Line #105 VideoGame/Turrican


1	[[quoteright:320:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/turrican1-1_7070.png]]
2	[[caption-width-right:320:Welcome to Turrican!]]
3
4	-> "Hello and welcome to Turrican! Be my guest! Another day, another try, but remember:
5	-> [[PunctuatedForEMphasis SHOOT! OR! DIE!!!]] [[EvilLaugh HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!"]]
6	-->-- The intro on the Commodore 64
7
8	''Turrican'' is a video game series that got started by Manfred Trenz. The original entry was first released on the Platform/{{Commodore 64}}, and then its successor, the Platform/{{Amiga}}.
9
10	It's TheFuture, and mankind has spread into space. Their sole protection from the scum of the universe is the [[TheFederation United Planets Freedom Forces]] and its champion, (the second and third games name him as Bren [=McGuire=],) equipped with the state of the art Turrican PoweredArmour. The person wearing the mantle of Turrican varies, as do the villains. The series' two main antagonists are the three-faced computer MORGUL, and the evil cyborg[=/=]ComicBook/{{Galactus}} impersonator known as [[SpellMyNameWithAThe The Machine]].
11
12	The series borrows elements of ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'', ''Videogame/{{Contra}}'', ''Videogame/{{Metroid}}'' and ''VideoGame/PsychoNicsOscar''. The games were developed by the now defunct company Rainbow Arts. The levels themselves were massive with lots of secrets to find, like hidden power-up blocks and extra lives. Also, bosses at times didn't necessarily appear at the end of levels. They would show up in the middle of levels, and even the beginning at times. It also has an awesome soundtrack.
13
14	* ''Turrican'' (Commodore 64, Amiga, Atari ST, Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum, Mega Drive/Genesis, [=TurboGrafx=]-16, Game Boy)
15	* ''Turrican II: The Final Fight'' (Commodore 64, Amiga, Atari ST, Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum, Mega Drive/Genesis,* Game Boy,* PC)
16	* ''Mega Turrican/Turrican 3: Payment Day'' (Mega Drive/Genesis, Amiga)
17	* ''Super Turrican'' (NES**)
18	* ''Super Turrican'' (SNES***)
19	* ''Super Turrican 2'' (SNES)
20
21	-->(*) Released as ''Universal Soldier''
22	-->(**) Manfred Trenz game
23	-->(***) Factor 5 game
24
25	Although the parent company abandoned the series well over a decade ago, the series' cult status has inspired numerous fan-made sequels, such as ''[[http://www.pekaro.de/ T2002,]]'' the exceptionally professional-looking ''[[http://turrican.gamevoice.de/hurrican_site/ Hurrican]]'' and the Game Gear game ''[[http://www.smspower.org/ggt/ GGT.]]''
26
27	''Turrican Flashback'', a collection of ''Turrican'', ''Turrican 2'', ''Mega Turrican'' and ''Super Turrican'', was released in January 2021. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgas1xkk05M Trailer.]]
28
29	See also ''VideoGame/RenderingRangerR2'', a similar 90s video game from the same developers.
30
31	----
32
33	!!This game contains examples of the following:
34
35	%%* AsteroidsMonster: Spiky bouncing metal balls.
36	* AdvancingBossOfDoom: Quite a few of them. One boss in the first game doesn't even attack, simply advancing forward in a [[RushBoss damage race to kill it before it kills you]].
37	%%* AmbidextrousSprite
38	* AndTheAdventureContinues: The ending of ''Turrican 3''.
39	* {{Animesque}}: The intros of the Amiga versions of ''Turrican 2'' as well as ''Turrican 3'' are this.
40	* AntiFrustrationFeatures: Dying to a boss in the first game respawns you without a transition screen, though the usual death penalties still apply.
41	* ArchEnemy: The Machine since the second game.
42	* AutoScrollingLevel: The alien train sections in ''Mega Turrican/Turrican 3'' and ''Super Turrican'' (SNES game).
43	** The second phase of the final boss in ''Super Turrican 2'' combines this with OutrunTheFireball.
44	* AwesomeButImpractical: A special SmartBomb attack in the second game. While in Wheel Form, press the fire button and space button together and he'll fire rapidly with all of his weapons and destroy everything on screen with an explosion. It's not really useful, though, and once you've used it the only way to get it back is to lose a life.
45	* BigBad: While the main antagonist in the first game is the three-faced computer MORGUL, every subsequent game has The Machine take over the role of the central antagonist.
46	* BishounenLine: A series-spanning example with BigBad The Machine. In his first two final boss appearances he's bigger than the screen, but in his final appearance in ''Super Turrican 2'', he's the size of the protagonist yet somehow twice as hard to dodge and able to absorb considerably more damage than before. Possibly justified in that the former appearances are robots he's controlling.
47	* ChainsawGood: Wheel mode in the first two games is very much this. The FinalBoss of ''Super Turrican 2'' also has chainsaws for hands.
48	* CirclingBirdies: Happens to Bren on stage 2-2 after standing on a collapsing lift platform.
49	* CollisionDamage: Every game has this, combined with an overabundance of PersonalSpaceInvader mooks. The Metroidesque wheel mode lets you reverse the CollisionDamage, however.
50	* ConvectionSchmonvection: The final levels of ''Super Turrican 2'' take place dangerously close to the sun. Then again, you just survived an UnrealisticBlackHole...
51	%%** Stage 4 of ''Hurrican''.
52	* CutsceneIncompetence: Twice in ''Super Turrican 2''.
53	** After killing a giant sandworm from inside its mouth, Turrican is inexplicably overpowered by the same guards he'll be killing by the dozens later on.
54	** Later, after killing a giant space spider, he's captured by mercenaries.
55	* DamselInDistress: Juko in ''Turrican 3'' becomes one during one of The Machine's assaults.
56	* DeadlyGas: Stage 1-3's main gimmick in ''Super Turrican 2'', where it acts as a Vertically AdvancingWallOfDoom. Contact with the gas will rapidly drain your energy.
57	* DeathMountain: World 1 in ''Turrican'' and ''Super Turrican''.
58	* DenserAndWackier: The first game was mostly straightforward in its aesthetics, while the second game features some wackier enemies and moments of humor in mid-level cutscenes.
59	* DolledUpInstallment: ''Turrican II'' was released as a ''Film/UniversalSoldier'' tie-in on the Mega Drive/Genesis and Game Boy. See PortingDisaster on the YMMV page for more.
60	* DownTheDrain: World 2 in ''Turrican'', ''Turrican II'' and ''Mega Turrican/Turrican 3''.
61	* DroughtLevelOfDoom: Downplayed in World 4 in the original. Due to a certain limitation in the preceding level you're not likely to have a fully leveled spread shot, which makes it more difficult to find the few invisible item blocks present. Played straight with 4-3 in the Amiga port, where the item blocks present in the other versions are completely missing.
62	* EarnYourHappyEnding: ''Super Turrican 2''. [[spoiler:After years of fighting, Bren (or a descendant with the same name) finally kills The Machine and saves the galaxy from his tyranny]].
63	* ElevatorActionSequence: In Stage 1-1 of ''Mega Turrican/Turrican 3''.
64	** The fan game ''Hurrican'' has an entire level based around it.
65	* EternalEngine: Some of the later levels and worlds are like this.
66	* ExcusePlot: Most of the series. Why does Morgul the god of nightmares have a robot army? We didn't ask and neither should you.
67	* {{Expy}}: The Machine is an obvious ComicBook/{{Galactus}} spoof, from the purple armor to the jawline.
68	* FailedASpotCheck: Somehow the Machine practically stops at Bren's prone body while he's FakingTheDead in the intro of the second game, but instead of shooting the "body" to make sure or doing anything of worth, he automatically assumes everyone aboard Avalon 1 was dead and leaves, not to mention not even bothering to detonate or destroy the ship either. [[OneManArmy That was his biggest mistake.]]
69	* TheFederation: The United Planets Freedom Forces, consisting entirely of RedShirts and one SoleSurvivor in a Turrican suit.
70	* FlameSpewerObstacle: In ''Mega Turrican'', there are certain spot in the ground that fire flames. They're indicated by the said spots emitting smoke.
71	* GameplayRoulette: ''Super Turrican 2''.
72	* GiantHandsOfDoom: One of the early level bosses from the first game is a giant mechanical fist flying around trying to crush the player. It shows up in some of the later games as well.
73	* GiantMook: Numerous bosses are simply oversized versions of regular enemies. Of note are the giant Walkers in the second and third game.
74	* GoldenEnding: In ''Turrican 3'' by completing the game without cheating and in ''Super Turrican 2'' by finishing the game on Hard difficulty level.
75	* GoombaStomp: The Walker robots from ''Turrican II'' onward let you one-hit kill them by jumping on them. The same robots appeared in the first game, but stomping did nothing until the sequel.
76	* GrapplingHookPistol: The Plasma Rope in ''Mega Turrican/Turrican 3'' and the Grapple Hand in ''Super Turrican 2''.
77	* HumongousMecha: A common boss archetype throughout the series.
78	* HyperDestructiveBouncingBall: The Rebound bullets introduced in ''Turrican II''
79	* ItsAllUpstairsFromHere: The last section before the final boss will always require a vertical ascent up a tower of some kind. Noticeably absent in ''Super Turrican 2''.
80	* KaizoTrap: In Level 4-2 of the Commodore 64 version of ''Turrican II'', Laser Larry's central part immediately charges onto the screen a few seconds after the top and bottom parts are defeated. If the player doesn't quickly move towards the back of the screen, they'll get hit.
81	* KillItWithFire: The flamethrower weapon in ''Super Turrican 2''.
82	* LanternJawOfJustice: Bren [=McGuire=] in the opening of ''Mega Turrican/Turrican III'', though it's a case of OffModel.
83	* LawOfOneHundred: Collecting 300 gems gave a continue; ''Turrican II'' reduced this to 100.
84	* LaserCutter: The intro to the first game shows a laser or heat ray cutting a rectangle from the black background. The piece falls out, and the developer's logo (Rainbow Arts) becomes visible. This is a reference to a special ability the in-game character has in most of the games. See it [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fvha_2hAzq0 here.]]
85	* LoadBearingBoss: Killing the final boss always causes their base to spectacularly explode. Except in ''Super Turrican 2'', where the FinalBoss is fought while outrunning such an explosion.
86	* MarathonLevel: The WombLevel, in every game it appears, will be up to twice as long as the previous World, and usually filled to the brim with detours and lengthy backtracking every time you miss a jump.
87	* MascotMook: The Walkers are the first enemy you'll face in the first two games, and the only one to appear in every game in the series. ''Turrican II'' added several variations, including flying ones and a factory churning out gigantic versions that shout "Make my day!" when they appear onscreen.
88	* MasterComputer: MORGUL, the main antagonist of the first game, is a three-faced computer. MORGUL stands for '''M'''ultiple '''Org'''anism '''U'''nit '''L'''ink.
89	* TheMaze: World 4 in ''Turrican'' is a massive three part maze with creepy ambient sound instead of SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic featured everywhere else. Power-ups are much harder to find, and dozens of pixel-perfect (and sometimes entirely illogical) jumps are required to reach the exit. All of the [[WombLevel womb levels]] in the sequels have similar length and difficulty, but later entries are more forgiving by having an flashing "Exit" arrow appear if you get lost.
90	* {{Metroidvania}}: Not necessarily one, but definitely shows the Metroid influence Trenz has acknowledged. While player proceeds through each level in turn with no back tracking to previous levels, within a given level there's lots of different paths to take to the end and secrets to find like giant power up boxes and groups of extra lives, making each one a mini-Metroidvania. ''Mega Turrican/Turrican 3'' and ''Super Turrican 2's'' levels are much more linear, though.
91	* MookCarryover: BigBad The Machine from ''Turrican II'' onwards inherits a few of MORGUL's robotic minions from the first game, including the aforementioned MascotMook.
92	* MorphWeapon: Electric arcs? Lasers bigger than the wielder? Multi-directional fire from a straight barrel? Smart bombs? Freeze ray? You want it, you got it.
93	* MultipleChoicePast: The manual for [[http://www.lemonamiga.com/games/docs.php?id=1693 the Amiga version]] of ''Turrican'' describes the main villain, MORGUL, as an ancient creature that spreads nightmares, and it makes it sound like the game is in a fantasy setting. However, [[http://www.retrogameguide.com/games/Genesis-Turrican/ the Genesis version's manual]] talks about space colonies and mutants and describes MORGUL as a computer. (This one is more in keeping with the actual game.) The former falls under CanonDiscontinuity as the latter description is used for ''Flashback'''s description of the first game.
94	* NintendoHard: Every one of this series' installments is either pretty close to this, or ''purely this'', no matter whether this is an official game or a fan remake.
95	** Until you start finding where all the extra lives are hidden!
96	* NoSidepathsNoExplorationNoFreedom: Every level in ''Super Turrican 2'' except one, which is a common source of criticism - considering that the wide open levels with tons of secrets were one of the main strengths of the series.
97	* NostalgiaLevel: World 3, the junkyard of ''Mega Turrican/Turrican 3'' has you fight broken-down versions of the first bosses from ''Turrican'' and ''Turrican II''.
98	* OneHitKill: 2-2's boss in ''Turrican II'' has a move where it tries to grab Bren. If it grabs him, it's a one-way trip to the [[BottomlessPits death barrier]].
99	* OneWordTitle: Also ProtagonistTitle.
100	* OptionalBoss: ''Turrican'' level 1-3 has a boss in the middle route, but it's easy to miss if the player simply follows the ground route. It does cover one possible means to reach bonuses at the top of the area. ''Turrican II'' has a sort of flying saucer on stage 1-2 which you have to go out of your way to fight. However, if you do, you are rewarded with 2 extra lives when you kill him. In addition, it's possible to miss the dragon boss on 4-1 entirely.
101	* OutrunTheFireball: The FinalBoss of ''Super Turrican 2'' sees both you and The Machine (the latter in a walker mech) doing this while fighting.
102	* PersonalSpaceInvader: The face huggers in ''Turrican II'' and ''Mega Turrican/Turrican 3''. Turning left and right rapidly cause them to drop off and die.
103	** Or turning into a ball if you have any energy for it.
104	* PlatformGame: Oft considered to be the best game of the genre for the Amiga.
105	* PostDefeatExplosionChain: Bosses are wracked by a chain explosions upon destruction. This also happens to whoever's in the Turrican suit when they run out of energy, too.
106	* PoweredArmor: The Turrican assault suit.
107	* ProtagonistTitle: Also OneWordTitle.
108	* PurpleIsPowerful: The Machine wears purple armor and is extremely dangerous, his machines and himself serving as the final bosses of most of the games.
109	* RearrangeTheSong: ''Super Turrican'' for the NES has some remixed tracks of the first two games, and ''Super Turrican'' for the SNES has mostly rearrangements of ''Mega Turrican/Turrican 3'' music.
110	* RecurringBoss: A couple of games have some bosses from previous games, such as the Monolith boss. The giant fist appears in every game.
111	* ReformulatedGame:
112	** Turrican originally began development as a Commodore 64 game by Rainbow Arts. Factor 5, who were working on the Amiga version, originally planned their version as a straight port, but then they decided to make it an original game inspired by the C64 version.
113	** Turrican 2 was developed the same way as well, only this time the Amiga version was the original and the C64 version was the adaptation.
114	** Similarly Super Turrican was released for consoles in two versions. While the NES version handled by Rainbow Arts, the SNES version was done by Factor 5.
115	* RespawnOnTheSpot: After closing and restoring the main display, the player is placed where he died (or in a safe location if he fell off map). Enemies are cleared during the screen transition.
116	* RollingAttack: Turrican's signature ability is his ability to transform into a spiky energy wheel that can destroy many things in its rolling path. This ability was also featured in the Universal Soldier video game, which was a dolled-up Turrican II.
117	* RuinsForRuinsSake: Level 1-2 in ''Turrican II'' and ''Super Turrican'' (SNES game).
118	* SandWorm: You fight one from inside its mouth at the end of World 1 in ''Super Turrican 2.''
119	* SchizophrenicDifficulty: A successful playthrough of Turrican 1 consists of stocking up as many extra lives as possible before reaching World 4, then finishing the significantly more merciful final world with however many you have left. There's even 3 extra lives and enough laser power-ups to max out your weapon hidden in plain view to the right of World 5's starting point, as if the developers knew how badly beaten the player would be at that point.
120	* ScifiWritersHaveNoSenseOfScale: The intro for ''Turrican 3'' states that "Eons have passed since mankind last heard of the evil Machine". Which would mean that Bren [=McGuire=], purple haired protagonist from the previous game is now billions of years old. The writers should probably just have said "Ages have passed..."
121	* ScoringPoints: In every game except ''Super Turrican'' for the NES.
122	* SeriesFinale: ''Super Turrican 2'' effectively closes the book on the war against The Machine, with him getting caught in the explosion of his flagship thanks to the player making sure he can't escape.
123	* ShoutOut:
124	** The title screen of ''Turrican'' is an edited cover of Music/{{Manowar}}'s album ''Kings of Metal''. Given the music, it's a deliberate aesthetic choice.
125	** Every ''Turrican'' game but ''Super Turrican 2'' had one level taking place in an Franchise/{{Alien}} hive, complete with face-huggers, Xenomorphs and even an Alien Queen as the endboss in ''Super Turrican''.
126	** Several of them to ''VideoGame/{{RType}}'' as well as ''Katakis'', a clone of the aforementioned game that Manfred Trenz worked on:
127	*** When taking off for the UnexpectedShmupLevel, a Force Device can be seen suspended from the ceiling of the hangar.
128	*** Some versions of ''Turrican 2'' have a drone flying past your ship at the end of level 3-2 with a banner saying, "Katakis Lives!" if you shoot a particular item earlier in the level
129	*** ''Super Turrican'' (SNES version) also took place on a planet called Katakis.
130	* SlippySlideyIceWorld: World 3 in ''Super Turrican'' (SNES game).
131	* SmartBomb
132	** The Power Lines you collect, though ''Mega Turrican/Turrican 3'' and ''Super Turrican 2'' had standard smart bombs to use.
133	** In ''Turrican'', the grenade (but only if it hits a wall), and the mine (only against ground targets).
134	* ASpaceMarineIsYou: Bren from the second and third games starts as an ordinary UPFF soldier and, by sheer luck, survives to become the biggest thorn in The Machine's side.
135	* SpellMyNameWithAThe: The Machine.
136	* SpreadShot: The "Multiple" (and in some games, "Laser") is an Initial Burst, while "Bounce" is an Exploding Shot.
137	* TechnoWreckage: If the last level isn't an EternalEngine, expect it to be this.
138	* TimedMission: Super Turrican (NES game) is the only game with no time limit. The time limit is also turned off for the final boss of ''Super Turrican 2''.
139	* TrueFinalBoss: In ''Mega Turrican/Turrican 3'' and ''Super Turrican 2'', by playing on at least the Normal difficulty level.
140	* UnderTheSea: ''Super Turrican 2'' had a the third world take place on an ocean planet with some underwater portions.
141	* UnexpectedGenreChange: ''Super Turrican 2'' had every odd level as this to utilize Mode 7 effects.
142	* UnexpectedShmupLevel: Worlds 3-1 and 3-3 in ''Turrican'', and the Commodore 64 version of ''Turrican II'''s final stage, all have you grab a jetpack and start flying. In all three levels, you needed to find a hidden item to start the level, but this was changed in later ports. However, later versions of ''Turrican II'' changed it to a platform jumping stage. ''Turrican 2'' also had stages where you get into a ship and experience a ''VideoGame/{{Gradius}}''-like shoot'em up segment, which are absent in the ''Universal Soldier'' ports.
143	** ''Super Turrican 2'' also had one in the first stage of the last world, but it was overhead instead of side-scrolling and used raster effects similar to ''VideoGame/{{Axelay}}''.
144	* UnrealisticBlackHole: Subverted. Three ships enter the black hole to stop The Machine in ''Super Turrican 2''. Your ship survives out of luck and crash lands on a desert planet while the other two are destroyed.
145	* TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon: The final confrontation with The Machine takes place onboard his flagship in low orbit over the sun of a solar system inside a black hole in ''Super Turrican 2''.
146	* WombLevel: Either the last world or the second-to-last world.

Context VideoGame / Turrican