Pulstar (New thread)

[Mero]

This is the new thread for Aicom's classic 1995 Neo Geo shooter Pulstar. Old thread

No continues. Default settings: 3 lives, difficulty level 4 scores only please.
1st extend should be at 300k, then every 200k.

Code: Select all

NAME - SCORE - STAGE

Code: Select all

1   Kiken           4,884,940 - ALL
2   EmperorIng      1,533,350 - ALL
3   AST-GEM         1,308,770 - ALL
4   Prickly Angler  1,210,310 - ALL 
5   Kidpanda        1,098,820 - ALL
6   Kollision       1,091,900 - ALL
7   Mero            1,085,590 - ALL
8   BBH             1,079,290 - ALL
9   HAN             1,077,290 - ALL
10  Ex_Mosquito     1,061,210 - ALL
11  Buffi           1,023,080 - ALL
12  Macias            819,230 - 7
13  MJR               567,350 - 5
14  grovsnus          521,910 - 5 
15  jpj               505,020 - 5
16  ch'timi-CLA       408,510 - 4
17

[Mero]

The old thread's been dead for a few years so I've started a new one.

[Mero]

Mero - 616,100 - 6

[Mero]

Mero - 779,000 - 7



Though this game is often compared to R-Type there's very little hardcore memorisation, which is good. I made it a fair way into level 7 just on reflexes.

[Mero]

Mero - 910,080 - 8

[PROMETHEUS]

I love this game !
Just a little more for a ALL, good luck !

[Mero]

Yeah, this is a great game. And thanks , I can get to the last level every time now so hopefully I'll be able to beat the game .

[Mero]

Mero - 1,085,590 - ALL



No miss

[MJR]

I guess this is my best score:

MJR - 567'350 - 5

[Perikles]

Perikles - 1,133,930 - ALL

[CIT]

^ Congrats! Didn't think you were gonna tackle Pulstar this soon. What's your verdict?

[kidpanda]

Kidpanda - 1,027,230 - All - AES

Spoiler

[Kollision]

Played on the Neo Geo AES

Kollision - 1,091,900 - ALL

[Macias]

Macias - 819,230 - 7

[GGA_HAN]

Here's a no-miss clear score I did earlier today at Galloping Ghost Arcade (no autofire).



HAN - 1,077,290 - ALL

replay: https://youtu.be/WJe9RvNWZoM

[kidpanda]

Got another clear finally. This will prolly be my best score. I'm happy with it.

Kidpanda - 1,098,820 - All - MVS

Spoiler

[egg_sanwich]

Nice one KP

[kidpanda]

Nice one KP

Thanks! I missed some popcorn in some of the levels, but still happy with the outcome.

[Kiken]

Kiken - 1,102,270 - ALL



Played on a stock Neo Geo AES with no autofire on the controller.

I still haven't messed around with the double-KO tactic against the phase 3 final boss yet. Figure I'll have to start practicing that.

[Kiken]

Kiken - 1,494,800 - ALL



I started messing around with the 3x Double KO and came up with a fairly reliable technique. The problem comes down to consistency on the final boss's first 2 forms. I lost way too many lives on this run to stupid mistakes. I definitely know that I have a 3 million run in me... and should I have a run with zero mistakes, 4.5 million would be my ceiling.

I'm going to keep plugging away at it.

[Mero]

Good job, thread update coming soon.

[Kiken]

Kiken - 2,267,320 - ALL



Despite losing 3 lives to stupid mistakes, I did much better this time at falling into a groove with regard to performing the 3x Double KO.

[Mero]

Updated now, good improvement.

[Kiken]

Kiken - 4,884,940 - ALL



Looks like my initial math was a little conservative. I made one mistake during the final boss battle war of endless attrition... meaning I can certainly break 5 million on a flawless run. That said, this run took roughly 2 hours and 15 minutes!! My knees were as stiff as boards when it was over!

[Plasmo]

This is quite a phenomenal score! Congrats!

Any chance you could post a video of a run like this? Would love to see that!

[Kiken]

This is quite a phenomenal score! Congrats!

Any chance you could post a video of a run like this? Would love to see that!

Thank you. I'm going to have to record at some point, yeah... despite the fact that it's an incredibly monotonous run. Simplest solution is to change my DVR to the 3 hour setting... I'll lose a little fidelity but I think that'll be fine. Thing is, since I now know I can break 5 million, it's going to have to be a 5 million+ run.

By the way, Mero, I'm on the scoreboard twice.

[Mero]

.

By the way, Mero, I'm on the scoreboard twice.

Oops, I'll be able to sort that clanger out in a few days and add your new score, great job once again.

[Prickly Angler]

Prickly Angler - 1, 060, 930 - ALL

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4fZj_yKTwg

[Buffi]

Buffi - 1,023,080 - ALL
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hVdc9qtEzw

Cleared on last life

[Prickly Angler]

Prickly Angler - 1,210,310 - ALL : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIqXHfU4d2M

New PB. My score is very unoptimized as my goal was mainly to beat SGN's score (1,2 M), my spiritual father who thaught me the ways of Pulstar, and that I was suffering from too much reset hell because of the ennemy and boss milks so I decided play it safe. I'm overall happy since that run features lots of scoring tricks during the stages that didn't seem to be documented outside Japan and even though I couldn't execute them as well as I should have I'm hoping they can be of some help for anyone seeking to improve their score (with or without the infamous double-K.O milk).

Next step for me is to to a proper speedrun of this game and to create a related topic at speedrun.com. I have done all the labbing for this but putting together everything in a real run will probably take a while.