Line #19 VideoGame/CodeShifter


1	[[quoteright:460:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/header_311.jpg]]
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3	''Code Shifter'' is a side-scrolling platformer/beat-em-up from publisher Creator/ArcSystemWorks that serves as a MassiveMultiplayerCrossover between their franchises. Tying them all together is a story about Stella, a programmer working at the '''A'''wesome '''R'''ainbow '''C'''orp ('''[[FunWithAcronyms ARC]]''') that's developed a debugging program (the titular Code Shifter) to get rid of bugs affecting her co-workers' computers before their big crossover game, ''[[ShowWithinAShow Colorful Fighters]]'', goes out to print. To accomplish this, you guide Stella's avatar, Sera, through their computer files, change into the forms of ''Colorful Fighters'' characters (aka the Arc System Works characters), defeat malicious bugs, and try to find out who put them there in the first place.
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5	Compare to ''VideoGame/BlazBlueCrossTagBattle'', another ASW crossover game, although one involving only a single ASW IP and a bunch of characters owned by other companies.
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7	!!Playable Characters:
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9	* ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear:'' Sol Badguy, Ky Kiske, Dizzy, Elphelt, Faust, Jam, Potemkin
10	* ''VideoGame/BlazBlue:'' Ragna the Bloodedge, Jin Kisaragi, Noel Vermilion, Rachel Alucard, Hazama, Kokonoe, Jubei
11	* ''VideoGame/KunioKun:'' Kunio, Riki, Kobayashi, Mizoguchi, [[VideoGame/RiverCityGirls Kyoko and Misako]]
12	* ''VideoGame/DoubleDragon:'' Billy Lee, Jimmy Lee, Abobo, Willy
13	* ''VisualNovel/JakeHunter:'' Jake Hunter
14	* ''Of Mice and Sand'': Desert Ship
15	* ''Damascus Gear'': Gear
16	* ''Inferno Climber'': Explorer
17	* ''Birthdays the Beginning'': Avatar
18	* ''Wizard's Symphony:'' Alto Travers, Spica Celest
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20	!! [[AssistCharacter Assist Characters]]:
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22	* ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear:'' Chip Zanuff, Jack O, Johnny, I-No, May, Milia Rage, Raven,
23	* ''VideoGame/BlazBlue:'' Arakune, Bang Shishigami, Carl Clover, Iron Tager, Hakumen, Litchi Feiling, Nine, Platinum the Trinity, Taokaka, Valkenheim,
24	* ''VideoGame/DoubleDragon:'' Chin Taimei, Yagyu Ranzou, Burnov, Marian
25
26	!!This game provides examples of:
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28	* AndYourRewardIsClothes: Completing chapters/folders will award you with new outfits for Sera that change her Special Move
29	* BoringButPractical: Sera's attack output is far weaker than any of the playable heroes, doesn't have any of the special abilities necessary to clear certain obstacles, and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking she's obviously not as fun as previously established characters]]. On the other hand, she's the only one capable of destroying memory nodes (which you need to do in order to get a better ranking), her Special Move can be turned into a temporary status buff depending on her outfit, her handling when walking is far less slippery, and she's much better at jumping than nearly half of the heroes.
30	* DamnYouMuscleMemory: This is one of those rare Switch games where the B button is used for confirmation and A is used for cancel in the menus. Also, despite the entire game being 2D, the option to control your movement with the d-pad/directional buttons is strangely absent.
31	* InterfaceSpoiler: Minor example, but when the level-select screen shows locked folders featuring the names of Stella's co-workers and even Stella herself, it's safe to assume that you'll be debugging their folders at some point. [[note]]And your assumptions would be correct[[/note]]
32	* LawOfChromaticSuperiority: Despite Billy being the Lee brother that's almost always Player 1 in his home series (or the only playable character, in some cases), it's ''Jimmy'' that's unlocked by default. This is most likely due to the fact that the other default characters include Sol and Ragna, who also wear red (Kunio gets a free pass due to his franchise being named after him, and he at least has ''some'' red in his outfit).

Context VideoGame / CodeShifter