Star Gagnant – Release Announcement

Hello, I have some exciting information to share with you from our friends at Regista Co. about Star Gagnant, an upcoming title for the Nintendo Switch. Check out the information in the press release below to learn more about this title that will be released on May 25th. All of the details below have been graciously provided by Regista, along with assets and links to the Nintendo eShop for this title.

The company Regista Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo) has announced the release of a new shooting game “Star Gagnant” supervised by the legendary Meijin Takahashi from the generation of Famicom, famous for his “16-shot”. The Nintendo Switch (Digital version) of the game will be released on Thursday, May 25th, 2023. Pre-orders and a demo version will be available starting on Thursday, May 11th.

About the Game

“Star Gagnant” is a 2D vertical-scrolling shooting game with a classic and simple gameplay reminiscent of the golden age of shooting games in the 1980s and 1990s. The title means “Champion of the Stars.” Players must dodge a barrage of incoming enemy bullets and unleash shots in all directions for an exhilarating experience. Once hooked, players are sure to become addicted to this game.

In this work, Takaaki “Kinoko” Takeaki Kunimoto, who was responsible for the BGM in the classic shooting game “Star Soldier,” provides some of the music, and ”Mr. Urban legends” Akio Seki participates in enemy character design, with a friendship with MeijinTakahashi. The game is only available for download, but the official website https://stargagnant.net/ also features a special flyer designed to resemble a packaged version, which is worth checking out.

The gameplay filled with love for “button mashing.”

The biggest feature of this game is undoubtedly the game system that utilizes button mashing. While adopting the auto button-mashing system that activates rapid fire attacks simply by holding down the button, which isfamiliar to most shooting games, players can intentionally “button mash” to power up their shots more and more when facing tough enemies or powerful bosses that they want to defeat quickly. This innovative system
not only allows players to physically enjoy the button-mashing playstyle that is synonymous with Meijin Takahashi but also incorporates it as a solid strategic element.

A variety of game modes

This game includes four diverse modes.

• Arcade mode – In arcade mode, you will clear seven stages along the story. The mission will be completed when you clear all the stages. There are 4 levels of difficulty. After finishing HARD difficulty, MEIJIN difficulty will be unlocked.
• Caravan mode – In caravan mode, compete for high scores on a dedicated stage for only 2 minutes.
• Challenge mode – In challenge mode, your control skills will be evaluated in each challenge, and your overall rank will be displayed at the end. You will be able to objectively evaluate your control skills and use them as opportunities for improvement.
• Rapid Fire mode – In rapid fire mode, simply compete for rapid fire speed. Up to 4 players can play local matches.

Meijin Takahashi in-game！

In the game, the legendary gamer Meijin Takahashi appears as a character named “Master TAKAHASHI”. He is a former ace pilot who fought against the invading army ORBIT and is now the commander of the space defense force ALTAIR. He supports the main character in their fight against the re-invading ORBIT. Meijin Takahashi provides the voice for his character in the game.

The game development history

“We want to make a shooting game that you can enjoy by mashing buttons!”
This project was born from Meijin Takahashi’s strong desire to create a shooting game that could be enjoyed by everyone from the Famicom generation to the Switch generation, while also being retro, simple, and brand new. Meijin Takahashi was a driving force behind the Famicom boom in Japan.

He teamed up with Register Ltd. to start the project and develop the game. To fund the game’s development, a crowdfunding campaign was launched in September 2022. Fans from all over Japan enthusiastically supported the campaign. The project raised more than double its funding goal within just one month.

Profile of Meijin Takahashi

Born in 1959 in Hokkaido, Japan. Meijin Takahashi joined the video game company Hudson in 1985 and made his debut as a “master” at a software PR event. He gained fame when his signature technique of “16-shot” was introduced in the children’s magazine “KoroKoro Comic”, and he became a hero for kids.

Since then, he made numerous appearances on TV shows, debuted as a singer, and starred in the movie “Game King Meijin Takahashi vs. Meijin Mouri : Showdown! The Ultimate Battle“, became a symbol of the age. After leaving Hudson, he continued to contribute to the development of the gaming industry also working as a talent.

Product Details

Title: Star Gagnant
Genre: Shooting
Number of players: 1 player (1-4 players in some modes)
Release date: May 25, 2023 (Thursday)
Price (DL version only):＄38 (including tax)
CERO rating: “A” (suitable for all ages)
Compatible platforms: Nintendo Switch/Nintendo Switch Lite
Supported languages: Japanese, English, French, German, Italian,
Spanish, Portuguese
Star Gagnant official website: https://stargagnant.net/en/
Star Gagnant Twitter: https://twitter.com/StarGagnant

Link to the game on US Nintendo eShop can be found (HERE)

Link to the game on EU Nintendo eShop can be found (HERE)