Twinkle Star Sprites

n/a

Disc 1 Disc 2 Dreamcast
Twinkle Star Sprites
System(s): Sega Saturn, Sega Dreamcast
Publisher: ADK SNK
Developer: ADK
Licensor: SNK
Original system(s): Neo Geo
Sound driver: SCSP/CD-DA (24/10 tracks)
Peripherals supported: Dreamcast VGA Box, Jump Pack, Dreamcast Arcade Stick, Visual Memory Unit
Genre: Battle Shooting/Taisen Shooting (対戦シューティング), Shooting
Number of players: 1-2
Official in-game languages: 日本語 English Español
Release Date RRP Code JP 1997-12-18 ¥5,800 (6,090)5,800e T-37301G JP 2000-03-23 ¥2,800 (2,940)2,800e T-3103M
Non-Sega versions <img alt="Arcade" src="https://retrocdn.net/images/thumb/5/53/Logo-arcade.png/16px-Logo-arcade.png" decoding="async" width="16" height="16" srcset="https://retrocdn.net/images/thumb/5/53/Logo-arcade.png/24px-Logo-arcade.png 1.5x, https://retrocdn.net/images/5/53/Logo-arcade.png 2x" /> <img alt="Neo Geo" src="https://retrocdn.net/images/thumb/5/54/Logo-neogeoaes.png/16px-Logo-neogeoaes.png" decoding="async" width="16" height="16" srcset="https://retrocdn.net/images/thumb/5/54/Logo-neogeoaes.png/24px-Logo-neogeoaes.png 1.5x, https://retrocdn.net/images/5/54/Logo-neogeoaes.png 2x" /> <img alt="Neo Geo CD" src="https://retrocdn.net/images/thumb/2/29/Logo-ngcd.png/16px-Logo-ngcd.png" decoding="async" width="16" height="16" srcset="https://retrocdn.net/images/thumb/2/29/Logo-ngcd.png/24px-Logo-ngcd.png 1.5x, https://retrocdn.net/images/2/29/Logo-ngcd.png 2x" />

Twinkle Star Sprites (ティンクルスタースプライツ) is a shoot-'em-up game by ADK. It was originally released for the Neo Geo in 1996, then it was ported to the Sega Saturn in 1997 and to the Sega Dreamcast in 2000.

Story

The evil emperor Mevious (メヴィウス) wants to overthrow the kingdom of light and plunge the world in darkness. To do this, he steals the Twinkle Star, a magical artifact that can grant any wish, so he can wish for world domination. The fairy princess Load Ran (ロード・ラン) ventures out to reclaim the Twinkle Star and restore peace to the land.

Gameplay

The game is a shoot-'em-up that borrows elements from competitive puzzle games such as Puyo Puyo. Two players control characters that fly through separate versions of the same vertically scrolling stage in a split screen. As in a conventional shoot-'em-up, enemies fly at the characters in formation. Enemies explode and damage other nearby enemies when they are destroyed, potentially allowing players to create combination chains of exploding enemies. The two characters cannot directly shoot at each other, but creating combos sends balls of fire over to the opposing player's side of the screen (called a Normal Attack). Larger combos send more fireballs over. Players can attack the fireballs (or damage them in a chain explosion), which can send the fireballs back over to the other player's side as flashing fireballs if attacked enough (called a Reverse Attack). These fireballs can be shot back over again, which causes a powerful special counterattack (called an Extra Attack) that varies by character. Reflecting many Reverse Attacks at once can instead summon a boss (Boss Attack), which also changes depending on the character.

Characters can move in any direction using the D-Pad. They shoot with or in the Saturn version (or , which can be held for rapid-fire) or or in the Dreamcast version. There are two types of shots: a normal shot, performed by pressing a fire button, and a more powerful charge shot, performed by holding a fire button to charge it and then releasing. The charge shot is different for each character but can always penetrate through multiple enemies. Bombs can be dropped with in the Saturn version or or in the Dreamcast version. Each character starts the round with two bombs, which clear the screen while briefly granting the player invincibility.

Enemies come in different colors, which indicates the number of normal shots is takes to destroy them. The strongest enemies are purple (requiring five shots to destroy), then blue, green, yellow, and finally red (requiring only one shot to destroy). Shooting an enemy changes it color to the next one in the series. Explosions, charged shots, and bombs can destroy enemies regardless of their color. Some enemies are surrounded by bubbles that require an additional shot or explosion to burst before the enemy can be attacked.

Each character has a power meter that fills as the player destroys enemies. The power meter starts every round at level 1 and can increase up to a maximum of three levels. Whenever the power meter increases in level, the character's charge shot is empowered. At level 1, the charge shot is launched by itself. At level 2, the charge shot and three Extra Attacks are launched. At level 3, the charge shot and a Boss Attack are launched. Firing charge shots at level 2 and above decreases the power gauge.

Both characters are given five health hearts at the start of a round. When a character takes damage, the opponent recovers hearts equal to half of the damage taken. Additionally, the character is stunned for a short while and reduced in movement speed and attack power for several seconds after recovery, while remaining vulnerable to attacks. Moving the D-Pad and pressing a button rapidly recovers from the stun more quickly. Colliding into an enemy costs one heart, but the character cannot be killed this way. If a character has one heart left, colliding with an enemy reduces the character's health to half of a heart, and colliding with an enemy while having half a heart does not cost any health. Getting hit by a Normal Attack, Reverse Attack, Extra Attack, or projectiles from a boss costs three hearts, which kills the character if there are not enough hearts left, ending the round in defeat.

Partway through a round, a blue orb appears among a chain of enemies. If this orb is destroyed in a chain, the player achieves Fever status for the next several seconds. Chains created during Fever generate faster and more plentiful Normal Attacks per enemy destroyed. If a round lasts longer than 100 seconds or the player does not fire a shot for more than 30 seconds, a Death enemy appears. A player hit by this enemy loses immediately (Death Attack). The Death can be destroyed as any other enemy but always comes back, harder to kill. If a player is successful in volleying the Death character over to the opponent's side, and Death touches the opponent, the opponent dies instantly.

Modes

There are three play modes:

• Story Mode (ストーリー・モード): A single-player mode where the player controls Load Ran and must face seven computer-controlled opponents in seven different stages. There are story cutscenes in between stages. If the opponent is KO'd, the player moves on to the next stage; if the player is KO'd, the player must replay the stage from the beginning at the cost of a life.
• Character Mode (キャラクター・モード): A single-player mode where the player chooses any character and faces seven computer-controlled opponents in the same seven stages as the Story Mode. There are no story scenes, but each character has an ending that reveals what they would wish for if they got the Twinkle Star.
• Competitive Mode (対戦・モード): A two-player mode where each player chooses a character and competes in a match to the best of three rounds (which can be changed to the best of five rounds in the options).

The Saturn version can switch the game between two modes, SegaSaturn Mode and Arcade Mode, which have identical gameplay (and the same play modes) but differ in presentation. The SegaSaturn Mode has an animated introduction video, an arranged soundtrack, voice acting for the Story Mode and Character Mode, a new character in Character Mode and Competitive Mode, some additional graphical effects (such as transparent clouds), and less slowdown. The characters of Load Ran and Kim are renamed to Load Run and Kesubei. The Arcade Mode is accurate to the Neo Geo version. It lacks all of the new enhancements and restores the original arcade introduction. The Saturn version additionally includes a second disc, the Twinkle Star Eternal Box, which includes hundreds of pieces of art (including official art, concept sketches, and fan art) and alternate versions of the opening theme.

The Dreamcast version is modeled after the Neo Geo version and lacks most of the bonuses of the Saturn version, but it has an option to use the arranged soundtrack, and it has less slowdown than the Saturn and Neo Geo versions. It also has the option for English or Spanish text in addition to Japanese, while the Saturn version is only available in Japanese.

Characters

Load Ran is the only playable character in the Story Mode, but the other characters are selectable in the Character Mode and Competitive Mode.

Dark Ran, Mevious, and Queen Memory are unlocked by default in the SegaSaturn Mode of the Saturn version, but they must be unlocked using cheat codes in the Arcade Mode of the Saturn version and in the Dreamcast version.

The character Meirin is exclusive to the SegaSaturn Mode of the Saturn version.

	Load Ran or Load Run (ロード・ラン)
	Speed: Power:
	The 10-year-old fairy princess and the daughter of Queen Memory. She fights with her pet Rabbicat. Her charged shot is a flying burst of energy, her bomb is a large star, her Extra Attack is a homing Rabbicat, and her Boss Attack is a big Rabbicat.
	Realy Till (リアリー・ティル)
	Speed: Power:
	A dragon master and a princess of a neighboring country who is a rival to Load Ran. She fights with her dragon Drappy. Her charged shot is a spray of fire from her dragon, her bomb is multiple sweeping fireballs, her Extra Attack is a dragon, and her Boss Attack is a big dragon.
	Arthur Schmitt (アーサー・シュミット)
	Speed: Power:
	A member of the royal guard who is in love with Load Ran. He flies using a rocket pack. His charged shot is a laser that fills the height of the screen, his bomb is a sweeping laser, his Extra Attack is a UFO, and his Boss Attack is a big UFO.
	Yan Yanyung (ヤン・ヤンヤン)
	Speed: Power:
	A wild child who can speak to animals. She fights with her pet pigbirds. Her charged shot is a wide energy wave, her bomb is a fleet of flying pigbirds, her Extra Attack is a pigbird, and her Boss Attack is a big pigbird.
	Nanja Monja (なんじゃもんじゃ)
	Speed: Power:
	An unknown race of furry beings that always travels in packs. Their charged shot is a lighting strike (which can be angled by holding or when releasing the button), their bomb is a fleet of flying furballs, their Extra Attack is a bouncing furball, and their Boss Attack is a big furball.
	Macky & Pentell (マッキー＆ペンテル)
	Speed: Power:
	A pair of treasure hunters who want the Twinkle Star. Their charged shot is an exploding chomper bear, their bomb is a chomper bear that explodes into a barrage, their Extra Attack is a homing chomper bear, and their Boss Attack is a big chomper bear.
	Kim or Kesubei (ケスベイ)
	Speed: Power:
	A lecherous mage and inventor. He fights in a giant mecha named Magic Cat. His charged shot is punching in front of him three times with his mecha's giant fists, his bomb is a flood of water, his Extra Attack is a robot arm, and his Boss Attack is a big robot.
	Tinker & Linker (ティンカー＆リンカー)
	Speed: Power:
	Twin fairies who serve Queen Memory who are supposed to watch over Load Ran. Their charged shot is a flying crystal (which can be shot horizontally by holding or when releasing the button), their bomb is a wide energy blast, their Extra Attack is a homing fairy, and their Boss Attack is a big fairy.
	Griffon (グリフォン)
	Speed: Power:
	One of the bodyguards of Mevious. He rides a griffin named Griffy and fights with his friends Evan (エヴィン) and Burn (バーン). His charged shot is two sawblade-like projectiles that shoots out at 45-degree angles before returning, his bomb is a flying griffin trailed by tornados, his Extra Attack is a griffin, and his Boss Attack is a big griffin.
	Dark Ran (ダーク・ラン)
	Speed: Power:
	A dark version of Load Ran, created by Mevious' minions to guard his castle. She fights with her pet Dark Rabbicat. Her charged shot is a flying burst of energy, her bomb is a big star, her Extra Attack is a homing Dark Rabbicat, and her Boss Attack is a big Dark Rabbicat.
	Mevious (メヴィウス)
	Speed: Power:
	An evil emperor who seeks to dominate the world. His charged shot is a spreadshot of three dark energy blasts, his bomb is a black hole that shoots lightning outward, his Extra Attack is a bat, and his Boss Attack is a big bat.
	Queen Memory (メモリー・女王)
	Speed: Power:
	The magical ruler of the Fairy Kingdom, who has been mind-controlled by Mevious. Her charged shot is multiple balls that bounce around the screen, her bomb is a picture of herself and a flash of light, her Extra Attack is homing food, and her Boss Attack is a big cake.
	Sprites (スプライツ)
	Speed: Power:
	The alternate form of Load Ran after she has the power of the Twinkle Star. Load Ran transforms into this form in the last two Story Mode stages. Her charged shot is a flying burst of encircled by two fireballs, her bomb is a large image of herself, her Extra Attack is a faster Rabbicat, and her Boss Attack is a big Rabbicat.
	Meirin (美鈴)
	Speed: Power:
	A Chinese teacher who rides a round floating panda named the Principal. She is exclusive to the Saturn version of the game (while in SegaSaturn Mode). If the player fulfills certain conditions during the Story Mode or Character Mode (completing a stage with a long enough chain of enemies without continuing), she appears to challenge the player before the next opponent. She is also a playable character in the Character Mode and Competition Mode. Her charged shot is a spreadshot of four homing bells, her bomb is a giant picture of herself cosplaying, her Extra Attack is a homing panda, and her Boss Attack is a big panda.

Items

Coins are occasionally dropped into the playfields of both players and can be collected by flying over them.

	P コイン
	Partially fills the character's power meter.
	★ コイン
	Awards bonus points.
	ボム コイン
	Gives the character another bomb.

Stages

The opponents for the first four stages are chosen randomly, but the last three stages are always against the same characters.

	Stage 1
	Opponent: Yan Yanyung or Really Till
	Stage 2
	Opponent: Kim or Nanja Monja
	Stage 3
	Opponent: Tinker & Linker or Arthur Schmitt
	Stage 4
	Opponent: Griffon or Macky & Pentell
	Stage 5
	Opponent: Dark Ran
	Stage 6
	Opponent: Mevious
	Load Ran transforms into Sprites partway through this stage in the Story Mode.
	Stage 7
	Opponent: Queen Memory

Production credits

Saturn version

アーケード・オリジナル・スタッフ

• 原案: 松下 佳靖
• 企画: 青松 正二, 松下 佳靖
• メイン プログラマー: 青松 正二
• キャラクターデザイン・イラストレーション: Fujinomiya Mimoli
• デモ グラフィック: 大橋 加奈子, 小林 雅世
• スプライト: 塚野 浩嘉, 関 純治, 久保島 恵美, 西館 康夫 (West-Maison), 大橋 加奈子, 小林 雅世, 鈴木 元, 吉川 かば夫, 荒幡 隆弘, 佐野 洋平, 大西 香織
• スクロール: 森 里絵, 大野 美佐子, 姫野 真理子
• 音楽・効果音: 瀬川 圭一郎, 渡辺 夕香, 村松 剛, 山本 秀樹, 大島 高雄, 鯨井 宏明, 千葉 真木夫, 清水 浩昭, 関本 成伸
• 声の出演: 加藤 雅美, 原田 正夫, 伊藤 芽久美, 蓑田 まゆみ, 西川 嘉人, 峯松 公明
• エディター: 鳩野 高嗣, 関本 成伸
• マーケット・リサーチ: 後藤 幸雄
• ハード・ウェア: 深津 栄次, 田村 真一
• デザイン・システム・ツール: 笠 宏之
• 広報: 田口 創, 伊藤 さつき, 杉山 清孝, 山形 佳代
• テスト・プレイヤー: 永田 正月, 高木 清孝, 太刀川 政男, う ま
• スーパーバイザー: 宇恵寿 留造
• スペシャル・サンクス: 森山 進次, 鴨田 秀男, 牛澤 朗, 坂西 健一, 石関 宏司, 石田 光成, 石田 具彦
• エグゼクティブ・プロデューサー: 新井 一夫

ティンクルスタースプライツ

セガサターン版スタッフ

• 原案: 松下 佳靖
• 企画: 青松 正二, 松下 佳靖
• セガサターン版プログラム: 青松 正二
• セガサターン版デモプログラム: 久保田 覚☺
• キャラクターデザイン・イラストレーション: 藤の宮 深森
• エディター: 鳩野 高嗣
• グラフィック: 鳩野 高嗣, 松下 佳靖, 齋藤 和昭
• 広報: 田口 創, 薦田 由美
• プロデューサー: 松下 佳靖
• エグゼクティブプロデューサー: 新井 一夫
• 音響: Kuwatsu., 大島 高雄 (w.k-zo), 渡辺 夕香, THM/鯨井宏明, 村松 剛, 清水 浩昭
• サウンド・プログラム: 千葉 真木夫, 深津 栄次
• アニメーション制作: スタジオライブ
• 監督・演出・絵コンテ: 神志那 弘志
• 作画監督: 井上 優子
• 原画: 藤澤 俊幸, 近永 健一, 井上 優子, 吉川 博明, 工藤 誉寿治, 大島 美和, 井上 英紀, 菊地 愛, 倉田 綾子, 富永 真里
• 動画チェック: 石渡 清美
• 動画: 吉田 大輔, 原 将治
• 制作協力: アートアニメスタジオ
• 仕上: 高橋 さゆり
• 美術背景: 吉原 一輔
• 撮影: 岡部 真也
• オープニングテーマ: 星をつかまえて ～ティンクルスタースプライツ～
  • 作詞: Kuwatsu., ホーク・ビジョン
  • 作曲: Kuwatsu.
  • アレンジ: THM/鯨井宏明
  • 歌: 加藤 雅美
• キャラクターボイス: 加藤 雅美, 原田 マサオ, 峯松 公明, 西川 嘉人, 蓑田 まゆみ, 伊藤 芽久美, さかがみ まさかつ, Kuwatsu.
• テストプレイヤー: 福澤 栄昭, 古玉 竜太郎, 澤田 哲哉
• スペシャルサンクス: 苗村 利明, 笠 宏之, そして・・・移植を希望してくれたみなさん

Source:

In-game credits

Magazine articles

Main article: Twinkle Star Sprites/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Print advert in (JP) #1997-21: "1997-21 (1997-06-27)" (1997-06-13)

Print advert in (JP) #1997-44: "1997-44 (1997-12-19)" (1997-12-05)

Physical scans

Saturn version

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

{{{{{icon}}}|L}}
Based on 0 review

Sega Retro Average
Publication Version Score (JP) NTSC-J 53 (FR) NTSC-J 40 (JP) NTSC-J 77 (JP) NTSC-J 79 (JP) NTSC-J 70 (JP) NTSC-J 89

	68
Based on 6 reviews

Twinkle Star Sprites

Saturn, JP
Cover
Spinecard Disc 1 Disc 2

Dreamcast version

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

{{{{{icon}}}|L}}
Based on 0 review

Sega Retro Average
Publication Version Score (JP) NTSC-J 60 (JP) NTSC-J 76 (RU) 81 (JP) NTSC-J 65 (DE) NTSC-J 72 (US) NTSC-J 58 (FR) NTSC-J 45 (DE) NTSC-J 50

	63
Based on 8 reviews

Twinkle Star Sprites

Dreamcast, JP
Cover
Spinecard Disc Manual

Compliance

Main article: Twinkle Star Sprites/Compliance.

Technical information

Main article: Twinkle Star Sprites/Technical information.

ROM dump status

System	Hash	Size	Build Date	Source	Comments
✔	CRC32 MD5 SHA-1	664,621,104	1997-10-31	CD-ROM (JP)	T-37301G (Disc 1) V1.003
✔	CRC32 MD5 SHA-1	438,074,112	1997-10-24	CD-ROM (JP)	T-37301G (Disc 2) V1.001

Track list

Saturn Disc 1 (Game Disc)

1. Data track

2. Data track

3. CD Warning message (special) (0:28)
ロードランからの注意

4. Both you and me (2:04)
From: Ice Stage 2

5. Love me (2:33)
From: Sky Stage 1

6. APPLICOT GROUND (2:34)
From: Forest Stage 1

7. Like sisters like (2:05)
From: Ice Stage 1

8. HOLIDAYS (2:31)
From: Forest Stage 2

9. Love so'Radio active mix' (2:20)
From: Sky Stage 2

10. Disagreeable (1:59)
From: Water Stage 1

11. Curiouser and curiouser (2:08)
From: Water Stage 2

12. ROSSELIAN (2:46)
From: Temple Stage 1

13. NEO LIFE (2:46)
From: Temple Stage 2

14. Love will never die (2:47)
From: Last Stage

15. (Unknown) (2:44)

16. Intrusion Demo (0:07)

17. Character Select (0:43)

18. Map (0:22)

19. VS Eyecatch (0:07)

20. Demo BGM 1 (0:52)

21. Demo BGM 2 (0:37)

22. Victory Demo (0:07)

23. Continue (0:14)

24. Game Over (0:07)

25. Grade Ranking (0:09)

26. Respiration / Twinkle Ster (1:02)
From: Opening 1/2

► Running time: 34:12

Saturn Disc 2 (Twinkle Star Eternal Box)

1. Data track

2. Data track

3. CD Warning message (special) (0:32)
ダークランからの注意

4. Voice 01 (0:06)
ティンクルスターエターナルボックス

5. Voice 02 (0:06)
きらきらイラスト郵便局

6. Voice 03 (0:06)
決定！メモリー女王杯

7. Voice 04 (0:06)
ワンダーズ魔法学園美術室

8. Voice 05 (0:06)
ワンダーズ魔法学園資料室

9. Voice 06 (0:06)
妖精たちのメッセージ

10. Voice 07 (0:06)
星空の音楽会

11. Hoshi wo Tukamaete (4:44)
星をつかまえて
EN: Catch the Stars

12. Hoshi wo Tukamaete (instrumental) (4:44)
星をつかまえて(カラオケ)
EN: Catch the Stars (instrumental)

► Running time: 10:42

Extra content

This game has extra content which can be viewed when accessing the disc on a PC.

Saturn (JP) Extra files

Folder / File	Type	Size	description
TSS_ABS.TXT	TXT (Abstract)	23	About this game.
TSS_BIB.TXT	TXT (Bibliographiced)	81	About original game
TSS_CPY.TXT	TXT (Copyright)	24	Copyright
Disc 2\OMAKE	Folder	384,464	It contains 7 extra images.

Note:ABS/BIB/CPY are same content in 2 discs.

External links

• Sega of Japan catalogue pages (Japanese): Dreamcast