Nanostray
| Nanostray | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Shin'en |
| Publisher(s) | Majesco |
| Platform(s) | Nintendo DS |
| Release | 2005 (NA), (EU) January 26, 2006 (JP) |
| Genre(s) | Vertical scrolling shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single player, Multiplayer |
Nanostray is a vertical scrolling shooter video game for the Nintendo DS, Similar to many games in the genre, the user takes control of a futuristic spacecraft against a seemingly endless horde of enemies. It is very similar to the Game Boy Advance version (the Mainframe boss makes a cameo as the final boss) a lot like Lunar Knights is to the Boktai series.
Gameplay
Basic gameplay consists of first defeating many small enemies (known as waves) and larger, stronger enemies. When all enemies in a wave are destroyed, a blue powerup that restores the power weapon bar is released. Enemies can also release coins when destroyed, worth some points. At the end of each level there is a boss that shows the theme of the level.
Blue power-ups and coins can be pulled toward the ship by holding the R button.
Characteristics
The game has three difficulty settings, normal, advanced and expert. Each progressive level diminishes the amount of lives, energy, continues and amount of smart bombs replenished after the player loses a life.
The Nintendo DS touch screen is used for boss scanning (ala Metroid Prime), radar and weapon management.
Weapons
There are 4 types of weapons which you have at all times and a limited one.
- Pulse: A high speed straight firing weapon with a sub weapon that fires a strong continuous beam.
- Side-shot: A side firing weapon that shoots out of the left and right sides of the ship with a sub weapon that fires a stronger and faster beam.
- Seeker: A front weapon that targets the enemy but fires slower than the first weapon. It has a sub weapon that launches a ball of energy.
- Lightning: A bolt of lightning that once locked on targets the enemy until a new target is found. The sub weapon shoots short range beams around the ship.
- Smart bomb: Destroys all enemies and bullets on screen. The ship can only carry a maximum of three smart bombs.
Modes
There are four game modes to play: Adventure, Arcade, Challenge, and Multiplayer.
- Adventure mode: To unlock other features, the player must first play through adventure mode. Each level cleared in the Adventure mode is made available in the Arcade mode, and one or more challenges are added to the Challenge mode. The game allows the player to play the first three stages (Mitsurin Jungle, Mokuzu Depths and Sunahara Desert) in any order. After these three stages are cleared, the player can do the same with the following three stages (Hibashira Plains, Sekihi Belt and Sekai Outpost). Then the player must clear Chuuroh City to reach the final stage, Zenshoh Station.
- Arcade mode: The objective is to score as many points as possible in advanced difficulty. When a stage is cleared, a passcode is generated, which can be entered in the official site to create an account and be ranked.
- Challenge mode: A total of 22 challenges are presented. Challenges force the player to end the stages with different conditions, in example, a minimum score, without smart bombs, without using the sub weapon, with only one life, etc. Each beaten challenge adds a new "extra". Extras include background music, concept art, etc.
- Multiplayer mode: Two players can compete in four different modes: 120s (play during 120 seconds, at the end of the time the player with the highest score wins), 60s (idem 60), 25k (the first player to reach 25,000 points wins) and Bonus Race (all destroyed enemies release coins, the player who gets the more after 120 seconds wins). Since Nanostray supports wireless single card download, only one cartridge is needed to play.
Levels
There are 8 levels in Nanostray, which have Japanese names to them.
- Mitsurin Jungle (密林)
- Mokuzu Depths (藻屑)
- Sunahara Desert (砂原)
- Hibashira Plains (火柱)
- Sekihi Belt (石碑)
- Sekai Outpost (世界)
- Chuuroh City (柱廊)
- Zenshoh Station (前哨)
