M.U.S.H.A.

M.U.S.H.A. Musha Aleste
File:M.U.S.H.A. Coverart.png Japanese Mega Drive box art
Developer(s)	Compile
Publisher(s)	Toaplan (Japan) Seismic (US) Sega (Wii) Naxat Soft (Wii)
Producer(s)	Masamitsu Niitani
Composer(s)	Toshiaki Sakoda
Series	Aleste
Platforms	Mega Drive
Release date(s)
Genre(s)	Scrolling shooter
Mode(s)	Single-player

M.U.S.H.A., known in Japan as Musha Aleste: Fullmetal Fighter Ellinor (武者アレスタ), is a 1990 scrolling shooter video game in the Aleste series developed by Compile for the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive. The player takes on the role of a flying mecha pilot who must destroy a large super intelligent computer threatening human life and planet Earth. M.U.S.H.A. has been praised by critics for its challenging gameplay, strong soundtrack, and graphics considered ahead of its time. In retrospective reviews, it remains among the most highly regarded shoot 'em ups on the Mega Drive and among the best of the 16-bit era. The original cartridge has become difficult to find and commands high prices on secondary markets, however, it was re-released on the Nintendo Wii Virtual Console in Japan in 2008, and North America and Europe in 2009.

Gameplay

File:Screenshot of M.U.S.H.A. for Sega Genesis.jpg

Gameplay in stage one

M.U.S.H.A. is a vertically scrolling shooter in which the player controls a large flying mecha. The gameplay conventions are largely retained from earlier Aleste titles. The player has a main gun that can be powered up by collecting "Power Chips". There are also three different special weapons that can be picked up: piercing lasers, fire-based explosives and rotating shields. They can be upgraded if the same weapon is picked up that is currently being used. If hit while a special weapon is equipped, the player will lose the special weapon but remain alive. Getting hit without a special weapon will result in losing a life. For every three Power Chips collected, the player obtains a drone similar to those in the Gradius series, but are called options. Only two options can be utilized at any one moment; extras are stored. These drones can be set to one of six attack modes, such as aiming forward, behind, or rotating around the player.

Plot

The plot differs between the Japanese and North American versions.

Japan

In an alternate Tenryaku Era in the year 91, technological advancements in Japan suddenly explode making robotics, computers and space travel possible. A space colony project is planned, but the environmental control system to a space colony known as "Little Japan" goes out of control and the supercomputer controlling the colony, Dire51, goes rogue, sending its attack units against mankind. Leading the attacks is a black transforming attack robot called Big Asia (大亜) responsible for most of the attacks. A defense squad of mech pilots is called in for a counter-attack, but only one pilot, Ellinor, survived and continues the fight.

North America

In the year 2290, the human race has spread to many colonies across the solar system at various lagrangian points. The story begins on the LaGrange point opposite of the Moon, LaGrange Gamma, where the intellicomputer "Dire 51" lies. It was so intelligent that it decided to become ruler of the solar system. While scientists studied the problem with Dire 51, it developed a new type of armed armor and began attacking Earth. The battle between Earth's and Dire 51's forces seemed to be even, so the leaders of Earth decided to send in the M.U.S.H.A. team. The player takes on the role of M.U.S.H.A. pilot Terri, valedictorian from Air & Space University. A M.U.S.H.A. is a specially armed vehicle originally designed for construction work in space, but with advanced weaponry and armor. The latest design, M.U.S.H.A. Aleste, is still in the prototype stage, but is the most advanced design yet. The M.U.S.H.A. team is sent in, but the enemy destroyed four of the fighters, leaving Terri alone to continue the fight.

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score Aggregator Score GameRankings 86.25% Review scores Publication Score Eurogamer 7 / 10 IGN 8.5 / 10 Nintendo Life 9 / 10

Both IGN and Nintendo Life gave positive reviews for the re-release of M.U.S.H.A. on Nintendo Wii's Virtual Console. The re-issuing of the game was commended by both reviewers, as it gives players an accessible way to play compared to the original cartridge which has become expensive and rare. Lucas M. Thomas of IGN gave it a score of 8.5/10, stating stating that it is "easy to see why M.U.S.H.A. is still so highly regarded after almost two decades, as its visuals, gameplay and overall style must have felt well ahead of their time for players who got the chance to experience it first in 1990." IGN also placed it at number five on their "Top 10 Classic Shoot 'Em Ups" list, calling it "Compile's greatest shooter" and "one of the best shooters on the Genesis." Nintendo Life also praised the game's difficulty and graphics, concluding it to be "one of the best shoot ‘em ups on the Mega Drive and is arguably one of the best of its era."