Castle of Shikigami III

Infobox VG
title = flagicon|USACastle of Shikigami III
flagicon|JPNShikigami no Shiro episode-3


caption = Shikigami no Shiro III, the Japanese Xbox 360 boxcover.
developer = Alfa System, SKONEC
Barnhouse Effect Co.,Ltd. (Xbox)
publisher =flagicon|JPNTaito (Arcade)
Cyberfront Corporation (Windows)
Arc System Works (Xbox 360, Wii)
flagicon|USAAksys Games (Wii)
designer =
engine =
released = flagicon|JPN2006-2-? (arcade)
2006-09-29 (Windows)
2007-12-13 (Xbox 360, Wii)
flagicon|USA2008-05-13 (Wii)
genre = Scrolling shooter
modes = Single player, multiplayer
ratings = CERO A (Free)
ESRB: T (Teen)
platforms = Arcade, Windows 2000, Xbox 360, Wii
media = CD, DVD
requirements =Pentium4 2.0GHz or Celeron 2.5GHz CPU, 512MiB system memory, DirectX 9.0c compatible video card with 64MiB memory, 500MB hard drive space, DirectX 9.0c compatible sound card, 4x CD-ROM
arcade system = Taito Type X
input =

"Castle of Shikigami III" ("Shikigami no Shiro episode-3" or 式神の城 III in Japan) is a manic shooter released in Japan in video arcades in 2005, the Windows platform in 2006 and for the Xbox 360 and Wii in 2007. It is the fourth game in the "Shikigami no Shiro" series, following two shooters and a .

The game was published in North America for the Wii by Aksys Games. It was released on May 13, 2008. cite web | author = John Scalzo | date = December 15, 2007 | url = http://www.gamingtarget.com/article.php?artid=8015 | title = Castle of Shikigami III shoots up Wii in Spring 08 | work = | publisher = Gaming Target | accessdate = 2008-01-28 ]

The official Japanese site features online leaderboards for the Arcade and Windows version.

Gameplay

The game plays much like its shooter predecessors. As before, there are five levels each in two parts, with a boss at the end of each part. Before major bosses and between levels there are cutscenes with dialogue featuring the character(s) in play. The dialogue is unique for each different pair of characters selected, resulting in, according to the publisher, 55 different scenarios.

Each character has a primary standard attack, which is generally forward-shooting bullets. This is activated by tapping the fire button or by pressing auto-fire button. The secondary attack is known as a shikigami, activated by holding the fire button, or pressing a dedicated button on consoles. This attack is often more powerful, but slows or stops the character completely. Each character's shikigami is unique and also comes in two variants that are chosen at the start of the game. Finally, characters have a limited supply of bombs, their effects also unique to each character.

Coins are released by enemy destroyed using normal or shikigami attack, but not by bomb attack. Coins are now collected automatically, regardless of whether the primary or shikigami attack was used. When enemy is destroyed using shikigami, coin bonus increases by 10 points for every coin collected (up to 10000 points).

The Tension Bonus System returns, whereby the player's weapons are strengthened and the score is multiplied by up to 8 when the player grazes enemy bullets. Also, the player can expend a bomb to allow for an automatic TBS for a short period of time. When Tension Bonus reaches x8, player's normal shots are fired at increased rate and inflict stronger damage. At the end of stage, coin bonus collected when defeating enemy with maximum Tension Bonus is added to player's score.

Hi-Tension Max is introduced in this game, which causes multiplier to stay at 8x, and causes enemy to drop 1.5 times amount of coins when destroyed. High Tension Max is activated using 1 bomb stock.

Life

When player is hit, player loses 1 life. Life stock is replenished by accumulating game score. Player can hold up to 3 lives.

Bomb

When player is hit, player gains 1 extra bomb. Bomb stock is replenished by accumulating game score. Player can hold up to 5 bombs.

Boss battles

If a boss is not destroyed when timer reaches 0, an invulnerable 'ghost' will enter stage to chase player. After ghost appeared for a time period, boss is automatically destroyed.

Game modes

Easy mode: Bombs is automatically used when player is hit, but the bomb gauge does not regenerate, and the game ends after stage 3.

S3MIX mode: It uses rearranged Castle Shikigami 2 music.

Extreme mode: When activated, enemy fire faster bullets, and fire bullets when destroyed. In Xbox and Wii version, it is expanded to 3 Extreme modes, which changes the speed of counterattack bullets.

Practice mode: Allows player to train for selected stage.

Director's mode: Available in Windows version of the game, it uses readjusted settings.

Wii and Xbox 360 versions added boss attack mode and Dramatic Change Mode. Dramatic change mode allows one player to select two characters and switch between them at any time. Story events will change depending on the combination of characters used. An art gallery, music player, and replays of the dialogue cutscenes are unlocked as the player progresses in the game.

Xbox 360 version also includes online ranking (via Xbox Live) and achievement point features.

Windows version can be played in higher resolutions (up to 1024x768).

tage ranking

Player receives a class of SS to F and a title whenever completing a stage, based on player's performance.

Characters

Returning characters from Castle Shikigami 2 are:
* Kohtarou Kuga, the hero of the series.
* Fumiko Odette Van Stein, a sultry witch who is particularly infatuated with Kohtarou.
* Roger Sasuke, a self-proclaimed "international ninja."
* Gennojo Hyuga a psychic private investigator.

New characters include:
* Reika Kirishima, a time-traveler originally from the game Time Gal.
* Emilio Stanburke, a young noble.
* Nagino Ise, a young schoolgirl with a backpack and "Strider", a pet rabbit.
* Mihee Kim, a South Korean doctor.
* Batu Harai, a priest/exorcist.
* Munchausen, Fumiko's butler.

Sayo Yuuki also returns, but this time as Kohtarou's new shikigami.

Notes and references

External links

* [http://aksysgames.com/shikigami/ Aksys Games site]
* [http://www.alfasystem.net/game/shiki3/ Alfa arcade site]
* [http://www.arcsystemworks.jp/shikigaminoshiro/ Alfa Xbox/Wii site]
* [http://www.cyberfront.co.jp/title/shikigami3/ Cyberfront site]
* [http://www.xbox.com/ja-JP/games/s/shikigami3/ Xbox 360 page]
* [http://aksysgames.com/press_releases/cs_051308.html Castle of Shikigami III ON Wii BARRAGES INTO RETAIL TODAY!]
*KLOV game|id=13533