Difference between revisions of "Salamander Deluxe Pack Plus"
From Sega Retro
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(Salamander 2) |
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===''Salamander 2''=== | ===''Salamander 2''=== | ||
+ | In the Interstellar Year 0999, the subspace life form "Tomb" begins its invasion. Its appearance causes a plague throughout the universe, and numerous planets that were colonized by mankind are swallowed up by the subspace. The people who managed to escape launch a counterattack, using their home planet Gradius as a base of operations. | ||
==Gameplay== | ==Gameplay== | ||
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''Salamander'' is the 1986 sequel to the 1985 game, ''[[Gradius]]'' (before Konami produced a more direct sequel, ''Gradius II'' in 1988, thus relegating ''Salamander'' to a spin-off). It is a one or two player cooperative spaceship shooter, in which player one controls the Vic Viper from ''Gradius'', and player two controls (the debuting) Lord British. Two-player games can be started from the main menu or by pressing {{Start}} on a second control pad at any point during gameplay. While gameplay is broadly similar to ''Gradius'', ''Salamander'' has a different and more traditional power-up system, in which players simply pick up upgrades left behind by destroyed enemies, rather than collecting glowing orbs to increment through a predetermined list. It also differs from ''Gradius'' by swapping between horizontal and vertical scrolling stages. | ''Salamander'' is the 1986 sequel to the 1985 game, ''[[Gradius]]'' (before Konami produced a more direct sequel, ''Gradius II'' in 1988, thus relegating ''Salamander'' to a spin-off). It is a one or two player cooperative spaceship shooter, in which player one controls the Vic Viper from ''Gradius'', and player two controls (the debuting) Lord British. Two-player games can be started from the main menu or by pressing {{Start}} on a second control pad at any point during gameplay. While gameplay is broadly similar to ''Gradius'', ''Salamander'' has a different and more traditional power-up system, in which players simply pick up upgrades left behind by destroyed enemies, rather than collecting glowing orbs to increment through a predetermined list. It also differs from ''Gradius'' by swapping between horizontal and vertical scrolling stages. | ||
− | The ship can be moved in any direction using the D-Pad. It shoots with {{B}} (or {{Y}} for rapid-fire). The main weapon can be upgraded to the Laser, which shoots long lasers that pierce through multiple targets, or the Ripple Laser, which shoots ring-shaped projectiles that expand as they travel to cover a large area. Players can obtain an upgrade that augments | + | The ship can be moved in any direction using the D-Pad. It shoots with {{B}} (or {{Y}} for rapid-fire). The main weapon can be upgraded to the Laser, which shoots long lasers that pierce through multiple targets, or the Ripple Laser, which shoots ring-shaped projectiles that expand as they travel to cover a large area. Players can obtain an upgrade that augments the ship's main weapon with missiles, which are fired in volleys above and below the ship with {{C}} (or {{Z}} for rapid-fire). Power-ups are collected as items that are sometimes dropped when enemies are destroyed. The ship can also collect up to four options, called "multiples," that follow it and replicate its fire. Multiples spread out when the ship moves away from them, allowing them to cover a wide area. |
The ship is destroyed if it takes a single hit from an enemy or collides with terrain. All power-ups are lost when the ship is destroyed, but multiples can be collected again. It respawns instantly if the player has extra lives remaining; otherwise, the game ends. There are no continues and no extends, but players can set the number of starting lives from the options (between 2 and 7) before starting the game. After finishing the game, it loops from the beginning at a higher difficulty. There are six difficulty levels (Saturn Easy, Easy, Normal, Difficult, Very Difficult, and Saturn Difficult). There are also options to toggle the slowdown from the arcade original ("Wait Control") or to stretch the image to fit the width of the screen. | The ship is destroyed if it takes a single hit from an enemy or collides with terrain. All power-ups are lost when the ship is destroyed, but multiples can be collected again. It respawns instantly if the player has extra lives remaining; otherwise, the game ends. There are no continues and no extends, but players can set the number of starting lives from the options (between 2 and 7) before starting the game. After finishing the game, it loops from the beginning at a higher difficulty. There are six difficulty levels (Saturn Easy, Easy, Normal, Difficult, Very Difficult, and Saturn Difficult). There are also options to toggle the slowdown from the arcade original ("Wait Control") or to stretch the image to fit the width of the screen. | ||
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| sprite={{sprite | Salamander Saturn, Items.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=16 | crop_y=0}} | | sprite={{sprite | Salamander Saturn, Items.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=16 | crop_y=0}} | ||
| desc=Allows the ship to fire volleys of missiles concurrently with its main weapon. | | desc=Allows the ship to fire volleys of missiles concurrently with its main weapon. | ||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
}} | }} | ||
{{InfoRow | {{InfoRow | ||
Line 78: | Line 74: | ||
| sprite={{sprite | Salamander Saturn, Items.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=64 | crop_y=0}} | | sprite={{sprite | Salamander Saturn, Items.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=64 | crop_y=0}} | ||
| desc=Changes the main weapon to ring-shaped projectiles that expand as they travel. | | desc=Changes the main weapon to ring-shaped projectiles that expand as they travel. | ||
+ | }} | ||
+ | {{InfoRow | ||
+ | | title=Multiple | ||
+ | | sprite={{sprite | Salamander Saturn, Items.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=32 | crop_y=0}} | ||
+ | | desc=Creates an option, called a "multiple," that follows the ship and replicates its fire. The ship can have up to 4 multiples following it. If the ship is destroyed, the multiples float in place and can be collected again. | ||
}} | }} | ||
{{InfoRow | {{InfoRow | ||
| title=Force Field | | title=Force Field | ||
| sprite={{sprite | Salamander Saturn, Items.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=80 | crop_y=0}} | | sprite={{sprite | Salamander Saturn, Items.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=80 | crop_y=0}} | ||
− | | desc=Creates a force field at the nose of the ship that protects it. | + | | desc=Creates a force field at the nose of the ship that protects it from multiple hits. |
}} | }} | ||
}} | }} | ||
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| screenshot6=Salamander Saturn, Stage 6-6.png | | screenshot6=Salamander Saturn, Stage 6-6.png | ||
| tabs=yes | | tabs=yes | ||
− | | desc=The final boss is the Zelos Force, a big red orb that the players must destroy before it leaves. After it is destroyed, the rest of the stage is an escape sequence. | + | | desc=The final boss is the Zelos Force, a big red orb that the players must destroy before it leaves (otherwise, the stage must be played again from the beginning). After it is destroyed, the rest of the stage is an escape sequence. |
}} | }} | ||
}} | }} | ||
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''Life Force'' is a modified version of ''Salamander'' that extends the premise of the first stage, where the Vic Viper flies into a massive alien life form, to the entire game. Some of the artwork, particularly the space stages and the mechanical enemies, was redrawn or recolored to maintain consistency with the new organic setting of the plot, though the stage layouts remain largely the same. The power-up system from ''Gradius'' was also re-introduced. As before, the game can be played by one or two players simultaneously, with player one controlling the Vic Viper and player two controlling Lord British. Two-player games can be started from the main menu or by pressing {{Start}} on a second control pad at any point during gameplay. | ''Life Force'' is a modified version of ''Salamander'' that extends the premise of the first stage, where the Vic Viper flies into a massive alien life form, to the entire game. Some of the artwork, particularly the space stages and the mechanical enemies, was redrawn or recolored to maintain consistency with the new organic setting of the plot, though the stage layouts remain largely the same. The power-up system from ''Gradius'' was also re-introduced. As before, the game can be played by one or two players simultaneously, with player one controlling the Vic Viper and player two controlling Lord British. Two-player games can be started from the main menu or by pressing {{Start}} on a second control pad at any point during gameplay. | ||
− | The ship can be moved in any direction using the D-Pad. It shoots with {{B}} (or {{Y}} for rapid-fire). The main weapon can be upgraded to the Laser, which shoots long lasers that pierce through multiple targets, or the Pulse Laser, which shoots ring-shaped projectiles that expand as they travel to cover a large area. Players can obtain an upgrade that augments | + | The ship can be moved in any direction using the D-Pad. It shoots with {{B}} (or {{Y}} for rapid-fire). The main weapon can be upgraded to the Laser, which shoots long lasers that pierce through multiple targets, or the Pulse Laser, which shoots ring-shaped projectiles that expand as they travel to cover a large area. Players can obtain an upgrade that augments the ship's main weapon with missiles, which are fired in volleys above and below the ship by pressing {{C}} (or {{Z}} for rapid-fire). The ship can also collect up to four options, called "multiples," that follow it and replicate its fire. Multiples spread out when the ship moves away from them, allowing them to cover a wide area. |
Power-ups are chosen by collecting glowing green capsules, which increments the power meter, a list of power-ups at the bottom of the screen, by one position. When the desired power-up is highlighted, the player can choose it with {{A}} or {{X}} (which also returns the power meter to its initial state where no power-up is highlighted). The list of power-ups is in a different order for each player. | Power-ups are chosen by collecting glowing green capsules, which increments the power meter, a list of power-ups at the bottom of the screen, by one position. When the desired power-up is highlighted, the player can choose it with {{A}} or {{X}} (which also returns the power meter to its initial state where no power-up is highlighted). The list of power-ups is in a different order for each player. | ||
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*'''Pulse:''' Changes the main weapon to ring-shaped projectiles that expand as they travel. | *'''Pulse:''' Changes the main weapon to ring-shaped projectiles that expand as they travel. | ||
*'''Laser:''' Changes the main weapon to long, piercing lasers. | *'''Laser:''' Changes the main weapon to long, piercing lasers. | ||
− | *'''Multiple:''' Creates an option, called a "multiple," that follows the ship and replicates its fire. The ship can have up to 4 multiples following it. If the ship is destroyed, the | + | *'''Multiple:''' Creates an option, called a "multiple," that follows the ship and replicates its fire. The ship can have up to 4 multiples following it. If the ship is destroyed, the multiples float in place and can be collected again. |
− | *'''?:''' Creates a force field that protects the ship. The ship can have up to 3 force fields protecting it; the first is placed at its nose, | + | *'''?:''' Creates a force field that protects the ship from multiple hits. The ship can have up to 3 force fields protecting it; the first is placed at its nose, the second above it, and the third below it. |
The item order for the second player is: '''Missile''', '''Laser''', '''Multiple''', '''Pulse''', '''Speed''', '''?'''. | The item order for the second player is: '''Missile''', '''Laser''', '''Multiple''', '''Pulse''', '''Speed''', '''?'''. | ||
}} | }} | ||
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| screenshot6=Life Force Saturn, Stage 6-6.png | | screenshot6=Life Force Saturn, Stage 6-6.png | ||
| tabs=yes | | tabs=yes | ||
− | | desc=The final boss is the Zelos Force, a big red orb that the players must destroy before it leaves. After it is destroyed, the rest of the stage is an escape sequence. | + | | desc=The final boss is the Zelos Force, a big red orb that the players must destroy before it leaves (otherwise, the stage must be played again from the beginning). After it is destroyed, the rest of the stage is an escape sequence. |
}} | }} | ||
}} | }} | ||
===''Salamander 2''=== | ===''Salamander 2''=== | ||
− | + | ''Salamander 2'' is a true sequel to ''Salamander'', sharing similar gameplay but with more elaborate graphics and stages. It was released in 1996, ten years after the release of the original, and it was the latest entry in the ''[[:Category:Gradius|Gradius]]'' franchise at the time this collection was released. As with its predecessors, it is a shoot-'em-up that can be played by one or two players simultaneously. Most stages are side-scrolling, but two stages switch to an overhead view. The first player controls the blue Vic Viper and the second controls the red Super Cobra. Two-player games can be started from the main menu or by pressing {{Start}} on a second control pad at any point during gameplay. | |
+ | |||
+ | The ship can be moved in any direction using the D-Pad. It shoots with {{B}} (or {{Y}} for rapid-fire). The main weapon can be upgraded to the Laser, the Ripple Laser, or the Twin Laser. Players can obtain an upgrade that augments the ship's main weapon with missiles that are fired in volleys above and below the ship (which are fired simultaneously with the main weapon rather than having a separate button, as in the previous entries). Power-ups are collected as items that are sometimes dropped when enemies are destroyed. Collecting an item for the already equipped weapon temporarily empowers the weapon. Large, brightly-colored orbs called "options" can be obtained, which follow the ship and duplicate its main weapon. There are now also smaller orbs named "option seeds," which encircle the ship and augment its fire, but only with standard bullets instead of replicating the upgraded weapons. Options can be launched at enemies with {{A}}, {{C}}, {{X}}, or {{Z}}, transforming into powerful shocks of lightning that home in on nearby targets. Holding the button for longer before releasing launches multiple options. The option can be collected again as an option seed after it is launched. Option seeds spin around the ship in a larger circle before dissipating instead of launching. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The ship is destroyed if it takes a single hit from an enemy or collides with terrain. All power-ups are lost when the ship is destroyed, but options can be collected again. If the player has extra lives left, the ship respawns immediately with temporary invulnerability. Extends are given at 200,000 and 500,000 points, and players can set the number of starting lives from the options (between 1 and 9) before starting the game. The game ends if the player runs out of lives, and there are no continues. After finishing the game, it loops from the beginning at a higher difficulty. The second loop has bonus music. There are eight difficulty levels (Easiest, Very Easy, Easy, Medium, Medium Hard, Hard, Very Hard, and Hardest). There are also options to toggle the slowdown from the arcade original ("Wait Control") or to stretch the image to fit the width of the screen. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ====Items==== | ||
+ | Items are dropped by reddish-colored enemies when they are destroyed or when an entire wave of enemies is destroyed. | ||
+ | {{InfoTable| | ||
+ | {{InfoRow | ||
+ | | title=Speed Up | ||
+ | | bgcolor=#2c147b | ||
+ | | sprite={{sprite | Salamander 2 Saturn, Items.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=64 | crop_y=0}} | ||
+ | | desc=Increases the movement speed of the ship, up to 6 levels. | ||
+ | }} | ||
+ | {{InfoRow | ||
+ | | title=Missile | ||
+ | | bgcolor=#2c147b | ||
+ | | sprite={{sprite | Salamander 2 Saturn, Items.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=48 | crop_y=0}} | ||
+ | | desc=Allows the ship to fire volleys of missiles concurrently with its main weapon. Missiles roll along terrain. | ||
+ | }} | ||
+ | {{InfoRow | ||
+ | | title=Laser | ||
+ | | bgcolor=#2c147b | ||
+ | | sprite={{sprite | Salamander 2 Saturn, Items.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=0 | crop_y=0}} | ||
+ | | desc=Changes the main weapon to long, piercing lasers. | ||
+ | }} | ||
+ | {{InfoRow | ||
+ | | title=Ripple Laser | ||
+ | | bgcolor=#2c147b | ||
+ | | sprite={{sprite | Salamander 2 Saturn, Items.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=16 | crop_y=0}} | ||
+ | | desc=Changes the main weapon to ring-shaped projectiles that expand as they travel. | ||
+ | }} | ||
+ | {{InfoRow | ||
+ | | title=Twin Laser | ||
+ | | bgcolor=#2c147b | ||
+ | | sprite={{sprite | Salamander 2 Saturn, Items.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=32 | crop_y=0}} | ||
+ | | desc=Changes the main weapon to twin parallel lasers that narrow as they travel. | ||
+ | }} | ||
+ | {{InfoRow | ||
+ | | title=Option | ||
+ | | bgcolor=#2c147b | ||
+ | | sprite={{sprite | Salamander 2 Saturn, Items.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=96 | crop_y=0}} | ||
+ | | sprite2={{sprite | Salamander 2 Saturn, Items.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=128 | crop_y=0}} | ||
+ | | desc=Creates an option that follows the ship and fires alongside it. Its weapon is also upgraded when the ship collects a weapon power-up. The ship can have up to 4 options following it. If the ship is destroyed, the options float in place and can be collected again. The option can be launched at enemies as an energy ray (then it can be collected again as an option seed). | ||
+ | }} | ||
+ | {{InfoRow | ||
+ | | title=Option Seed | ||
+ | | bgcolor=#2c147b | ||
+ | | sprite={{sprite | Salamander 2 Saturn, Items.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=112 | crop_y=0}} | ||
+ | | sprite2={{sprite | Salamander 2 Saturn, Items.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=144 | crop_y=0}} | ||
+ | | desc=Creates an option seed that orbits the ship in a tight circle and fires alongside it. It only fires standard bullets. If two option seeds are collected, they form a single full option. Instead of being launched, the option seed can circle around the ship in a larger circle before dissipating. | ||
+ | }} | ||
+ | {{InfoRow | ||
+ | | title=Force Field | ||
+ | | bgcolor=#2c147b | ||
+ | | sprite={{sprite | Salamander 2 Saturn, Items.png | 2 | crop_width=16 | crop_height=16 | crop_x=80 | crop_y=0}} | ||
+ | | desc=Creates a force field around the ship that protects it and lasts for 7 hits. | ||
+ | }} | ||
+ | }} | ||
====Stages==== | ====Stages==== | ||
{{InfoTable|imagewidths=320| | {{InfoTable|imagewidths=320| | ||
{{InfoRow | {{InfoRow | ||
− | | title=Stage 1 | + | | title=Sub-Life Space |
− | | | + | | screenshot=Salamander 2 Saturn, Stage 1-1.png |
+ | | screenshot2=Salamander 2 Saturn, Stage 1-2.png | ||
+ | | screenshot3=Salamander 2 Saturn, Stage 1-3.png | ||
+ | | screenshot4=Salamander 2 Saturn, Stage 1-4.png | ||
+ | | tabs=yes | ||
| desc= | | desc= | ||
}} | }} | ||
{{InfoRow | {{InfoRow | ||
− | | title=Stage 2 | + | | title=Prominence Fortress |
− | | | + | | screenshot=Salamander 2 Saturn, Stage 2-1.png |
+ | | screenshot2=Salamander 2 Saturn, Stage 2-2.png | ||
+ | | screenshot3=Salamander 2 Saturn, Stage 2-3.png | ||
+ | | tabs=yes | ||
| desc= | | desc= | ||
}} | }} | ||
{{InfoRow | {{InfoRow | ||
− | | title=Stage 3 | + | | title=Bio Hazard |
− | | | + | | screenshot=Salamander 2 Saturn, Stage 3-1.png |
+ | | screenshot2=Salamander 2 Saturn, Stage 3-2.png | ||
+ | | screenshot3=Salamander 2 Saturn, Stage 3-3.png | ||
+ | | screenshot4=Salamander 2 Saturn, Stage 3-4.png | ||
+ | | tabs=yes | ||
| desc= | | desc= | ||
}} | }} | ||
{{InfoRow | {{InfoRow | ||
− | | title=Stage 4 | + | | title=Giant Battleship |
− | | | + | | screenshot=Salamander 2 Saturn, Stage 4-1.png |
+ | | screenshot2=Salamander 2 Saturn, Stage 4-2.png | ||
+ | | screenshot3=Salamander 2 Saturn, Stage 4-3.png | ||
+ | | screenshot4=Salamander 2 Saturn, Stage 4-4.png | ||
+ | | tabs=yes | ||
| desc= | | desc= | ||
}} | }} | ||
{{InfoRow | {{InfoRow | ||
− | | title=Stage 5 | + | | title=Asteroid |
− | | | + | | screenshot=Salamander 2 Saturn, Stage 5-1.png |
+ | | screenshot2=Salamander 2 Saturn, Stage 5-2.png | ||
+ | | screenshot3=Salamander 2 Saturn, Stage 5-3.png | ||
+ | | screenshot4=Salamander 2 Saturn, Stage 5-4.png | ||
+ | | tabs=yes | ||
| desc= | | desc= | ||
}} | }} | ||
{{InfoRow | {{InfoRow | ||
− | | title=Stage 6 | + | | title=Doom Fortress |
− | | | + | | screenshot=Salamander 2 Saturn, Stage 6-1.png |
+ | | screenshot2=Salamander 2 Saturn, Stage 6-2.png | ||
+ | | screenshot3=Salamander 2 Saturn, Stage 6-3.png | ||
+ | | screenshot4=Salamander 2 Saturn, Stage 6-4.png | ||
+ | | screenshot5=Salamander 2 Saturn, Stage 6-5.png | ||
+ | | screenshot6=Salamander 2 Saturn, Stage 6-6.png | ||
+ | | screenshot7=Salamander 2 Saturn, Stage 6-7.png | ||
+ | | tabs=yes | ||
| desc= | | desc= | ||
}} | }} | ||
Line 262: | Line 348: | ||
*'''Supervisor:''' Halky | *'''Supervisor:''' Halky | ||
*'''Producer:''' Kazumi Kitaue | *'''Producer:''' Kazumi Kitaue | ||
− | *'''Development by:''' [[Konami|KCET]] | + | *'''Development by:''' [[Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo|KCET]] |
| source=In-game credits | | source=In-game credits | ||
| pdf=Salamander Saturn credits.pdf | | pdf=Salamander Saturn credits.pdf | ||
Line 279: | Line 365: | ||
*'''Supervisor:''' Halky | *'''Supervisor:''' Halky | ||
*'''Producer:''' Kazumi Kitaue | *'''Producer:''' Kazumi Kitaue | ||
− | *'''Development by:''' [[Konami|KCET]] | + | *'''Development by:''' [[Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo|KCET]] |
| source=In-game credits | | source=In-game credits | ||
| pdf=Salamander 2 Saturn credits.pdf | | pdf=Salamander 2 Saturn credits.pdf |
Revision as of 01:14, 25 July 2024
| ||||||||||
Salamander Deluxe Pack Plus | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
System(s): Sega Saturn | ||||||||||
Publisher: Konami | ||||||||||
Developer: Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo | ||||||||||
Original system(s): Arcade boards | ||||||||||
Game total: 3 | ||||||||||
Sound driver: SCSP/CD-DA (2 tracks) | ||||||||||
Genre: Compilation, Shooting[1][2] | ||||||||||
Number of players: 1-2 | ||||||||||
| ||||||||||
|
Salamander Deluxe Pack Plus (沙羅曼蛇 DELUXE PACK PLUS) is a compilation of the three Salamander games, all developed and published by Konami as spin-offs of the Gradius franchise. The compilation never left Japan. The games are identical to their arcade counterparts, bar a few touch-ups.
Contents
Games included
- Salamander
- Life Force
- Salamander 2
Story
Salamander
Latis is a planet covered by water. A prophecy tells of a giant dragon that will travel from thousands of light years away and swallow the heavens and the earth.
The Salamander Army of the Bacterian Cluster has invaded the planet, and the Latis army is helpless to resist. The Prince of Latis has entered the battle in his starfighter, Lord British, but he was overwhelmed and asked from help from the planet Gradius, which is said to have defeated forces from the Bacterian Cluster before.
Life Force
Two years after the war with the Bacterian Cluster ended, peace has been restored, but planet Gradius is now facing an unprecedented crisis as a super organism called "Life Force" has appeared in outer space. It is an enormous life form that absorbs everything it touches and grows continuously. The Vic Viper must destroy it before it consumes planet Gradius as well.
Salamander 2
In the Interstellar Year 0999, the subspace life form "Tomb" begins its invasion. Its appearance causes a plague throughout the universe, and numerous planets that were colonized by mankind are swallowed up by the subspace. The people who managed to escape launch a counterattack, using their home planet Gradius as a base of operations.
Gameplay
Salamander
Salamander is the 1986 sequel to the 1985 game, Gradius (before Konami produced a more direct sequel, Gradius II in 1988, thus relegating Salamander to a spin-off). It is a one or two player cooperative spaceship shooter, in which player one controls the Vic Viper from Gradius, and player two controls (the debuting) Lord British. Two-player games can be started from the main menu or by pressing START on a second control pad at any point during gameplay. While gameplay is broadly similar to Gradius, Salamander has a different and more traditional power-up system, in which players simply pick up upgrades left behind by destroyed enemies, rather than collecting glowing orbs to increment through a predetermined list. It also differs from Gradius by swapping between horizontal and vertical scrolling stages.
The ship can be moved in any direction using the D-Pad. It shoots with (or
for rapid-fire). The main weapon can be upgraded to the Laser, which shoots long lasers that pierce through multiple targets, or the Ripple Laser, which shoots ring-shaped projectiles that expand as they travel to cover a large area. Players can obtain an upgrade that augments the ship's main weapon with missiles, which are fired in volleys above and below the ship with
(or
for rapid-fire). Power-ups are collected as items that are sometimes dropped when enemies are destroyed. The ship can also collect up to four options, called "multiples," that follow it and replicate its fire. Multiples spread out when the ship moves away from them, allowing them to cover a wide area.
The ship is destroyed if it takes a single hit from an enemy or collides with terrain. All power-ups are lost when the ship is destroyed, but multiples can be collected again. It respawns instantly if the player has extra lives remaining; otherwise, the game ends. There are no continues and no extends, but players can set the number of starting lives from the options (between 2 and 7) before starting the game. After finishing the game, it loops from the beginning at a higher difficulty. There are six difficulty levels (Saturn Easy, Easy, Normal, Difficult, Very Difficult, and Saturn Difficult). There are also options to toggle the slowdown from the arcade original ("Wait Control") or to stretch the image to fit the width of the screen.
Items
Items are dropped by reddish-colored enemies when they are destroyed or when an entire wave of enemies is destroyed.
Speed Up | |
---|---|
Increases the movement speed of the ship, up to 5 levels. | |
Missile | |
Allows the ship to fire volleys of missiles concurrently with its main weapon. | |
Laser | |
Changes the main weapon to long, piercing lasers. | |
Ripple Laser | |
Changes the main weapon to ring-shaped projectiles that expand as they travel. | |
Multiple | |
Creates an option, called a "multiple," that follows the ship and replicates its fire. The ship can have up to 4 multiples following it. If the ship is destroyed, the multiples float in place and can be collected again. | |
Force Field | |
Creates a force field at the nose of the ship that protects it from multiple hits. |
Stages
Bionic Germ | |
---|---|
Meteorite Space | |
Burning Chaos | |
Volcano | |
Asteroid Hell | |
Fortress Zone | |
The final boss is the Zelos Force, a big red orb that the players must destroy before it leaves (otherwise, the stage must be played again from the beginning). After it is destroyed, the rest of the stage is an escape sequence. |
Life Force
Life Force is a modified version of Salamander that extends the premise of the first stage, where the Vic Viper flies into a massive alien life form, to the entire game. Some of the artwork, particularly the space stages and the mechanical enemies, was redrawn or recolored to maintain consistency with the new organic setting of the plot, though the stage layouts remain largely the same. The power-up system from Gradius was also re-introduced. As before, the game can be played by one or two players simultaneously, with player one controlling the Vic Viper and player two controlling Lord British. Two-player games can be started from the main menu or by pressing START on a second control pad at any point during gameplay.
The ship can be moved in any direction using the D-Pad. It shoots with (or
for rapid-fire). The main weapon can be upgraded to the Laser, which shoots long lasers that pierce through multiple targets, or the Pulse Laser, which shoots ring-shaped projectiles that expand as they travel to cover a large area. Players can obtain an upgrade that augments the ship's main weapon with missiles, which are fired in volleys above and below the ship by pressing
(or
for rapid-fire). The ship can also collect up to four options, called "multiples," that follow it and replicate its fire. Multiples spread out when the ship moves away from them, allowing them to cover a wide area.
Power-ups are chosen by collecting glowing green capsules, which increments the power meter, a list of power-ups at the bottom of the screen, by one position. When the desired power-up is highlighted, the player can choose it with or
(which also returns the power meter to its initial state where no power-up is highlighted). The list of power-ups is in a different order for each player.
The ship is destroyed if it takes a single hit from an enemy or collides with terrain. All power-ups are lost when the ship is destroyed, but multiples can be collected again. It respawns instantly if the player has extra lives remaining; otherwise, the game ends. There are no continues, but extends are given at 100,000 points and every 300,000 points after that, and players can set the number of starting lives from the options (between 3 and 6) before starting the game. After finishing the game, it loops from the beginning at a higher difficulty. There are six difficulty levels (Saturn Easy, Easy, Normal, Difficult, Very Difficult, and Saturn Difficult). There are also options to toggle the slowdown from the arcade original ("Wait Control") or to stretch the image to fit the width of the screen.
Items
Items are dropped by reddish-colored enemies when they are destroyed or when an entire wave of enemies is destroyed.
Power Up | |
---|---|
Increments the power meter by one item. The power meter contains the following power-ups:
The item order for the second player is: Missile, Laser, Multiple, Pulse, Speed, ?. |
Stages
The Stomach Muscle Zone | |
---|---|
The Kidney Zone | |
The Stomach Inner Chamber | |
The Liver Zone | |
The Lung Zone | |
The Brain Area | |
The final boss is the Zelos Force, a big red orb that the players must destroy before it leaves (otherwise, the stage must be played again from the beginning). After it is destroyed, the rest of the stage is an escape sequence. |
Salamander 2
Salamander 2 is a true sequel to Salamander, sharing similar gameplay but with more elaborate graphics and stages. It was released in 1996, ten years after the release of the original, and it was the latest entry in the Gradius franchise at the time this collection was released. As with its predecessors, it is a shoot-'em-up that can be played by one or two players simultaneously. Most stages are side-scrolling, but two stages switch to an overhead view. The first player controls the blue Vic Viper and the second controls the red Super Cobra. Two-player games can be started from the main menu or by pressing START on a second control pad at any point during gameplay.
The ship can be moved in any direction using the D-Pad. It shoots with (or
for rapid-fire). The main weapon can be upgraded to the Laser, the Ripple Laser, or the Twin Laser. Players can obtain an upgrade that augments the ship's main weapon with missiles that are fired in volleys above and below the ship (which are fired simultaneously with the main weapon rather than having a separate button, as in the previous entries). Power-ups are collected as items that are sometimes dropped when enemies are destroyed. Collecting an item for the already equipped weapon temporarily empowers the weapon. Large, brightly-colored orbs called "options" can be obtained, which follow the ship and duplicate its main weapon. There are now also smaller orbs named "option seeds," which encircle the ship and augment its fire, but only with standard bullets instead of replicating the upgraded weapons. Options can be launched at enemies with
,
,
, or
, transforming into powerful shocks of lightning that home in on nearby targets. Holding the button for longer before releasing launches multiple options. The option can be collected again as an option seed after it is launched. Option seeds spin around the ship in a larger circle before dissipating instead of launching.
The ship is destroyed if it takes a single hit from an enemy or collides with terrain. All power-ups are lost when the ship is destroyed, but options can be collected again. If the player has extra lives left, the ship respawns immediately with temporary invulnerability. Extends are given at 200,000 and 500,000 points, and players can set the number of starting lives from the options (between 1 and 9) before starting the game. The game ends if the player runs out of lives, and there are no continues. After finishing the game, it loops from the beginning at a higher difficulty. The second loop has bonus music. There are eight difficulty levels (Easiest, Very Easy, Easy, Medium, Medium Hard, Hard, Very Hard, and Hardest). There are also options to toggle the slowdown from the arcade original ("Wait Control") or to stretch the image to fit the width of the screen.
Items
Items are dropped by reddish-colored enemies when they are destroyed or when an entire wave of enemies is destroyed.
Speed Up | |
---|---|
Increases the movement speed of the ship, up to 6 levels. | |
Missile | |
Allows the ship to fire volleys of missiles concurrently with its main weapon. Missiles roll along terrain. | |
Laser | |
Changes the main weapon to long, piercing lasers. | |
Ripple Laser | |
Changes the main weapon to ring-shaped projectiles that expand as they travel. | |
Twin Laser | |
Changes the main weapon to twin parallel lasers that narrow as they travel. | |
Option | |
Creates an option that follows the ship and fires alongside it. Its weapon is also upgraded when the ship collects a weapon power-up. The ship can have up to 4 options following it. If the ship is destroyed, the options float in place and can be collected again. The option can be launched at enemies as an energy ray (then it can be collected again as an option seed). | |
Option Seed | |
Creates an option seed that orbits the ship in a tight circle and fires alongside it. It only fires standard bullets. If two option seeds are collected, they form a single full option. Instead of being launched, the option seed can circle around the ship in a larger circle before dissipating. | |
Force Field | |
Creates a force field around the ship that protects it and lasts for 7 hits. |
Stages
Sub-Life Space | |
---|---|
Prominence Fortress | |
Bio Hazard | |
Giant Battleship | |
Asteroid | |
Doom Fortress | |
Production credits
Salamander and Life Force
- Programmer: H.' Deluxe'ueda, H.Sato -Aki-, Akind.Takaki, Shutaro
- Designer: T.Sagawa, Mariko
- Sound: Yamane(Kai), AKT, Akira Yamaoka, Midnight Zombie
- Movie Sound: Miki-up, Suzuki Kyouta, Akira Yamaoka
- CGI Designer: Makoto Toyama
- Movie Converter: Kenichiro Imaizumi
- Logotype & Product Design: Yumiko Nozawa
- Special Thanks: Original AC Staff
- Supervisor: Halky
- Producer: Kazumi Kitaue
- Development by: KCET
Salamander 2
- Programmer: Akind.Takaki, Shutaro, H.'Deluxe'ueda, H.Sato -Aki-
- Designer: T.Sagawa, Mariko
- Sound: Yamane(Kai), AKT, Akira Yamaoka, Midnight Zombie
- Movie Sound: Miki-up, Suzuki Kyouta, Akira Yamaoka
- CGI Designer: Takahide Murakami
- Movie Converter: Kenichiro Imaizumi
- Logotype & Product Design: Yumiko Nozawa
- Original AC Staff: Tango, Qchan, Satonyan, Masato Hijima, Sonshi Sdr, Kaori Nishimura, Yas, Motohisa Ando, You Takamine, Naoki Maeda, V Kobe Yzz, Takaaki "Q" Kumemura, K.Iwashita, Yamamoso Type2, Takeaki Hasegawa
- Supervisor: Halky
- Producer: Kazumi Kitaue
- Development by: KCET
Magazine articles
- Main article: Salamander Deluxe Pack Plus/Magazine articles.
Physical scans
Sega Retro Average | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
73 | |
---|---|
Based on 8 reviews |
Saturn, JP |
---|
Technical information
- Main article: Salamander Deluxe Pack Plus/Technical information.
ROM dump status
System | Hash | Size | Build Date | Source | Comments | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
✔ |
|
518,413,728 | 1997-03-25 | CD-ROM (JP) | T-9520G V1.010 |
Extra content
This game has extra content which can be viewed when accessing the disc on a PC.
Folder / File | Type | Size | description |
---|---|---|---|
\OMAKE\24BIT | Folder | 51,931,704 | It contains 11 wallpaper images of truecolor. 3 sizes each. |
\OMAKE\8BIT | Folder | 17,345,592 | It contains 11 wallpaper images of 256 colors. 3 sizes each. |
ABS.TXT | TXT (Abstract) | 150 | About this game. |
BIB.TXT | TXT (Bibliographiced) | 85 | About original game |
CPY.TXT | TXT (Copyright) | 47 | Copyright |
KAIHATSU.DOC | TXT | 30,553 | Messages from the developers. |
References
- ↑ File:SalamanderDeluxePackPlus Saturn JP Box Back.jpg
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 https://sega.jp/fb/segahard/ss/soft_licensee3.html (Wayback Machine: 2020-03-20 23:05)
- ↑ File:Salamander Saturn credits.pdf
- ↑ File:Salamander 2 Saturn credits.pdf
- ↑ Edge, "September 1997" (UK; 1997-08-18), page 88
- ↑ Famitsu, "1997-06-27" (JP; 1997-06-13), page 1
- ↑ GameFan, "Volume 5, Issue 8: August 1997" (US; 1997-xx-xx), page 20
- ↑ MAN!AC, "08/97" (DE; 1997-07-09), page 66
- ↑ neXt Level, "September 1997" (DE; 1997-08-22), page 74
- ↑ Saturn Fan, "1997 No. 12" (JP; 1997-06-xx), page 182
- ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "1997-21 (1997-06-27)" (JP; 1997-06-13), page 155
- ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "Readers rating final data" (JP; 2000-03), page 11
NEC Retro has more information related to Salamander
|
Salamander Deluxe Pack Plus | |
---|---|
Main page | Comparisons | Hidden content | Magazine articles | Reception |
Gradius / Parodius games for Sega systems | |
---|---|
Nemesis (1987) | Nemesis 2 (1987) | |
Gradius Deluxe Pack (1996) | Salamander Deluxe Pack Plus (1997) | Konami Antiques MSX Collection Ultra Pack (1998) | |
Parodius (1995) | Sexy Parodius (1996) | Jikkyou Oshaberi Parodius: Forever With Me (1996) |