<s>
Gunstar	B-Application
Heroes	I-Application
is	O
a	O
run	O
and	O
gun	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
Treasure	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Sega	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
Treasure	O
's	O
debut	O
game	O
,	O
originally	O
released	O
for	O
the	O
Sega	B-Operating_System
Genesis	I-Operating_System
in	O
1993	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Development	O
on	O
Gunstar	B-Application
Heroes	I-Application
began	O
among	O
a	O
team	O
of	O
staff	O
working	O
at	O
Konami	O
in	O
1991	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
team	O
wanted	O
to	O
develop	O
their	O
game	O
for	O
the	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
because	O
of	O
the	O
system	O
's	O
powerful	O
Motorola	B-Device
68000	I-Device
microprocessor	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sega	O
initially	O
rejected	O
their	O
proposal	O
,	O
but	O
later	O
granted	O
approval	O
after	O
they	O
had	O
been	O
working	O
for	O
Sega	O
for	O
several	O
months	O
on	O
McDonald	B-Application
's	I-Application
Treasure	I-Application
Land	I-Application
Adventure	I-Application
(	O
1993	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Treasure	O
worked	O
on	O
both	O
games	O
in	O
parallel	O
,	O
and	O
released	O
Gunstar	B-Application
Heroes	I-Application
worldwide	O
as	O
their	O
first	O
game	O
in	O
1993	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Gunstar	B-Application
Heroes	I-Application
was	O
a	O
critical	O
success	O
,	O
being	O
praised	O
for	O
its	O
frantic	O
action	O
and	O
advanced	O
graphics	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
re-released	O
several	O
times	O
,	O
including	O
dedicated	O
ports	O
to	O
the	O
Game	O
Gear	O
and	O
Nintendo	B-Operating_System
3DS	I-Operating_System
,	O
and	O
received	O
a	B-Device
sequel	I-Device
on	O
the	O
Game	B-Device
Boy	I-Device
Advance	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
retrospect	O
,	O
it	O
is	O
considered	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
best	O
action	O
games	O
of	O
the	O
16-bit	B-Application
era	I-Application
,	O
and	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
best	O
video	O
games	O
of	O
all	O
time	O
by	O
several	O
publications	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Gunstar	B-Application
Heroes	I-Application
is	O
a	O
run	O
and	O
gun	O
game	O
played	O
from	O
a	O
side-scrolling	O
perspective	O
similar	O
to	O
Contra	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
felt	O
Konami	O
had	O
fallen	O
into	O
this	O
pattern	O
as	O
a	O
large	O
company	O
,	O
growing	O
reliant	O
on	O
sequels	O
in	O
their	O
Castlevania	B-Application
and	O
Teenage	B-Application
Mutant	I-Application
Ninja	I-Application
Turtles	I-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Treasure	O
wanted	O
to	O
develop	O
their	O
game	O
for	O
Sega	O
's	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
Maegawa	O
was	O
interested	O
in	O
the	O
platform	O
because	O
of	O
its	O
Motorola	B-Device
68000	I-Device
microprocessor	I-Device
,	O
which	O
he	O
felt	O
was	O
easier	O
to	O
program	O
for	O
than	O
the	O
Super	B-Application
NES	I-Application
,	O
and	O
more	O
powerful	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Instead	O
,	O
Sega	O
contracted	O
Treasure	O
to	O
develop	O
McDonald	B-Application
's	I-Application
Treasure	I-Application
Land	I-Application
Adventure	I-Application
(	O
1993	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
team	O
also	O
considered	O
Blade	O
Gunner	O
,	O
in	O
homage	O
to	O
Blade	B-Application
Runner	I-Application
,	O
but	O
this	O
was	O
also	O
rejected	O
because	O
of	O
copyright	O
restrictions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sega	O
of	O
America	O
eventually	O
suggested	O
the	O
word	O
"	O
Heroes	O
,	O
"	O
so	O
Gunstar	B-Application
Heroes	I-Application
became	O
the	O
final	O
title	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
staff	O
was	O
split	O
in	O
half	O
to	O
work	O
on	O
both	O
Gunstar	B-Application
Heroes	I-Application
and	O
McDonald	B-Application
's	I-Application
Treasure	I-Application
Land	I-Application
Adventure	I-Application
in	O
parallel	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
core	O
team	O
behind	O
Gunstar	B-Application
Heroes	I-Application
consisted	O
of	O
six	O
people	O
:	O
two	O
programmers	O
,	O
two	O
graphic	O
designers	O
,	O
and	O
two	O
sound	O
programmers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Development	O
of	O
Gunstar	B-Application
Heroes	I-Application
lasted	O
around	O
nine	O
to	O
ten	O
months	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
the	O
team	O
's	O
first	O
experience	O
programming	O
for	O
the	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
,	O
having	O
come	O
off	O
programming	O
for	O
the	O
Super	B-Application
NES	I-Application
at	O
Konami	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Programmers	O
Mitsuru	O
Yaida	O
and	O
Hideyuki	O
Suganami	O
previously	O
programmed	O
Contra	B-Application
III	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Alien	I-Application
Wars	I-Application
(	O
1992	O
)	O
for	O
the	O
Super	B-Application
NES	I-Application
at	O
Konami	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
team	O
felt	O
the	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
's	O
processor	O
was	O
more	O
powerful	O
,	O
capable	O
,	O
and	O
friendly	O
to	O
experimentation	O
than	O
other	O
consoles	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
had	O
its	O
limitations	O
however	O
,	O
as	O
it	O
could	O
only	O
display	O
64	O
colors	O
on	O
screen	O
at	O
once	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
team	O
also	O
used	O
programming	O
tricks	O
to	O
make	O
the	O
scenery	O
appear	O
like	O
three	O
to	O
four	O
layers	O
were	O
present	O
,	O
although	O
the	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
only	O
supports	O
two	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
team	O
approached	O
Gunstar	B-Application
Heroes	I-Application
with	O
an	O
"	O
anything	O
goes	O
"	O
concept	O
,	O
that	O
led	O
to	O
many	O
ambitious	O
ideas	O
being	O
implemented	O
into	O
the	O
final	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Maegawa	O
claims	O
the	O
game	O
could	O
have	O
never	O
worked	O
on	O
the	O
Super	B-Application
NES	I-Application
because	O
the	O
boss	O
animations	O
required	O
expanded	O
computing	O
power	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Han	O
was	O
inspired	O
by	O
the	O
game	O
Mazin	B-Application
Saga	I-Application
:	I-Application
Mutant	I-Application
Fighter	I-Application
(	O
1993	O
)	O
to	O
program	O
the	O
enemies	O
manually	O
rather	O
than	O
with	O
mathematical	O
algorithms	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
McDonald	B-Application
's	I-Application
Treasure	I-Application
Land	I-Application
Adventure	I-Application
was	O
completed	O
first	O
,	O
Treasure	O
decided	O
to	O
wait	O
and	O
release	O
Gunstar	B-Application
Heroes	I-Application
first	O
because	O
they	O
wanted	O
their	O
debut	O
to	O
be	O
an	O
original	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Gunstar	B-Application
Heroes	I-Application
was	O
released	O
in	O
Japan	O
on	O
September	O
10	O
,	O
1993	O
,	O
and	O
released	O
in	O
the	O
West	O
the	O
same	O
month	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sega	O
asked	O
M2	O
if	O
they	O
wanted	O
to	O
make	O
a	O
Game	O
Gear	O
game	O
after	O
being	O
impressed	O
by	O
their	O
Gauntlet	B-Device
port	O
for	O
the	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
M2	O
wanted	O
to	O
port	O
The	B-Application
Cliffhanger	I-Application
:	I-Application
Edward	I-Application
Randy	I-Application
,	O
but	O
they	O
were	O
ultimately	O
handed	O
Gunstar	B-Application
Heroes	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Since	O
the	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
version	O
pushed	O
hardware	O
limitations	O
,	O
a	O
Game	O
Gear	O
port	O
was	O
difficult	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sega	O
released	O
Gunstar	B-Application
Heroes	I-Application
Treasure	O
Box	O
in	O
2006	O
in	O
Japan	O
,	O
a	O
compilation	O
of	O
Treasure	O
games	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
as	O
part	O
of	O
their	O
Sega	O
Ages	O
2500	O
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Included	O
on	O
the	O
compilation	O
were	O
Gunstar	B-Application
Heroes	I-Application
,	O
Dynamite	B-Application
Headdy	I-Application
(	O
1994	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
Alien	B-Application
Soldier	I-Application
(	O
1995	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Japanese	O
and	O
international	O
versions	O
of	O
each	O
game	O
were	O
included	O
,	O
along	O
with	O
the	O
Game	O
Gear	O
ports	O
of	O
Gunstar	B-Application
Heroes	I-Application
and	O
Dynamite	B-Application
Headdy	I-Application
,	O
and	O
a	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
prototype	O
of	O
Gunstar	B-Application
Heroes	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
ported	O
by	O
M2	O
to	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Operating_System
3DS	I-Operating_System
in	O
2015	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
Sega	O
's	O
line	O
of	O
3D	B-Device
Classics	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Gunstar	B-Application
Heroes	I-Application
was	O
originally	O
not	O
considered	O
for	O
the	O
series	O
because	O
converting	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
backgrounds	O
into	O
a	O
layered	O
3D	O
effect	O
was	O
thought	O
to	O
be	O
impossible	O
,	O
but	O
these	O
perceived	O
problems	O
were	O
later	O
overcome	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
addition	O
to	O
supporting	O
stereoscopic	B-Algorithm
3D	I-Algorithm
,	O
the	O
game	O
features	O
two	O
new	O
game	O
modes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Gunstar	B-Application
Heroes	I-Application
has	O
also	O
been	O
released	O
on	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
,	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
,	O
Wii	B-Operating_System
,	O
and	O
Windows	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
Sega	B-Application
Forever	I-Application
version	O
for	O
mobile	O
devices	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
2017	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
again	O
released	O
on	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
Online	I-Application
+	I-Application
Expansion	I-Application
Pack	I-Application
in	O
2021	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Gunstar	B-Application
Heroes	I-Application
achieved	O
greater	O
recognition	O
than	O
Treasure	O
anticipated	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mega	B-Operating_System
Drive	I-Operating_System
's	O
reader	O
rankings	O
in	O
Japan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mean	O
Machines	O
Sega	O
wrote	O
that	O
Gunstar	B-Application
Heroes	I-Application
was	O
setting	O
a	O
new	O
standard	O
for	O
action	O
games	O
on	O
the	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
,	O
calling	O
it	O
"	O
a	O
stunning	O
title	O
both	O
in	O
appearance	O
and	O
the	O
gameplay	O
it	O
offers.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Both	O
Sega	O
Magazine	O
and	O
Sega	O
Force	O
felt	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
a	O
must-buy	O
for	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
owners	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GamePro	O
called	O
Gunstar	B-Application
Heroes	I-Application
"	O
chaos	O
in	O
a	O
cart	O
"	O
with	O
"	O
murderous	O
action	O
,	O
excellent	O
controls	O
,	O
and	O
imaginative	O
game	O
design.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Mean	O
Machines	O
Sega	O
felt	O
the	O
sprite	O
rotating	O
and	O
scaling	O
overshadowed	O
the	O
abilities	O
of	O
the	O
Super	B-Application
NES	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
3DS	B-Operating_System
version	O
was	O
praised	O
for	O
the	O
added	O
options	O
and	O
enhancements	O
,	O
with	O
USgamer	O
and	O
Nintendo	O
World	O
Report	O
calling	O
it	O
the	O
best	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Gunstar	B-Application
Heroes	I-Application
was	O
listed	O
as	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
best	O
games	O
ever	O
made	O
by	O
several	O
publications	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Critics	O
have	O
called	O
it	O
a	O
"	O
classic	O
"	O
of	O
the	O
16-bit	B-Application
era	I-Application
,	O
with	O
IGN	O
writing	O
that	O
its	O
pace	O
and	O
speed	O
was	O
"	O
nearly	O
unrivaled	O
"	O
at	O
the	O
time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Others	O
called	O
it	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
best	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nintendo	O
World	O
Report	O
called	O
it	O
"	O
an	O
incredible	O
accomplishment	O
,	O
both	O
creatively	O
and	O
technically	O
"	O
for	O
the	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
Being	O
Treasure	O
's	O
debut	O
game	O
,	O
Gunstar	B-Application
Heroes	I-Application
helped	O
establish	O
their	O
reputation	O
in	O
the	O
industry	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Developers	O
at	O
the	O
time	O
borrowed	O
inspiration	O
for	O
titles	O
like	O
Vectorman	B-Application
(	O
1995	O
)	O
and	O
Shinobi	B-Application
III	I-Application
(	O
1993	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
1UP.com	O
wrote	O
that	O
between	O
Gunstar	B-Application
Heroes	I-Application
and	O
their	O
other	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
games	O
,	O
Treasure	O
earned	O
a	O
reputation	O
as	O
a	O
"	O
master	O
of	O
hardcore	O
action	O
gaming.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Many	O
of	O
the	O
design	O
conventions	O
Treasure	O
used	O
in	O
Gunstar	B-Application
Heroes	I-Application
would	O
return	O
and	O
became	O
characteristic	O
of	O
Treasure	O
's	O
later	O
work	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
a	O
quirky	O
sense	O
of	O
humor	O
and	O
action	O
taken	O
to	O
a	O
level	O
of	O
absurdity	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	B-Device
sequel	I-Device
was	O
released	O
for	O
the	O
Game	B-Device
Boy	I-Device
Advance	I-Device
in	O
2005	O
,	O
Gunstar	B-Device
Super	I-Device
Heroes	I-Device
.	O
</s>
