Shock Troopers
Encyclopedia
is an arcade game
developed by Saurus. Gameplay involves taking command of one or three commando
s in an 8-way shooter through 6 stages of opposing forces, weaponry, and power-up
s.
.
Each character has their own virtues over other selections. Some might start with higher life totals, while others could move faster. Regardless of your choice, the soldiers each possess a unique special weapon or "bomb", which varies in distance and range.
Controls consist of an 8-way joystick and four buttons. Players move in eight directions with the joystick and fire, dodge, use their special weapon, and switch characters with the A, B, C, and D buttons, respectively.
Players must progress through 6 stages, fighting against other soldiers, bosses, and finally, the commander
of the Bloody Scorpions. Your weapons can be fired in all 8 directions, but you can also strafe by holding down the fire button. Attacking within close range of an enemy will yield items, including point bonuses, weapon power-ups, and life. Enemy fire can be avoided with the
dodge button. In "Team Battle" mode, you can cycle through your three selected soldiers, allowing you to utilize the traits and special weapons of each.
, Jungle
, or Valley
route. Halfway through the game, you can choose to switch to a different route or stay on your current path. Who you pick and what path you choose will determine how much life bonus you receive at the beginning of each level.
Each stage consists of standard "run and gun
" tactics interspersed with boss battles (both in the middle and at the end of each stage). Until the very end, where you battle the commander of the Bloody Scorpions atop an aircraft.
The gameplay system has been drastically changed because only 4 characters are selectable and the team mode from the first game is not featured in this. Also, the graphics has a more cartoon-feel to it and the sprites are a combination of 2D and 3D, although the game is completely in 2D since the 3D graphics are pre-rendered. There is also the ability to ride some vehicles, as in the Metal Slug games.
The follow-up is more violent than its predecessor because the enemies die in unique ways despite their cartoon-like appearance.
A third title in the series, Shock Troopers 3, was also planned but never released.
. However there are minor differences of the game which could be spotted. The game consists of somewhat fairly long load times similar to the loading behavior in Metal Slug Anthology (even longer load on the PSP) and oddly enough, some Japanese Dialog has been stripped out of these versions. It is uncertain why this was done.
The game is also being incorporated into the PS3 and PSP Neo Geo classics line
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
developed by Saurus. Gameplay involves taking command of one or three commando
Commando
In English, the term commando means a specific kind of individual soldier or military unit. In contemporary usage, commando usually means elite light infantry and/or special operations forces units, specializing in amphibious landings, parachuting, rappelling and similar techniques, to conduct and...
s in an 8-way shooter through 6 stages of opposing forces, weaponry, and power-up
Power-up
In computer and video games, power-ups are objects that instantly benefit or add extra abilities to the game character as a game mechanic. This is in contrast to an item, which may or may not have a benefit and can be used at a time chosen by the player...
s.
Story
The Bloody Scorpions have kidnapped a scientist and his granddaughter in order to gain the powerful drug, Alpha-301, which converts normal people into unbeatable superhuman soldiers. A special team must fight through their ranks in order to get to their leader and save the scientist's granddaughter and the world. The game received a semi-sequel in Shock Troopers: 2nd Squad. There is also believed to be a third game which became vaporwareVaporware
Vaporware is a term in the computer industry that describes a product, typically computer hardware or software, that is announced to the general public but is never actually released nor officially canceled. Vaporware is also a term sometimes used to describe events that are announced or predicted,...
.
Gameplay
At the beginning of each session, players choose whether to go through the game in one of two modes, "Lonely Wolf" or "Team Battle". In "Lonely Wolf", you control one character throughout the game, while "Team Battle" lets you pick a band of three soldiers through their missions, switching between them on-the-fly. Choosing to go it alone gives you a higher starting life total, while proceeding as a team will give you a wider variety of special weapons as well as a higher starting total (ten for each of your three characters instead of twenty for one).Each character has their own virtues over other selections. Some might start with higher life totals, while others could move faster. Regardless of your choice, the soldiers each possess a unique special weapon or "bomb", which varies in distance and range.
Controls consist of an 8-way joystick and four buttons. Players move in eight directions with the joystick and fire, dodge, use their special weapon, and switch characters with the A, B, C, and D buttons, respectively.
Players must progress through 6 stages, fighting against other soldiers, bosses, and finally, the commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
of the Bloody Scorpions. Your weapons can be fired in all 8 directions, but you can also strafe by holding down the fire button. Attacking within close range of an enemy will yield items, including point bonuses, weapon power-ups, and life. Enemy fire can be avoided with the
dodge button. In "Team Battle" mode, you can cycle through your three selected soldiers, allowing you to utilize the traits and special weapons of each.
Characters
Jackal - Special Weapon: Grenade Milky - Special Weapon: Napalm Loki - Special Weapon: Explosive Shell Southern Cross - Special Weapon: Exploding Boomerang Marie Bee - Special Weapon: Rocket Launcher Rio - Special Weapon: Exploding Arrow Maru - Special Weapon: Gas Grenade Big Mama - Special Weapon: Grenade LauncherLevels
At the beginning of the game, you can choose to travel through the MountainMountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
, Jungle
Jungle
A Jungle is an area of land in the tropics overgrown with dense vegetation.The word jungle originates from the Sanskrit word jangala which referred to uncultivated land. Although the Sanskrit word refers to "dry land", it has been suggested that an Anglo-Indian interpretation led to its...
, or Valley
Valley
In geology, a valley or dale is a depression with predominant extent in one direction. A very deep river valley may be called a canyon or gorge.The terms U-shaped and V-shaped are descriptive terms of geography to characterize the form of valleys...
route. Halfway through the game, you can choose to switch to a different route or stay on your current path. Who you pick and what path you choose will determine how much life bonus you receive at the beginning of each level.
Each stage consists of standard "run and gun
Shoot 'em up
Shoot 'em up is a subgenre of shooter video games. In a shoot 'em up, the player controls a lone character, often in a spacecraft or aircraft, shooting large numbers of enemies while dodging their attacks. The genre in turn encompasses various types or subgenres and critics differ on exactly what...
" tactics interspersed with boss battles (both in the middle and at the end of each stage). Until the very end, where you battle the commander of the Bloody Scorpions atop an aircraft.
2nd Squad
There was a second game titled Shock Troopers: 2nd Squad. It is considered to be a standalone title since the plot has no connection with the first game.The gameplay system has been drastically changed because only 4 characters are selectable and the team mode from the first game is not featured in this. Also, the graphics has a more cartoon-feel to it and the sprites are a combination of 2D and 3D, although the game is completely in 2D since the 3D graphics are pre-rendered. There is also the ability to ride some vehicles, as in the Metal Slug games.
The follow-up is more violent than its predecessor because the enemies die in unique ways despite their cartoon-like appearance.
A third title in the series, Shock Troopers 3, was also planned but never released.
Characters
Leon - Gun Weapon: Linear bullets and Grenades, Special Weapon: Napalm Grenades, Defensive Weapon: Machete Angel - Gun Weapon: Combo bullets, Special Weapon: Petrol Bombs, Defensive Weapon: Napalm Gas Lulu - Gun Weapon: 3-way bullets, Special Weapon: Dynamite, Defensive Weapon: Revolver Toy - Gun Weapon: Laser beams, Special Weapon: Detonator, Defensive Weapon: Shock GloveWii, PlayStation 2 and PSP Re-Release of Shock Troopers
This game was re-released by SNK in North America through SNK Arcade Classics Vol. 1SNK Arcade Classics Vol. 1
SNK Arcade Classics Vol. 1 is a video game compilation created and published by SNK Playmore which includes sixteen Neo Geo games.The compilation was released on the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, and the Wii...
. However there are minor differences of the game which could be spotted. The game consists of somewhat fairly long load times similar to the loading behavior in Metal Slug Anthology (even longer load on the PSP) and oddly enough, some Japanese Dialog has been stripped out of these versions. It is uncertain why this was done.
The game is also being incorporated into the PS3 and PSP Neo Geo classics line