Burai Fighter

The setting for Burai Fighter is to fend off seven bases of Burai, super-intelligent cyborgs. The player starts out with a relatively weak cannon, but can upgrade to ring, laser, and missile weapons, which are much more powerful. The player can initially choose from three difficulty settings: Eagle, Albatross, and Ace; the fourth difficulty setting, Ultimate, must be unlocked. The character can be moved in 8 directions and can shoot in a different direction from the direction he is moving towards.

• Title — Burai Fighter • Developer — KID • Publisher — NES'Game Boy'Game Boy ColorAgetec • Designer — Ken Lobb • Composer — Norio Nakagata (uncredited) • Platforms — Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy, Game Boy Color • Released — NES Game Boy Game Boy Color • Genre — Shoot 'em ups • Modes — Single-player

• Illustration — Gameplay screenshot of Stage 1 Burai Fighter is a single-player two-dimensional automatic sidescroller. It has three difficulty levels to choose from. At the start, the screen moves from left to right, but it can move in any cardinal direction and change directions in the same level. The player is expected to keep up, as getting stuck on the edge means the player character dies. The player starts out with a basic gun that can fire in all eight directions. Holding down the fire button locks the player's firing direction. The player floats through space to destroy robots. At the end of a level they must defeat a boss to continue to the next level. At times the player may find a gap at the side of the screen. When the player moves into the gap with correct timing, the orientation of the screen changes and takes them into a secret room with some power-ups. Higher difficulty levels have fewer secret rooms and more precise timing is required. The game is fairly linear, but there are some forks in the path where the player can either travel on the left side or the right side of the screen for a little while. Some sides are more challenging than their counterparts. Each level has a password that can be input to start at that level.

The Burai are an intelligent race bent on complete domination of the entire universe. They have seven facilities across the galaxy that produce their troops that are half-robot, half-animal. Only the unnamed protagonist can save the universe with his proton suit and laser gun.

Space Marauder (known as Burai Senshi Color in Japan) is a colorized version of the Game Boy version. It was developed and published by KID in Japan and Agetec in North America. It was released in Japan on July 23, 1999, and in North America on August 28, 2000. The game puts the player in the role an infantryman dropped into an alien base that is determined to enslave humanity. There are three different power-ups, and the game allows you to shoot in eight different directions. However, due to the difficulty of switching the direction of fire during the midst of battle, it is regarded to be easier to just shoot in one direction. The three power-ups are considered standard for the genre: a blue bullet, a lighter blue laser, and a pink laser. The game uses a password system to continue progress.

The Game Boy version, titled Burai Fighter Deluxe, received mostly positive reception from critics. Martin Gaksch of Power Play and Video Games criticized its audiovisual presentation but commended its original level design and password system. However, Gaksch ultimately felt that Deluxe could not compete with R-Type. Joysticks Jean-Marc Demoly drew comparison with the Commodore 64 shooter Dropzone due to its gameplay. Regardless, Demoly praised the Game Boy release for its graphics, sprite animations, sound and controls. Player Ones Cyril Drevet gave positive remarks to the Deluxe release when it came to visuals, sound, longevity and fun factor, stating that "While waiting for better (Nemesis) [...], it will satisfy fans of the genre." Electronic Gaming Monthlys four reviewers felt that the Game Boy conversion was as intense as the NES original, giving positive commentary to its design, lack of screen blurring, challenge and weapon system. Similar to EGMs review of the NES original, Mean Machines Matt Regan and Julian Rignall compared it with Forgotten Worlds. Nevertheless, both Regan and Rignall praised the Game Boy release for its presentation, graphics, playability and longevity but they felt mixed in regards to the sound. Aktueller Software Markts Hans-Joachim Amann commended Burai Fighter Deluxe for its graphics, smooth scrolling, password system and varied difficulty levels, but noted that the controls take time getting used to. The Brazilian magazines Ação Games called it "an excellent adaptation of the game", commending its audiovisual presentation and challenge. ACEs Rik Haynes gave positive remarks to the backgrounds and boss sprites, but criticized the Game Boy version for its small sprite size, sound design and overall longevity, recommending R-Type instead. Consoles + Robinton felt mixed in regards to the presentation, but gave the conversion positive commentary when it came to visuals, sound, playability and longevity, regarding it as one of the best shooters on Game Boy. Likewise, Razes Les Ellis regarded Deluxe as a "damn fine game" and one of the best shoot-'em-ups on Game Boy, due to the multi-directional scrolling, frenetic gameplay, graphics and music, but criticized its sound effects for being grating. Tilts Jacques Harbonn called Burai Fighter the best shoot-'em-up on Game Boy.

The Game Boy Color version, titled Space Marauder, received marginally positive reviews from critics. Nintendo Power felt mixed in regards to its dated graphics and game design but commended the responsive controls and fast-paced music. Marc Nix of IGN, the only other major critical site to review the game, noted its old school factor and compared it to NES and SNES era shooter games such as Space Megaforce, complimenting the usage of a genre that had been long dead.