Salamander (arcade game)
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{{Infobox Arcade Game
|title = Salamander
|image = Image:Salamander 01.png
|developer = Konami
|publisher = Konami
|designer =
|release = July 7, 1986
June 26, 1987
|genre = Scrolling shooter
|modes = Single player, 2 players simultaneously
|cabinet = Upright
|arcade system = Konami GX400
|monitor = Raster, standard resolution (Used: 256x244, 2048 colors)
horizontal orientation
|input = 8-way joystick, 2 buttons
|ports = NES, MSX, PC Engine, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, PlayStation, Sega Saturn
}}
Template:Nihongo is a scrolling shooter arcade game developed by Konami in 1986. The game is the sequel to Gradius, but was established as a spin-off with its introduction of vertically-scrolling levels. It also introduced a simplified power-up system, a simultaneous cooperative two-player mode and allowing players to continue a stage from where they left off upon death, as opposed to starting over from a set checkpoint as per Gradius tradition. The weapon system created for this game, particularly the ripple laser, would become a permanent inclusion into all future games Gradius titles. Salamander was followed with an official sequel, as a spin-off game, in 1996 as Salamander 2.
Contents |
Gameplay
The first player controls Vic Viper and the second player takes the reins of Lord British, who is actually listed as "RoadBritish" in this game.
Weapons and system
The player gains power-ups by picking up capsules left behind by certain enemies. At the bottom of the screen, a meter with six levels displays which power can be accessed; by pressing the secondary button during play, the player gains the power currently leveled up to. The six power-ups are: Image:Salamander 03.png
- Speed Up: As the name suggests, it simply allows the space ship to move quicker.
- Missiles: When firing normally, the ship emits missiles from both port and starboard sides, which then continue to the right/upwards along the side of the screen. An additional missiles powerful will allow the projectiles to crawl along any obstacles hit until disappearing off the edge of the screen.
- Ripple Laser: Increases the area hit by the ship's laser.
- Plutonic Laser: Increases the power of the ship's laser.
- Option: Adds a small pod next to the ship which fires another shot of laser or whatever laser upgrade the player has. The pod may also shoot out an extra burst of missiles. The player is limited to two of these.
- Force Field: Creates a field of limited invulnerability around the ship.
Many of the power-ups can be combined. For example, an option fires a second (or third) salvo of missiles or ripple/plutonic lasers if these power-ups have been option. Other power-ups are either/or - the player can have the ripple or plutonic laser, but not both.
The only power-up that can survive the ship's destruction are the options. Upon the ship's destruction, the options float in space for a brief time before disappearing; the new ship can grab and retain them if they get to them first.
Levels and bosses
The game consists of six levels, which alternates from scrolling horizontally (levels 1, 3, and 5) and vertically (levels 2, 4, and 6). Image:Salamander 04.png
- Stage 1: Bionic Germ (side)
- Boss: Brain Golem - A monster shaped like a human brain, except for two clawlike arms and a single eyeball in the front. Much of level one has an 'organic' feel to it, such as regenerating tissue.
- Stage 2: Meteorite Space (vertical)
- Boss: Cruiser Tetran - A mechanical sentry that resembles an octopus, with four tentacles that constantly revolve around the center core, which is protected by a layer of armor. This fits with level two's mechanical/volcanic theme.
- Stage 3: Burning Chaos (side)
- Boss: Fire Dragon - A long, red dragon that breathes fire while following the player around the screen.
- Stage 4: Volcano (vertical)
- Boss: Barrier - A set of three cores that shoot large blue spheres. A series of three barriers protects each gate. The room also features several turrets.
- Stage 5: Asteroid Hell (side)
- Boss: Death Mk 1 - This ship shoots out small flying enemies as well as large blue spheres like the boss of level four.
- Stage 6: Fortress Zone (vertical)
- Mini Boss: Big Cores - The player has to fight three of these core ships from the first Gradius game, one after another. It they are not defeated in a certain amount of time, they will just fly off screen.
- Boss: Zelos Force - The final boss, appearing at the end of level six. Technically, this final monster only represents Zelos' "heart and soul". It manifests as a simple red sphere that offers no resistance to the player, but must be quickly defeated. It is possible for the player to beat level six without killing Zelos; if this happens, the player is tossed back several levels to try again.
Life Force
Image:Lifeforcejp 02.png Salamander was modified into two additional releases, one for North America and one for Japan. This has led to much confusion among the Gradius community. Salamander was never released to North American arcades; only a tweaked version entitled Life Force was released in 1986. This was known as the "overseas edition" in Japan. The North American release of Life Force is identical to Salamander, except that all the mechanical art of enemies and levels has been replaced with an organic feel. However, the Japanese re-release of Life Force, released later in 1987, is further differentiated from Salamander with additional minor graphical tweaks, and a revert back to the original Gradius power-up system, instead of the simplified version in Salamander and the North American Life Force release. The power-up system is identical to the one in Gradius, with the exception that it is presented in a three row by two-column matrix in order to make room for a second HUD. In addition, the bar of the second player is ordered differently from the first player. The story in Life Force is also different: the player's mission is to eliminate a tumor in the body of a gigantic life form.
In North America, Life Force is most popularly known for its pseudo-port to the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1987, and not for its arcade release.
Levels and bosses
- Stage 1: Cell (side)
- Boss: Brain Golem
- Stage 2: Volcano (vertical)
- Boss 1: Barrier
- Boss 2: Cruiser Tetran
- Stage 3: Flame (side)
- Boss: Intruder - Instead of flying after you like in the arcade game, only it's head is exposed on the right side of the screen. It moves up and down and shoots fire. However, you do face new minor enemies on this stage that are similar to the arcade boss.
- Stage 4: Cell (vertical)
- Boss: Giga - A skull with wandering eyeballs, it spews attacks from its mouth. Level four vaguely resembles the innards of a human body, and Giga appears after the player has navigated the rib cage. A talented player can drag his options inside the boss and use them to destroy its eyes, causing it to change attack patterns and shoot randomly from its mouth (instead of towards the player)
- Stage 5: Sanctuary (side)
- Mini Boss: Starfighters - A set of three starfighters that shoot spheres in addition to pods that contain items.
- Boss: Tutanhamanattack - Much of level five is modeled after an ancient Egyptian temple, and the final enemy resembles a Pharaoh's death mask. One of the harder bosses, Tut has a revolving force field to deflect attacks.
- Stage 6: Base (vertical)
- Boss: Zelos Force - Unlike its arcade counterpart, it's protected by a dragon creature which flies around it. Zelos Force cannot be damaged until the dragon is destroyed, and then must be quickly defeated before he scrolls off the screen.
Ports
NES
Both Salamander and Life Force were ported to the Nintendo Entertainment System and mimics the mechanics and gameplay of the arcade versions. These ports also make use of the Konami Code, which in this instance increases the number of lives from three to 30.
Screenshot gallery
 North American Life Force |
 North American Life Force |
 Japanese Life Force |
 Japanese Life Force |
Trivia
- The kanji on the Japanese version title screen reads "Sa Ra Man Da", meaning "Sand Gauze Wide Snake". This is an example of ateji, where Japanese artists use the phonetic value of a character to fit the game's name allowing them to write the name in kanji as opposed to a kana.
- The first two levels of the NES port of Life Force were profiled in the first issue of Nintendo Power, issued in 1988. For some reason, the entire game was re-profiled several issues later.
- The NES port featured a cheat code that would grant the player 30 lives. The developers felt it was so desperately needed that it was placed on the inside cover of the game manual.
- The opening for the music theme of the second level is used in the theme Salamander Beat Crush Mix, featured in the beatmania and Dance Dance Revolution series.
- An anime OVA based on the game was released in Japan on February 25, 1988. Noriko Hidaka played the voice of Stephanie.
- Salamander is the game that inspired Ikeda Tsunemoto (Toaplan, Cave) to develop the 'Danmaku'; the shot patterns seen in Donpachi et al.[1]
Soundtracks
- Apollon Music released a limited-edition soundtrack album for this game (Original Sound of Salamander - BY-5020) on 16/12/1986.
- King Records released a limited-edition soundtrack album for this game (Salamander - Again : Konami Kukeiha Club - KICA-7601) on 25/05/1992.
- Sony Music Entertainment released a limited-edition soundtrack album for this game (Salamander Arcade Soundtrack - KOLA-030) on 09/04/2003.
Packaging artwork
 Salamander |
 Salamander |
 Salamander |
References
- Japanese page on Life Force/Salamander
- Differences between Salamander and Life Force explained
- Klov's entry on Salamander
- Klov's entry on Life Force
- Salamander at the Arcade History database