just a small piece of the multiple color pallettes feature unlocked after beating the game; it just lets you use this specific pallette regardless of progress in case you need it.]]
** During the [[spoiler:EscapeSequence]] at the end of the game, [[spoiler:if you get hit without any shield left, the skull icon indicating your lack of shields will simply grow and the game will continue as normal. That said, there is an achievement for completing this part without letting your health bar get down to that.]]

* AttackDrones: Grapefruit employs numerous drones for both offense and defense and will constantly replenish them as they are destroyed. Despair uses them too: orbs in the first phase, and magic circles in the second. [[spoiler: Her TrueFinalBoss form uses larger versions of Grapefruit's drones in the first phase.]]

* CapedMecha: Initially, Grapefruit [[AllEncompassingMantle is wrapped is a cape hiding most of the mecha]].
* CharacterSelectForcing: The GiantEnemyCrab boss that can be optionally encountered in Normal Mode's Stage 2-3 and is mandatory Light Mode's Stage 3 heavily favors the back-shot weapon. Without it, the only way to safely damage it is with the bombs that it can sometimes spawn, making it more likely that the boss will just time out and charge up the tower to guarantee health loss. Also even accessing it on Normal requires use of the lock-on shot. If you picked the charge shot, you can't target it while it's in the sea in the background and thus can't trigger it.

* DemBones: The Orb Spewer boss is a giant skull with a maw that, well, spews orbs. [[spoiler:Also, the monk in 1-4's BossBonanza gets replaced by a skeleton after getting the GoldenEnding]].

* DuelBoss: Grapefruit in stages 1-3 and 2-3 [[spoiler: especially when using Zero Ranger mode on Grapefruit on 2-3, making her take the player seriously.]]

** After getting a game over, your accumulated points will be used to "level up" your continue holder, granting you an extra continue when it turns fully orange (maximum 8 continues). [[spoiler:Getting the GoldenEnding changes this to a static set of 8 continues]].

* FinalBossNewDimension: Happens twice over. The first time in 2-4 with Despair. [[spoiler: The second time is when pursuing the GoldenEnding, when the Lotus Jewel appears.]]

** Stage 2 has onions appear near the final segment of the stage. [[spoiler:The ''real'' boss of 2-2 is a giant onion-headed humanoid]].
** Grapefruit's pilot is the sister of both Mido and Dori, and uses [[AttackDrones laser drones]]. [[spoiler: The same is true of the first phase of Despair, who is the "sister" of the AI Erasure.]]
* GenericDoomsdayVillain: GREEN ORANGE initially comes off as this, but lategame events shows there's more to it than meets the eye. Played straight with [[spoiler:the Great Oppressor, which replaces both GREEN ORANGE and Despair in the new timeline.]]

* GiantEnemyCrab: One is encountered in Stage 2-3 in place of the serpent midbosss if certain conditions are met. It's a huge orange crab that chases you up the ower and which you can only reliably and safely damage with either rear-firing weapons or the bombs that spawn as you go up.

* GoldenEnding: Reaching the TrueFinalBoss [[spoiler:after sparing the old monk in 1-4's boss rush by shooting to the side of (but not at) him, thereby popping his SnotBubble]] grants the player additional text about the history of the universe and Despair herself. After beating the TrueFinalBoss, the game then [[spoiler:creates a new timeline that features the Great Oppressor and Regret in place of Despair and Erasure.]] Beating this version of the game allows you to save Earth for good and return home.

* HeroicSacrifice: In 1-3 [[spoiler:Grapefruit notices an incoming attack shortly after unlocking the player's [[HumongousMecha ZeroRanger mode]] and in turn, uses its AttackDrones to shield the player from the enemy's WaveMotionGun, dying in the process]].

* InSpiteOfANail: A downplayed example, after [[spoiler:beating the TrueFinalBoss, the whole game changes to reveal a new timelime where mankind is under attack by a Great Oppressor, and things play out very similarly as the original timeline. The downplayed part is that you're actually able to save Earth and go back home.]]
* LastDitchMove: [[spoiler:Once defeated, the final boss will repeatedly use her 'explosion' attack to try and take the player down one final time]].

* LotusEaterMachine: [[spoiler:Should you accept the powerup given to you by Erasure, it will trap you in a dream strangely reminiscent of ''VideoGame/DonPachi''. Destroying the powerup at the end of the stage will allow Grapefruit to interrupt and help the protagonists break out of the dream]].

* KarmicDeath: [[spoiler:The shadowy people were confident that Erasure was a perfect AI and would replace the [=ZeroRangers=]. Erasure betrays them and their base is the first thing lost when GREEN ORANGE invades, as shown in both the Demo and White Vanilla Mode]].

%% Note: Declining to face the Lotus Jewel after being Primeval Fighter Orange isn't listed as it doesn't give a text scrawl.
** False Ending: [[spoiler: Fail to challenge Grapefruit with Zero Ranger mode on 2-3, leading to some text about how the fighters will keep trying but with no credits roll.]]
** Bad Ending: [[spoiler: Defeat Despair but get defeated by the TrueFinalBoss in the past, which loops into the intro cinematic and completely wipes all progress.]]
** True Ending: [[spoiler: Defeat the Lotus Jewel in the past, setting up an entirely new timeline where humanity is instead attacked by a GenericDoomsdayVillain, [[EarnYourHappyEnding but you succeed in saving the Earth this time]]. If the player reaches the Lotus Jewel with the old monk still living, there will be some additional text explanations about Erasure, Despair, and the Lotus Jewel in between each stage of the TrueFinalBoss.]]
* OutrunTheFireball: [[spoiler:At the end of the game, after destroying Despair, you have to escape the alien planetoid as it explodes. As the explosion gets closer and closer your ship starts to shed its weapons in order to go faster.]] Depending on whether you've already beaten the game at least once, [[spoiler:your ship either [[HeroicRROD gets crippled as it flies out into space]], or survives the escape]].

** Dying in Stage EX of White Vanilla mode immediately ends the game, regardless of how many continues the player has left. The run will still count as a clear though, so it's possible to complete the Moving Up and Lightning Battle challenges this way.
** [[spoiler: The TrueFinalBoss has all accumulated continues turned into the player's lives; losing them all will cause the game to be over instantly and [[DeletionAsPunishment delete all your progress]]!]]

* PyrrhicVictory: [[spoiler:After completing a 2-loop game, you defeat Despair and blow up the moon-like vessel she was in control of...but not only does your ship sustain critical damage, but her forces destroyed the Earth's population in the meantime, rendering all your efforts pointless. Erasure gives you an option to prevent all of this from happening in the first place, but it involves a time-travel gambit to destroy the Lotus Jewel, and said gambit not only uses up your continues but [[DeletionAsPunishment puts your save file on the line]]. Averted in the Great Oppressor timeline unlocked after completing the game including this new last boss once, where completing the game does end in unanimous victory.]]
* ReferenceOverdosed: The game is loaded with numerous references to both games, anime and more.
* ResetButton: The options menu has a section where you can erase your progress, your recorded scores, or just everything out right. [[spoiler: After earning the GoldenEnding once, an option named "????????" is added, where a team of researchers come across the remains of Erasure. If the fire button is pressed a few times, Erasure attempts to boot up to no avail, and asks multiple times if you would like to perform a hard reset. Going through with it resets the universe into one where Green Orange still exists, and aside from your scores, the game acts as if you booted it up for the first time.]]

* SelfImposedChallenge: It is possible to destroy the powerups as they are dropped by the bosses, thus allowing for playthroughs with only the bare minimum of weaponry. [[spoiler: Don't try this with the Zero Ranger powerup, or else you're stuck with the false ending.]]
* SkippableBoss: Some bosses can be skipped entirely depending on circumstances. These include the likes of [[spoiler:the old monk, Zero Ranger Mode Grapefruit and King Onion]].

* TennisBoss: If the player is using a sword in Zero Ranger mode, then the boss of 2-3 will start flinging a spherical projectile during its later stages that the player can reflect back. The boss however will attempt to do the same.

** In White Vanilla Mode/Light Mode [[spoiler:if you hadn't defeated the TrueFinalBoss, the people who oversee your trial are left dumbstruck on how "a klutz like you" could get a perfect Z score, and accuse you of breaking the simulation program before dismissing you.]]

** Green Orange Mode: [[spoiler:Despair's original form as the goddess born of the Lotus Jewel, and the Jewel itself. You can only face this by accepting Erasure's offer to take you back in time to fight it at the risk of losing your existence (i.e. [[DeletionAsPunishment your save data]])]].
** White Vanilla Mode/Light Mode: [[spoiler: Play well enough and break the congratulation text after beating the boss of stage 1-4, you get to fight Erasure personally in an Extra stage.]]
* UnexpectedGameplayChange: [[spoiler: After getting to Erasure a second time, they give you a lotus jewel that gives a fake-out ending and changes the game to [=FinalBoss=], a one-stage Creator/{{Cave}}-esque bullet hell shooter with bombs and many more bullets flying at you.]]

** [[spoiler:In Stage 2-1, you fight the same bomber boss as in the first loop, except there's a conspicuous skull face on its fuselage. When you defeat the boss, you get the usual end-of-stage ScoreScreen...and then the BossWarningSiren appears again, the seemingly-defeated boss charges back up the screen, and blows its wings off to reveal its OneWingedAngel form: a floating cobra mecha that rapid-fires bombs at you.]]

** If Green Orange mode has not been beaten yet, [[spoiler:the EDF commanders give you no congratulations whatsoever, only expressing [[ThisCannotBe disbelief]] that you were able to achieve such a high grade, before coldly dismissing you.]]
** If Green Orange mode has already been beaten [[spoiler:unless you activated the ResetButton in the options]], [[spoiler:G.O. cheerfully says you have won her "eternal gratitude". After several seconds of silence (as if you're expecting a better reward), she tells you to GetOut and closes her dialogue shutter, leaving you on the results screens with no music playing at all.]]

* WhamLine: [[spoiler:Should you lose during the [[TrueFinalBoss Lotus Jewel]] fight, this shows up so that you know that game really ''does'' [[DeletionAsPunishment erase your save file as punishment]] (in case you didn't get the vague hint when Erasure briefed you), which in-universe translates to your CessationOfExistence.]]
--> [[spoiler:'''Erasure OS:''' BOOTING ERASURE OS...PLEASE ENTER YOUR USERNAME.]]

** During the EscapeSequence at the end of the game, [[spoiler:if you get hit without any shield left, the skull icon indicating your lack of shields will simply grow and the game will continue as normal. That said, there is an achievement for completing this part without letting your health bar get down to that.]]

** If Green Orange mode has already been beaten [[spoiler:unless you activated the ResetButton in the options]], [[spoiler:G.O. cheerfully says you have won her "eternal gratitude". After several seconds of silence (as if the player is expecting a better reward), she tells you to GetOut and closes her dialogue shutter, leaving you on the results screens with no music playing at all.]]

** If Green Orange mode has already been beaten [[spoiler:unless you activated the ResetButton in the options]], [[spoiler:G.O. cheerfully says you have won her "eternal gratitude". After several seconds of silence (as if the player is expecting a better reward), she tells you to GetOut and closes her dialogue shutter.]]

* AWinnerIsYou: Completing White Vanilla / Light Mode [[spoiler:with a Z rank, as hard as it is, awards nothing else really special]]:

** If Green Orange mode has already been beaten [[spoiler:unless you activated the ResetButton in the options]], [[spoiler:G.O. curtly says you have won her "eternal gratitude". After several seconds of silence (as if the player is expecting a better reward), she tells you to GetOut and closes her dialogue shutter.]]

* AWinnerIsYou: Completing White Vanilla / Light Mode [[spoiler;with a Z rank, as hard as it is, awards nothing else really special]]:

* GetOut: [[spoiler:Completing Light Mode in the Great Oppressor timeline with a Z rank results in G.O. awarding you "your greatest reward": her "eternal gratitude". [[{{Beat}} The dialogue pauses]] with several lines of VisibleSilence, anticipating that the player expects an actual rewards, before G.O. tells the player to get out and unceremoniously closes her dialogue window's shutters.]]

* StableTimeLoop: [[spoiler:The game's opening sequence and bad ending imply one of these has been going on for a while. Mido/Dori fails to destroy the Lotus Jewel and Despair kills her DeaderThanDead when it realizes what she came to do, Despair returns to Earth eons later and wipes out all life, Erasure helps Mido/Dori travel to the far past to destroy the Lotus Jewel, and on and on again. The version of Mido/Dori that succeeds in destroying the Crimson Jewel is the one that finally breaks the time loop.]]

* DeletionAsPunishment: [[spoiler:Should you die fighting the TrueFinalBoss you will lose all your progress and will have to start over from the beginning. You are given ample warning of the consequences of failure beforehand though]].

** After losing all your lives, you get a continue every several thousand points. However, you can only have up to 8 continues at once!

** Mido in Stage 1-3 finally speaks when activating her ship's [=ZeroRanger=] mode, although Dori does not.

** [[spoiler:Any active player characters (including Dori if she is in play), GREEN ORANGE, and the Grapefruit pilot unexpectly get dialogue]] during Stage 2-4's [[spoiler:[[LotusEaterMachine dream sequence]].]]

* {{Foreshadowing}}: Grapefruit's pilot is the sister of both Mido and Dori, and uses [[AttackDrones laser drones]]. [[spoiler: The same is true of the first phase of Despair, who is the "sister" of the AI Erasure.]]

* TrickBoss: In stage 2-2, [[spoiler:after defeating the endboss, a giant onion-headed humanoid shows up to eat its head and you have to fight it]].

* AbsurdlySharpBlade: The sword weapon for your ship's [=ZeroRanger=] form is capable of tearing up enemies that presumably are made of some sort of steel. When used on larger enemies, it ''visually slices them in half''.