Demonstar

For the binary star, see Algol.

Demonstar
An original Demonstar screenshot, 2-player mission
Developer(s)	Mountain King Studios
Publisher(s)	Mountain King Studios
Distributor(s)	Mountain King Studios
Version	4.04
Platform(s)	Microsoft Windows
Release date(s)	NA December 31, 1997 [1]
Genre(s)	Shoot 'em up
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer
Media/distribution	Download
System requirements Windows 95 with DirectX 5 or higher

Demonstar is a shareware computer game developed by Mountain King Studios, based on their earlier game Raptor: Call of the Shadows. It is a top-down vertical scrolling shooter game with an outer space theme. The game shares many similarities with the Raiden series. Demonstar features various power-ups, including smart bombs and other power-ups which modify the types of projectiles that the player's ship fires.^[2]

The full version of the game features 18 levels. At the end of each level is a boss ship that the player must defeat to finish the level.

Storyline

Demonstar's storyline is not considered a major part of gameplay in Demonstar, and it is not featured in-game. One can only find a short description in the game's help file. The story starts with the Terran Fleet developing a new prototype starfighter (the RaptorX), and the player is a test pilot of that prototype. Suddenly, the Xidus Armada Fleet, the Terran Fleet's arch enemy (ever since Galactix), launches an all-out surprise attack on the Terran Fleet that catches them with their guard down, destroying all Raptor fighters in the process, save the few RaptorX prototypes which were away being tested. Now the player must battle through the Xidus Fleet alone, destroy their ultimate weapon, codenamed the Demonstar, and save the rest of the Terran Fleet.

Power-ups and bonuses

Numerous power-ups are featured in-game:

Secondary shots (floating colored icons with an "S"). The player starts with a primary shot which cannot be upgraded. The secondary weapons add extra strength. There are four type of projectiles available:

• Proton laser (yellow strips): the weakest of all, but gives the ability to spread-shot after upgrades and can attack enemies at a wide angle.
• Ion cannon (blue strips): more powerful than proton lasers, but shoots only in the forward direction.
• Plasma cannon (red strips): the most powerful and most concentrated shot of all; fires a single beam of plasma cannon in the forward direction and a small spread of lower-powered shots either side.
• Magnetic pulse (orange balls): a rare power-up which homes on to the enemy; its power is weak at the start, but after upgrading it matches the ion cannon in power.

If the player collects another type of secondary shot, it will set that shot to level 1. All secondary shots can be upgraded only 6 times towards their highest levels. Further upgrades of the same type release a 360-degree attack (e.g. more ion cannon power-ups release small ion bombs following 6 upgrades or the "Full Power" power-up). The power of both primary and secondary shots diminishes with distance.

Full power (floating "S" with 3 colored balls rotating around):This power-up upgrades the player's secondary shot to level 6 and is accompanied by a shout of satisfaction from the pilot.

Bombs (floating colored octagons with a "B"): The type of mega-weapon which is a standard in "shoot'em up" games:

• Mega bomb (yellow): its action is similar to a nuclear weapon which deals huge amounts of damage to enemies in close proximity. Clears all enemy bullets on screen.
• Scatter bomb (red): a defensive weapon that scatters explosives around the player's ship before exploding. Clears all enemy bullets on screen.
• Mega pulse (blue): a rare laser-type weapon which is very damaging to enemies directly in front of the player's ship

Missiles (floating square with an "M"): Two kinds of missiles are available in-game:

• Missiles (blue): powerful weapon that shoots in forward direction only.
• Homing missiles (red): have the same strength as regular missiles, but home onto the enemy.

Missiles are limited and are not upgradeable.

Side-and-tail fire power-up :Adds side or rear firing.

• Side Shooter (red): Adds side firing.
• Rear Shooter (blue): Adds rear firing.

Can be powered up to a maximum of 3.

Shield power-ups: offensively and defensively protects the player's ship for a short period of time.

• Crystal :Increases the players shield by one point.
• Energy (floating colored icon with an "E") Increases the players shield to the maximum.

Levels

The game has eighteen levels with enemies and bosses which get progressively harder to destroy. They alternate between levels of flying through outer space and flying over the surface of an enemy planet or moon with some foes on the ground. The shareware version of the game has only the first 6 levels.

1. Outer Space - in the full version, the player is given the option to "warp" to level 7.
2. Desert Base
3. Outer Space - characterized by blue auroras down the sides of the game screen.
4. Fuel Refinery - introduces the orange magnetic power-up.
5. Outer Space - has red auroras down the sides.
6. Ore Planet
7. Outer Space - the first level not available with the trial.
8. Water Planet
9. Outer Space - has big white shapes in the background.
10. Industry Planet - includes enemies from all the other levels.
11. Outer Space - has crossing indigo stripes across the screen.
12. Research Moon
13. Outer Space - has crossing green stripes across the screen.
14. Farming Planet
15. Outer Space - brown-themed with asteroids and moonbases.
16. Volcanic Moon - shows the explodable scenery from the past few levels.
17. Outer Space - has crossing red stripes across the screen.
18. Demonstar Base - has gray hexagonal shapes in the background. Fight the Demonstar here.

Spin-off titles

After the original Demonstar was released, two spin-off titles have been released: Demonstar Secret Mission 1 [1] and Demonstar Secret Mission 2 [2]. These games have many improvements, including better graphics, re-designed models and icons, higher difficulties, etc.

Level Editor

Demonstar full version has a built-in level editor [3]. The level editor can be activated via Command Prompt. Also, users can load user made levels and publish their own. The level editor has never been demonstrated and is considered to be a secret.

References

1. ^ "Release information". GameFAQs. http://www.gamefaqs.com/pc/250532-demonstar/data. Retrieved 2010-06-18. 
2. ^ "Demonstar at Mountain King Studios". Mountain King Studios Inc.. http://www.mking.com/demonstar/index.html. Retrieved 2008-04-15. 

External links

• Official website