Line #1 VideoGame/Pulstar


1	[[quoteright:320:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/380395_pulstar_neo_geo_screenshot_title_screen.png]]
2	%% [[caption-width-right:320:some caption text]]
3	''Pulstar'' is a scrolling shooter video game developed by Aicom for the Platform/NeoGeo arcade/home game system. Depending on who you ask, it is either a quality tribute to or an outright rip-off of the ''VideoGame/RType'' series. There are rumors that the game was developed by ex-Irem staff who joined Aicom.
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5	Story:
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7	In the year 2248, the first recorded sign of extraterrestrial life was discovered coming from Mars. The signal emanated from the planet and from it an object travelled through space at light speed out of the Solar System. Earth scientists read the signal, but not knowing the nature of it, warned the world's defenses in case aliens traced the signal and followed it to Earth with the intent to destroy.
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9	Eight years later, aliens followed the signal to the Solar System and began attacking the human space craft awaiting them along Neptune’s orbit. The battle between the humans and aliens spread throughout the Solar System; within two years of combat, Neptune was disintegrated, Jupiter was turned into a star and more than half of Earth's continents sank from rising ocean levels and the planet's changing axis as a result. Kaoru Yamazaki, lone fighter pilot of the ''[=Dino246=]'', is one of the few survivors of the Pulstar attack force founded to save the Solar System from the alien invaders; it is through her that mankind may have a chance to survive the alien menace.
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11	Has a SpiritualSuccessor, ''VideoGame/BlazingStar''.
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13	!!!'''Tropes used for this game''':
14	* BattleshipRaid: The Stage 3 boss as per ''R-Type'' tradition. The first half of Stage 4 is a scaled-down version of this.
15	* ButtonMashing: Your primary rapid-fire attack gets stronger if you mash the attack button really fast.
16	* ChargedAttack
17	* ChargeMeter: In addition of showing you how much you charged for the ChargedAttack, it also shows you how much ButtonMashing you do.
18	* ConvectionSchmonvection: Stage 3 "Fire Prominence" [[note]]which is a real name for what people usually mistake for a corona[[/note]], the not-quite sun.
19	* GravityScrew: Purely cosmetical in the Stage 2 with bodies of water and waterfalls.
20	* NintendoHard: This game expects you to be able to memorize entire stages, which have sparse checkpoints and brutal enemy patterns. Dying to a boss in particular not only boots you back to the last checkpoint, but often that last checkpoint is about a minute or so from the boss, so you have to slog through cruel enemy patterns just to take another shot at the boss. Don't be surprised if you burn through your wallet just trying to get past the first three or even ''two'' stages.
21	* PleaseWakeUp: The continue screen, where the main character's ship's onboard computer begs her to "wake up." Continuing magically revives her.
22	* PowerPincers: The Iconic giant claws from ''R-Type''? Present. Except they move here, and can kill you.
23	* SmartBomb: By sacrificing your Force to detonate a large explosion.
24	* SpaceClouds: The theme of Stage 7 "Darkness Nebula".
25	* TotalEclipseOfThePlot: Solar Eclipse on the background in Stage 3. A little funny considering where Stage 3 is set.

Context VideoGame / Pulstar