celerystalker
02-14-2016, 10:51 PM
85098510
Here's a photo of my beat to hell copy of Fire Shark for the Sega Genesis. This was a case of buying the first copy I'd ever seen used at a Game X Change back in 2000. I've seen surprisingly few in person since, so while it does look like ass, I've grown fond of the raggedy thing. It's a vertically scrolling shooter frim Toaplan, and if you like shooters, Toaplan is your buddy.
Fire Shark puts you in the cockpit of a souped-up fictional bi-plane capable of shooting bullets, lasers, and some kind of crazy flame whip/beam reminiscent of the field thunder weapon from Blazing Lazers. You blast your way through ten missions, fighting off enemies on land, sea, and in air until you reach a boss. Kill it, land, collect your bonus, and take off to find the next. That bonus is your real key to a huge score, as you get a multiplier based on the amount of lightning bolt icons you picked up in the level multiplied by your number of bombs remaining. So, stay alive, don't use bombs, pick up lightning bolts, and you'll rack up an insane score in no time.
Saving bombs creates a risk/reward situation, as using them can sure help keep you alive, and if you die they reset to three... but points also gain you free lives, so hanging on is ideal. Fire Shark is also sparing enough with the power icons that you must collect three of to improve your weapon, so dying is a huge penalty, as your weapon is downgraded when you do. The game likes to throw the colored icons for other weapons at you at critical junctures, so at times you'll find yourself dodging them more than your bullets, as, quite frankly, the green weapon is shit compared to the other two powered up, which wreck the screen and bosses pretty effortlessly until you screw up and let yourself get hit from behind.
I'd liken Fire Shark to, say, if Raiden on the Genesis had been truly good, as it has a similar feel, but better in nearly every way. Toaplan's Genesis stuff was just awesome, whether it was Grind Stormer, Truxton, or this... they brought a big arcade feel home, and the soundtrack synth really brings to mind the arcade shooters of the late '80s.
Have you played Fire Shark? Have any memories to share?
Here's a photo of my beat to hell copy of Fire Shark for the Sega Genesis. This was a case of buying the first copy I'd ever seen used at a Game X Change back in 2000. I've seen surprisingly few in person since, so while it does look like ass, I've grown fond of the raggedy thing. It's a vertically scrolling shooter frim Toaplan, and if you like shooters, Toaplan is your buddy.
Fire Shark puts you in the cockpit of a souped-up fictional bi-plane capable of shooting bullets, lasers, and some kind of crazy flame whip/beam reminiscent of the field thunder weapon from Blazing Lazers. You blast your way through ten missions, fighting off enemies on land, sea, and in air until you reach a boss. Kill it, land, collect your bonus, and take off to find the next. That bonus is your real key to a huge score, as you get a multiplier based on the amount of lightning bolt icons you picked up in the level multiplied by your number of bombs remaining. So, stay alive, don't use bombs, pick up lightning bolts, and you'll rack up an insane score in no time.
Saving bombs creates a risk/reward situation, as using them can sure help keep you alive, and if you die they reset to three... but points also gain you free lives, so hanging on is ideal. Fire Shark is also sparing enough with the power icons that you must collect three of to improve your weapon, so dying is a huge penalty, as your weapon is downgraded when you do. The game likes to throw the colored icons for other weapons at you at critical junctures, so at times you'll find yourself dodging them more than your bullets, as, quite frankly, the green weapon is shit compared to the other two powered up, which wreck the screen and bosses pretty effortlessly until you screw up and let yourself get hit from behind.
I'd liken Fire Shark to, say, if Raiden on the Genesis had been truly good, as it has a similar feel, but better in nearly every way. Toaplan's Genesis stuff was just awesome, whether it was Grind Stormer, Truxton, or this... they brought a big arcade feel home, and the soundtrack synth really brings to mind the arcade shooters of the late '80s.
Have you played Fire Shark? Have any memories to share?