Gun Nac
Platform: Nintendo Entertainment System
Region: USA
Media: Cartridge
Controller: NES Gamepad
Genre: Shoot 'em Up - Vertical
Gametype: Licensed
Release Year: 1991
Developer: Compile
Publisher: ASCII
Players: 1
_________________________

The most happening place in the universe is the trendy, upscale solar system of IOTA Synthetica, part of the Galactic Federation of artificial stars. It's as far from dirty old Earth as can be... But don't sign up to go yet!

A strange cosmic energy field with a major attitude has engulfed the system, and the most outrageous things are happening. Ordinary inanimate objects are coming to life - harmless little animals are becoming rabid giants - and the freaked-out residents are under attack! The only Galactic Commander who can handle this ordeal is the eccentric renegade called Gun-Nac.

He can oust this aura that's threatening the destruction of comfortable artificial life as we know it. But where in the universe is he? He could be as far away as Earth, searching for a new Game Pak. Commander Gun-Nac, if you read this, call H.Q., A.S.A.P., O.K.? We N.E.E.D. you!

Gameplay:

You assume the role of commander Gun-Nac. You fight a host of enemies from your space ship, in which you battle your way through 8 separate levels. The ship can be upgraded to a larger ship by acquiring a "wing" for your plane, which allows the player to sustain two enemy hits rather than one, and allows the player to upgrade his weapons farther than his standard ship would allow.

The game contains 5 primary weapons, as well as 4 types of secondary bombs. The primary weapons range from a standard gun to a flamethrower, to a type of guided boomerang, have unlimited ammunition, and are obtained by collecting circles with numbers that correspond to one of the 5 different weapons. The secondary bombs work on a similar principle. They are obtained by collecting similar circles with corresponding letters within them. The bombs however, are limited in supply to however many you can collect. In addition, the primary weapons can be upgraded by collecting multiple "Power P's" that float through the stage.

Both the weapons and bombs can be progressively upgraded throughout the game. When a player has acquired a particular type of weapon, say for instance a type 1, then the player can upgrade his weapon level by collecting more than one of the same circle in a row. Each time another matching circle is collected, the weapon is upgraded, up to five times.

The players bombs can also be upgraded using the same method, but by upgrading the bombs, another element is added to the game. When a bomb is upgraded, the bomb becomes twice as powerful, but also consumes twice as much ammunition. This forces the player to chose not only the appropriate weapon, but whether or not he would like to upgrade the weapons power, collect or avoid weapon upgrades, or collect more bombs regardless of their type.

The upgrades can be purchased in the shop in between levels with money collected throughout the levels, can be found randomly floating through the level, or can released by destroying objects or enemies during game play.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_Nac
