History VideoGame / XenoFighters

* TheBusCameBack: After having been removed from earlier versions due to balance reasons, VideoGame/{{TwinBee}} makes a return as a playable fighter as of Xeno Fighters R version 0.325.

* PerpetualBeta: Due to shifting developers, especially how [=JudgeSpear=], the lead developer, lost interest sometime in 2019, the ''Xeno Fighters R'' iteration is nowhere near finished to this day.

* ''V.A.F. Squadron'': The first playable version developed in [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/UsefulNotes/ClickteamFusion Multimedia Fusion 1.2 ]] and released in the year 2000.

''Xeno Fighters'' is a [[FreewareGames freeware]] ShootEmUp FanGame developed by Team XF. Its game mechanics draws from ''VideoGame/RaidenFighters'' primarily. Being a fan game, it contains many references to other games in the genre, both well-known and obscure.

[[folder: Versions]]
* ''V.A.F. Squadron'': The first playable version developed in [[Multimedia Fusion 1.2 https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/UsefulNotes/ClickteamFusion]] and released in the year 2000.

[[/folder]]

''Xeno Fighters'' is a [[FreewareGames freeware]] ShootEmUp fan game developed by Team XF. It draws from ''VideoGame/RaidenFighters'' primarily, but references to and bosses from other shooters are rife throughout the stages.

The first playable version of the game was released in 2000. The current iteration in development is ''Xeno Fighters R'', with vastly improved engine, art, and game mechanics over ''Xeno Fighters EX'', released in 2003.

The Shmups forums thread, which is the original online discussion about the game's development, complete with download links, can be found [[https://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=23513 here]].

** The two ships from the 1987 Tecmo arcade shoot-em-up ''Gemini Wing'' were named Gemini Blue/Castor and Gemini Red/Pollux. The names "Castor" and "Pollux" are the individual names of the Gemini twins.

** Zaiva has a similar theme in its weapons, taken from legendary weapons from Irish myth--[[LivingLieDetector Fragarach]], [[EvilWeapon Brionac]], and [[{{BFS}} Caladbolg]].

** The two ships from ''Gemini Wing'' are given the names of Castor (blue) and Pollux (red), who are twin brothers in Greek and Roman mythology who became part of the [[GeniusBonus stellar constellation Gemini]], becoming the two brightest stars in the group: Castor (Alpha Geminorum) and Pollux (Beta Geminorum).

* NintendoHard: Being a manic shmup, even the easier difficulties can be overwhelming to newbies.

* MarathonLevel: The [[TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon true final stage]], Stage F-C ([[SpaceStation BRES Colony]]) lasts '''over seven minutes''' from start to boss appearance. Compare this to other stages that are about two minutes to four minutes long. Stage EX-4 ([[AcidTripDimension '98 D R E A M S]]) lasts about six minutes and thirty seconds from start to endboss appearance.

The [[WikiRule wiki]] can be found [[http://xenofighters.wikia.com/wiki/Xeno_Fighters_R_Wiki here]]. The Shmups forums thread, which is the original online discussion about the game's development, complete with download links, can be found [[https://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=23513 here]].

* RecursiveReality: Somewhat downplayed; at some point during Stage EX-4, one of the computer files seen is labelled as "Xeno Fighters EX". This implies that the player going through the computer of the game's creator.

* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters: There are just four original ships. However, the [[GuestFighter roster of guest fighters]] is something to speak of, bringing the total number of unique playable ships to 23.

* AcidTripDimension: Stage EX-4 is in an exceedingly bizarre dimension that constantly shifts between vaporwave backdrops and the inside of a computer.

* DecompositeCharacter: In the 2020 revival, two guest fighters with alternate skins have been split into four separate fighters:

* DynamicDifficulty: As of v0.10 Beta.

* GuestFighter: There are 19 guest fighters from other games such as ''Raiden'', ''Viper Phase 1'', and ''VideoGame/Strikers1945''. The guest fighters do not have any connection with the game's story.

* IntentionalEngrishForFunny: An optional setting to further emulate the arcade experience. As of yet, it hasn't been implemented.
* IShallTauntYou: The Stage EX-4 boss, [=BonziBuddy=], starts off his battle by spouting a unique verbal taunt tailored to each playable ship.

* MarathonLevel: The [[TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon true final stage]], Stage F-C ([[SpaceStation BRES Colony]]) lasts '''over seven minutes''' from start to boss appearance. Compare this to other stages that are about two minutes to four minutes long.

* MassiveMultiplayerCrossover

** The two ships from ''Gemini Wing'' are given the names of Castor (blue) and Pollux (red), who are twin brothers in Greek and Roman mythology who became part of the [[FridgeBrilliance stellar constellation Gemini]], becoming the two brightest stars in the group: Castor (Alpha Geminorum) and Pollux (Beta Geminorum).
* TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon: Stage 9 is accessible only by completing all the objectives in the B-stage path, or directly from [[spoiler: Stage EX-6]].

** The same deal with the remake's new version of 2035 Iceland. The bomb complex has become a three stage rocket, called the Orion Arrow, and must be crippled before it arms the geological destabilizer. You will gain more time for destroying each part, to simulate the mechanism being crippled. Unlike ''Xeno Fighters EX'', [[spoiler: if it succeeds in triggering its payload, you'll be sent to Stage 5-C. This is the only other way to reach 5-C other than failing the objectives of stages 2, 3-A, and 4, with the added condition of losing every house to Jasper Gigas in 3-A.]]

* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters: There are just four original ships. However, the [[GuestFighter cameo ship roster]] is something to speak of, bringing the total number of unique playable ships to 23.

* FrickinLaserBeams: Amada Vipros's Serpent Seeker subweapon, Zaiva's Fragarach's Gale, the Pollux's (AKA Gemini Red) Cyclopean Laser, and the Raiden mk-II's Plasma Lock-On Beam.

** In Stage EX-3 ([[VideoGame/Parodius Parobee]] [[VideoGame/Twinbee Fusion]]), the stage boss Ziyudee's battleground takes place in [[VideoGame/Mother3 Club Titiboo]] with members of the DCMC making a background cameo appearance.

* TheCameo: The [[GuestFighter guest roster of playable fighters]], along with many bosses of the game. The guest fighters and the EX stage bosses have no connection to the plot [[spoiler:except for [[VideoGame/BattleGaregga Black Heart]]]].

** The Hoplon (from the 1980 arcade game ''Phoenix'') has been split from the Gyaraga. The former loses the Double Fighter mode and gains normal Slaves skinned to look like pixelated birds. The latter gains a new bomber attack that transform it into the Triple Fighter from ''Galaga '88'', making it invincible for a short period.
** Kevin Walker has been split off from Michelle Heart. Kevin gains a weapons loadout inspired from the NES ''VideoGame/LegendaryWings'' weapons and an invincibility transformation bomber similar to that of Gyaraga. Michelle's weapons are based on the arcade version of her source game.

** The [[BittersweetEnding normal ending]]: [[spoiler: Dreadnough Echidna escapes after it distracts you with Gettok. You return to Earth to regroup, but you and ATHENA are aware that as long as Dreadnought Echidna is out there somewhere, there is a threat always present. Both Earth's present and past were ravaged by the Keto offensive, and the chances that ATHENA can repel a second attack are looking grim.]]

** The [[DownerEnding worst possible ending]]: [[spoiler: BRES pulls off an emergency [[EarthShatteringKaboom activation of every fault line and supervolcano on the planet]] to protect their past campaign fronts. ATHENA is decimated and 99% of the planet's population is wiped out, and while there still remains survivors in ATHENA, it's clear they're LivingOnBorrowedTime. Though they successfully destroy BRES' recon ship, [[PyrrhicVictory it's for naught]], as Dullahan and Bronze Harpy soon manage to find them and wipe out the remaining survivors, but not before they [[FlingALightIntoTheFuture manage to send out a time capsule in the hopes that the next timeline will learn from the failures of this one]]]].
** The [[BittersweetEnding normal ending]]: [[spoiler: Dreadnough Echidna escapes after it distracts you with Gettok. You return to Earth to regroup, but you and ATHENA are aware that as long as Dreadnought Echidna is out there somewhere, there is a threat always present.]]
** The good ending, which also serves as the ending for ''Xeno Fighters EX'': [[spoiler: Dreadnought Echidna has been completely obliterated, all of BRES' temporal warps to the past have been closed off, and much of their fighting force has been pushed back. However, Dreadnought Echidna's desperate suicide blitz towards Earth cut off ATHENA's advance to the BRES Colony, leaving it completely untouched. With their main base still fully operational, BRES can launch another attack in the future. Both Earth's present and past were ravaged by the Keto offensive, and the chances that ATHENA can repel a second attack are looking grim.]]

** The good ending, which also serves as the ending for ''Xeno Fighters EX'': [[spoiler: The Dreadnought Echidna has been completely obliterated, all of BRES' temporal warps to the past have been closed off, and much of their fighting force has been pushed back...but the Echidna's desperate suicide blitz on Earth cut off ATHENA's advance to the BRES Colony, which leaves their main base completely untouched, allowing them to launch another attack in the future, and with both Earth's present and past ravaged by the Keto offense, the chances that ATHENA can repel a second attack are looking grim]].
** The [[GoldenEnding best ending]]: [[spoiler: The BRES Colony has been hopelessly crippled, their army utterly routed and their campaign stopped in its tracks, ending their threat to Earth and its history for good. Humanity comes into contact with the primary Keto population, which is all too happy to put an end to the war and broker peace between the two races, but Earth, or rather, ''this'' Earth, [[SequelHook suddenly disappears years later through mysterious circumstances]]...]]

* BattleshipRaid: Dreadnought Echidna, the boss of Stage F-B. [[VideoGame/RaidenFighters Vahrstor]] appears as a boss in Stage EX-5 (

''Xeno Fighters'' is a [[FreewareGames freeware]] ShootEmUp fan game designed by Alluro (whom you may know as [=JudgeSpear=] from ''VideoGame/MushroomKingdomFusion'' and ''{{VideoGame/MUGEN}}'') drawing from ''VideoGame/RaidenFighters'' primarily, but references to and bosses from other shooters are rife throughout the stages.

The first playable version of the game was released in 1998. The current iteration in development is ''Xeno Fighters R'', with vastly improved engine, art, and game mechanics over ''Xeno Fighters EX'', released in 2003.

The forums for the game can be found [[http://fusionfangaming.spriters-resource.com/index.php?board=3.0 here.]] The wiki can be found [[http://xenofighters.wikia.com/wiki/Xeno_Fighters_R_Wiki here]], which links to videos, and general information. The Shmups forums thread, which is the original online discussion about the game's development, complete with download links, can be found [[https://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=23513 here]].

* AsteroidThicket: Part of st. 7 in the original. A similar situation appears in the middle of the remake's st. 6-B, although ''that'' place happens to be [[AmazingTechnicolorBattlefield inside an alternate dimension]].
* BattleshipRaid: Dreadnought Echidna, the boss of 8-2.
* BittersweetEnding: In the 8-END scenario, [[spoiler:the invasion is over, but Earth's ecosystem is still trashed and resource-depleted, and ATHENA has been disbanded, which you can see in the 7th stage's ending. On top of that, [[SequelHook Earth is poised to make a retaliatory strike at the actual Keto homeworld.]]]]
** The original ends this way too, except there is no true final stage.

* TheCameo: The [[GuestFighter guest roster of playable fighters]], along with many bosses of the game. The guest fighters and the EX stage bosses have no connection to the plot [[spoiler:except for [[VideoGame/BattleGaregga Black Heart and Black Heart mk2]] and the [[VideoGame/Strikers1945 P-38]]]].
* DynamicDifficulty: As of v0.10 Beta.

* EasyModeMockery: In the original, if you're playing on easy mode, you're not going any further than stage 4, even if you win. You need to be playing on normal or higher to see the rest of the game.

* JokeCharacter: The Galaga ship and its clone, the Hoplon from the old arcade game ''Phoenix''. Becomes a [[LethalJokeCharacter subversion]] when fully powered up.
** As of v0.12, both have now been [[PutOnABus cut from the game]] for balancing reasons.
* {{Leitmotif}}: A number of the [[{{GuestFighter}} guest fighters]] have their own stage clear music, primarily from their source games. Some of them go so far as to have their own theme [[spoiler:during the final half of Stage 9.]]

* LethalLavaLand: The second section of 4-B, underneath 2035 Iceland.
* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters: There are just four original ships. However, the [[GuestFighter cameo ship roster]] is something to speak of, bringing the total number of unique playable ships to 16.
* MarathonLevel: The [[TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon true final stage]], Stage 9 ([[SpaceStation BRES Colony]]) lasts '''over seven minutes''' from start to boss appearance. Compare this to other stages that are about two minutes to four minutes long.
** The original's levels could be quite long too. 2035 Iceland was about the same length as the BRES Colony until the remake's version came along.
* MultipleEndings: Three of them in ''Xeno Fighters R''.
** The [[DownerEnding worst possible ending]]: [[spoiler: BRES pulls off an emergency [[EarthShatteringKaboom activation of every fault line and supervolcano on the planet]] to protect their past campaign fronts. ATHENA is decimated and 99% of the planet's population is wiped out, and while there still remains survivors in ATHENA, it's clear they're LivingOnBorrowedTime. Though they successfully destroy BRES' recon ship, [[PyrricVictory it's for naught]], as Dullahan and Bronze Harpy soon manage to find them and wipe out the remaining survivors, but not before they [[FlingALightIntoTheFuture manage to send out a time capsule in the hopes that the next timeline will learn from the failures of this one]]]].
** The [[BittersweetEnding "regular" ending]], which also serves as the ending for ''Xeno Fighters EX'': [[spoiler: The Dreadnought Echidna has been completely obliterated, all of BRES' temporal warps to the past have been closed off, and much of their fighting force has been pushed back...but the Echidna's desperate suicide blitz on Earth cut off ATHENA's advance to the BRES Colony, which leaves their main base completely untouched, allowing them to launch another attack in the future, and with both Earth's present and past ravaged by the Keto offense, the chances that ATHENA can repel a second attack are looking grim]].

* TimedMission: In the original, fourth stage boss Orion XD-6, a massive bomb complex found deep underground in 2035 Iceland, has to be destroyed within two minutes and thirty seconds, or else Earth is destroyed, prematurely ending your run and handing you a NonStandardGameOver.
** The same deal with the remake's new version of 2035 Iceland. The bomb complex has become a three stage rocket, called the Orion Arrow, and must be crippled before it arms the geological destabilizer. You will gain more time for destroying each part, to simulate the mechanism being crippled. Unlike the original, [[spoiler: if it succeeds in arming its defenses, you will be punted to a special stage not able to be reached outside of failing Stage 4-B, or failing stages 2, 3-A, and 4-A all in a row.]]

* TrueFinalBoss: Balor, the control center of the [[TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon BRES colony]]. Expect this thing to be quite difficult once it's made. Until then, Ziyudee is a placeholder.