Vulgus

Last updated
Vulgus
Vulgus arcadeflyer.png
North American flyer
Developer(s) Capcom
Publisher(s)
Designer(s) Tokuro Fujiwara
Composer(s) Ayako Mori
Platform(s) Arcade, IBM PC
Release
Genre(s) Scrolling shooter
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Vulgus [lower-alpha 1] is a vertically scrolling shooter video game developed and published by Capcom in Japan in 1984 and released in North America by SNK the same year. The game was Capcom's first video game. The game is included in Capcom Classics Collection and is available as freeware. [3]

Contents

A Nintendo Entertainment System sequel was developed but never released, but a playable finished ROM has surfaced online since its cancellation.

Gameplay

The player controls a spaceship with a single objective: destroy incoming enemies. The vessel has two different weapons: a primary weapon with infinite ammunition and a limited supply of bombs. By picking up the "Pow" icons, which sporadically appear throughout the levels, the player can replenish supplies. Similar to Xevious , the game does not have distinct levels; the background alternates between the surface of a planet and a space field. The game repeats with increased difficulty until the player loses all of their lives.

Reception

According to Game Machine, Vulgus was among the most popular arcade games in Japan during June 1984. [4]

In Play Meter magazine, Roger C. Sharpe gave it a generally favorable review and rated it three hashes. [5]

Legacy

A follow-up game, Titan Warriors, originally known as Neo Vulgus, was in development for the Nintendo Entertainment System, but went unreleased. In 2001, Capcom released Vulgus as freeware for IBM PCs and PDAs. [3] Vulgus is available in the compilation title Capcom Generation 3 for the Sony PlayStation and Saturn. The game was also included in the 2005 Capcom Classics Collection for the Sony PlayStation 2 and Microsoft's Xbox, in Capcom Classics Collection Reloaded for the PlayStation Portable and as a bonus game at Capcom Arcade Cabinet .

The Pow icon is re-used in many other Capcom games, like 1941: Counter Attack , Bionic Commando and Exed Exes . Likewise, the Yashichi enemy has made later appearances in many Capcom games, usually in a more benign role as a power-up. Valgas, a boss character from the Power Stone series, has his name based on this game.

In Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds , Deadpool reveals that he is petitioning for Capcom to make Vulgus 2.

Notes

  1. ↑ Japanese: バルガス, Hepburn: Barugasu

Related Research Articles

<i>Gradius</i> (video game) Sidescrolling shooter video game by Konami

Gradius is a side-scrolling shooter video game developed and published by Konami. The first game in the Gradius series, it was originally released as a coin-operated arcade game in 1985. The player maneuvers a spacecraft known as the Vic Viper that must defend itself from the various alien enemies. The game uses a power-up system called the "power meter", based upon collecting capsules to purchase additional weapons.

<i>Athena</i> (video game) 1986 video game

Athena is a 1986 platform arcade video game developed and published by SNK. Conversions were later released for the NES console and ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64 home computers.

<i>1942</i> (video game) 1984 video game

1942 is a vertically scrolling shooter by Capcom that was released as an arcade video game in 1984. Designed by Yoshiki Okamoto, it was the first game in the 194X series, and was followed by 1943: The Battle of Midway.

<i>1943: The Battle of Midway</i> 1987 video game

1943: The Battle of Midway is a 1987 vertically scrolling shooter arcade video game developed and published by Capcom.

<i>Time Pilot</i> 1982 video game

Time Pilot is a multidirectional shooter arcade video game designed by Yoshiki Okamoto and released by Konami in 1982. It was distributed in the United States by Centuri, and by Atari Ireland in Europe and the Middle East. While engaging in aerial combat, the player-controlled jet flies across open airspace that scrolls indefinitely in all directions. Each level is themed to a different time period. Home ports for the Atari 2600, MSX, and ColecoVision were released in 1983.

<i>Hyper Dyne Side Arms</i> 1986 video game

Hyper Dyne Side Arms (サイドアーム) is a horizontally scrolling shooter developed and released by Capcom as an arcade video game in 1986. The player takes control of a flying mecha fighter who must battle an alien army. Side Arms uses a two-directional attacking system similar to Capcom's previous shoot-'em-up Section Z.

<i>Trojan</i> (video game) 1986 video game

Trojan is a side-scrolling action game developed by Capcom, originally released as a coin-operated arcade video game in 1986, and published in North America by Romstar and Capcom. Directed by Takashi Nishiyama, the game includes beat 'em up and hack-and-slash elements. It is a spiritual successor to the beat 'em up Kung-Fu Master (1984), which was designed by Nishiyama at Irem before he left for Capcom, where he evolved its gameplay concepts with Trojan. It is also considered a spiritual successor to Capcom's Ghosts 'n Goblins (1985), which has similar side-scrolling action gameplay elements.

<i>Legendary Wings</i> 1986 video game

Legendary Wings is a fantasy-themed shoot-'em-up / platformer arcade video game released by Capcom in 1986. The player takes control of a young soldier equipped with magical wings who must save the world from a malfunctioning supercomputer. A home version for the Nintendo Entertainment System was released exclusively in North America in 1988. The original coin-op version is included in Capcom Classics Collection for PlayStation 2 and Xbox and in Capcom Classics Collection Remixed for PlayStation Portable.

<i>Alpha Mission</i> 1985 video game

Alpha Mission, known as ASO: Armored Scrum Object in Japan, is a vertically scrolling shooter developed by SNK and released as an arcade video game in 1985 by Namco in Japan and Tradewest in North America. It was later ported to the Famicom in 1986 and released for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1987.

<i>SonSon</i> 1984 video game

SonSon is an arcade video game by Capcom released in July 1984. It is loosely based on the Chinese novel Journey to the West. The player assumes the role of a monkey boy and fights their way from one side to another, eventually reaching the statue of Buddha. One battles bats, rats, and mad bombers along the way with his fighting rod that shoots balls of fire.

<i>Gun.Smoke</i> 1985 video game

Gun.Smoke is a vertically scrolling run and gun video game and designed by Yoshiki Okamoto and released in arcades in 1985. Gun.Smoke centers on a character named Billie Bob, a bounty hunter going after the criminals of the Wild West.

<i>Mercs</i> 1990 video game

Mercs, originally released as Senjō no Ōkami II in Japan, is a run and gun video game developed and published in arcades by Capcom in 1990. It is a sequel to the 1985 arcade video game Commando. While not as successful as its predecessor, Mercs was well received by critics and was a moderate commercial success. It was followed by Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3 in 2008, a downloadable game.

<i>Knights of the Round</i> (video game) 1991 video game

Knights of the Round is an arcade game released by Capcom in 1991. A side-scrolling beat 'em up based loosely on the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, the game features an action role-playing video game-like level advancement system, with fighters automatically being upgraded to new weapons and armor as they advance through the game. In September 13, 2018, Capcom announced Capcom Beat 'Em Up Bundle with the arcade edition of Knights of the Round being one of seven titles and being released digitally for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows on September 18, 2018.

<i>1941: Counter Attack</i> 1990 video game

1941: Counter Attack is a vertical scrolling shooter arcade game by Capcom, released in February 1990. It is the prequel to 1942, and the third game in the 19XX series. It was ported to the SuperGrafx in 1991 and to GameTap. It was released on Capcom Classics Collection Remixed for the PlayStation Portable and Capcom Classics Collection Vol. 2 for PlayStation 2 and Xbox. It was followed by 19XX: The War Against Destiny in 1996.

<i>Black Tiger</i> (video game) 1987 video game

Black Tiger, known in Japan as Black Dragon, is a hack-and-slash platform game released for arcades by Capcom in 1987.

<i>Exed Exes</i> 1985 video game

Exed Exes is a vertically scrolling shooter video game that was released in arcades in 1985 by Capcom.

<i>The King of Dragons</i> 1991 video game

The King of Dragons is a 1991 beat-'em-up video game by Capcom that follows players as they control characters through the kingdom of Malus to defeat monsters led by the dragon Gildiss. It features a level advancement system, allowing character attributes to be upgraded as players progress through the game. The game's music was composed by Yoko Shimomura.

<i>Section Z</i> 1985 arcade game

Section Z is a horizontally scrolling shooter by Capcom, released as an arcade video game in 1985. A home version was published for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1987.

<i>Bionic Commando</i> (1987 video game) 1987 video game

Bionic Commando, released in Japan as Top Secret is a run and gun platform game released by Capcom in arcades in 1987. It was designed by Tokuro Fujiwara as a successor to his earlier "wire action" platformer Roc'n Rope (1983), building on its grappling hook mechanic; he was also the designer of Commando (1985). The music was composed by Harumi Fujita for the Yamaha YM2151 sound chip.

<i>Dark Seal</i> Data East arcade games

Dark Seal (ダークシール) and Dark Seal II are isometric role-playing beat-'em-up video games released for arcade by Data East in 1990 and 1992 respectively. The first game was localized in English under the title Gate of Doom and the second one as Wizard Fire.

References

  1. ↑ "Vulgus". Media Arts Database. Agency for Cultural Affairs . Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  2. ↑ Akagi, Masumi (October 13, 2006). アーケードTVゲームリスト国内•海外編(1971–2005) [Arcade TV Game List: Domestic • Overseas Edition (1971–2005)] (in Japanese). Japan: Amusement News Agency. p. 134. ISBN   978-4990251215.
  3. 1 2 "Capcom gives away Vulgus for free - Geek.com". Archived from the original on 2018-12-27. Retrieved 2017-06-12.
  4. ↑ "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル型TVゲーム機 (Table Videos)". Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 238. Amusement Press. 15 June 1984. p. 25.
  5. ↑ Sharpe, Roger C. (December 1, 1984). "Critic's Corner". Play Meter . Vol. 10, no. 22. pp. 83–7.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.