Blazing Star vs Pulstar (Poll)

[prof]

These are the two most prominent horizontal shooters on the neo, and considering they had overlap in the development teams, and one is considered to be somewhat of a spiritual successor to the other, they are forever inextricably connected. But which game is best? Choose carefully because the fate of the universe could depend on it.

 

[HellioN]

BLAZING STAR > anything

 

[city41]

I vastly prefer Pulstar. Yeah it's a full on R-Type ripoff, but so what, they did it very well. Best shooter on the Neo.

 

[Takumaji]

I don't think it's possible to objectively tell which is better, there may have been some personal overlap with the dev teams but at their core, the games are quite different.

Pulstar basically is the Neo version of R-Type while Blazing Star has a few elements that remind me of a mix of Konami and Technosoft. I love Pulstar for its r-type-esque balls-hard gameplay, some don't like the memorization aspect which is essential if you want to get somewhere in the game but I think it's nice to elegantly circumvent attacks by anticipation and rack up a good score in the process.

Speaking of scoring, here is where I prefer Blazing Star, the multiplier bonus system is awesome and you will find that the selectable ships are quite different to each other in this regard so you can try and choose the one that suits you best.

I think Pulstar is more rewarding because of the overall experience and challenge while Blazing Star is more accessible and its bonus system shifts the focus to scoring for me instead of trying to complete it.

 

[LoneSage]

I don't think it's possible to objectively tell which is better, there may have been some personal overlap with the dev teams but at their core, the games are quite different.

Pulstar basically is the Neo version of R-Type while Blazing Star has a few elements that remind me of a mix of Konami and Technosoft. I love Pulstar for its r-type-esque balls-hard gameplay, some don't like the memorization aspect which is essential if you want to get somewhere in the game but I think it's nice to elegantly circumvent attacks by anticipation and rack up a good score in the process.

Speaking of scoring, here is where I prefer Blazing Star, the multiplier bonus

Jfc, I read all the way to that word and then became instantly traumatized. Like a killswitch in my brain.

 

[wataru330]

Zed Blade.

 

[terry.330]

Blazing Star is more fun, Pulstar is more satisfying. Just depends on what you're in the mood for.

But they're both 8/10, solid but never quite as good as the games they're aping.

 

[city41]

I think Pulstar hangs with the r-types and gradiuses of the world quite well. I would put it pretty close to the top of that genre.

Blazing Star... if it wasn't on the Neo I think it would have long been forgotten. It mostly just stands out because the Neo's shooter library is pretty average. The Neo's small and unbalanced library has caused that to happen to a lot of games.

 

[prof]

I get what tak is saying. Pulstar is heavily inspired by R-Type while BS plays similar to Thunderforce 3&4. So even though they're of the same lineage, they do play very differently. Each game scratches a different itch.


@city41, I think you're being too flippant in your dismissal of BS. Perhaps Pulstar is the deeper game overall, but BS is more than just a pretty face, and carves its own niche in that era of shooters. There are many ships to choose from, each with its own shot type, and some of these completely change the way you approach the game. And the shot meter adds another dimension as well, as the powered up shot is so much more powerful, but you're helpless while powering up. Very risk/reward, especially with the bonus points combo system, so you have to use it strategically. So combined with the high fun factor, there is depth and replayability which pushes it higher up the mid-90s shmup totem pole.

 

[city41]

I think you're being too flippant in your dismissal of BS

I do respect the game and it's solid for sure. But I dunno, to me it never manages to rise above the sum of its parts. It was SOTM a while back and I thought I'd finally start to get the game, but it didn't happen. I'll fire it up more and play it more, maybe I am missing something.

I do think the community holds BS too highly, and also might not give Pulstar quite the credit it deserves. I think Pulstar is a standout title for the system.

 

[Hattori Hanzo]

I like Ghost Pilots.

 

[Takumaji]

I do think the community holds BS too highly, and also might not give Pulstar quite the credit it deserves. I think Pulstar is a standout title for the system.

The Neo is not exactly famous for its shmups, neither Pulstar nor Blazing Star are really well-known outside of fan circles. I think both games are worth playing but if I were forced to decide on gun point I'd go with Pulstar, mostly because it's R-Type-ish but with lots of Neo style and that's what I want.

 

[Tarma]

Legend of Success Joe.

 

[Johnny16Bit]

I managed to focus on Pulstar, not on BS. I do get why Blazing Star is awesome, but it's too complex for me, and I every time I play it can never quite stick to it. Pulstar really got me hooked.

 

[Neo Alec]

They both looked very impressive in their time. It's easy to forget that now.

 

[Kid Fenris]

I think Blazing Star is the better game in terms of accessibility and variety. Pulstar is cool but way too rigid to just casually enjoy.

That said, I voted for Pulstar anyway because I've put more time into it and appreciate it more. That sort of slow, memorizing grind works for me if a shooter has clever stages to back it up, and Pulstar is pretty solid there.

If I'm running on pure nostalgia, though, I'd rate Last Resort and Zed Blade just as high, so what do I know?

 

[ballzdeepx]

Fun fact - the game was going to be called Pulstar Blast (according to tiles found in the game data)

Blazing Star (Neo Geo) - The Cutting Room Floor

tcrf.net