Games in the Aleste "Series"

nullstar · Post by **nullstar** » Sat Apr 02, 2005 5:12 am

I know this was discussed in-depth on the old forum, but I didn't find anything searching through the archive for this one (didn't find much of use via Google, either)...

The Aleste series: what games are out there, and which ports match up with others? (I'm trying to feed some synonyms into the top 25 scoring application and find my memory is faded on this topic.)

Aleste (MSX) / Aleste (SMS) / Power Strike (SMS)
Aleste 2 (MSX)
Aleste Gaiden (MSX2)
GG Aleste
GG Aleste 2 / Power Strike II (GG)
Musha Aleste / MUSHA
Robo Aleste / Dennin Aleste
Super Aleste / Space Megaforce

What have I missed?

(I've left off several games that play very similarly to the Aleste games, but don't officially seem to be part of the series: Gunhed / Blazing Lazers; Spriggan; Power Strike II (SMS); and Gunnac.)

edit: Added Aleste Gaiden and renamed the GG Alestes per their official title.
edit: Merged the SMS and MSX Alestes; added the Power Strike II name to GG Aleste 2; removed SMS Power Strike II from the list proper; added Gunnac and SMS Power Strike II to the list of similar games..

Blue Lander · Post by **Blue Lander** » Sat Apr 02, 2005 5:16 am

Aleste Gaiden, MSX2

The Aleste games for the Game Gear are called GG Aleste and GG Aleste II, btw.

And according to legend, Aleste is really a continuation of Zanac. When Compile stopped working with Pony Canyon, Pony Canyon kept the rights to the Zanac name so Compile had to name their sequel something else. Which turned out to be Aleste.

tehkao · Post by **tehkao** » Sat Apr 02, 2005 5:44 am

Really? I always thought it was the other way around. I've played both Zanac and Aleste (SMS), and Zanac feels like the more "polished" and advanced game.

overdrive · Post by **overdrive** » Sat Apr 02, 2005 5:44 am

Many/most Compile shmups are similar in nature, especially as far as the weapons system is concerned.

With the possible exception of Blue Lander's mention of Zanac being a possible predecessor of the Aleste series, my knowledge has MOST of the games with the words "Aleste" and "Power Strike" being either official or side quest titles in the series.

I believe one exception is the SMS Power Strike 2, which to my knowledge is a completely independent game with it's own theme (even if it has a standard Compile/Aleste style to it).

Oh, as for Gunhed/Blazing Lazers, that is a completely different Compile game that stands on its own (even if a lot of people think it's the "secret" Star Soldier due to being a bit similar and on the same platform as most of that series).

BrianC · Post by **BrianC** » Sat Apr 02, 2005 5:55 am

tehkao wrote:Really? I always thought it was the other way around. I've played both Zanac and Aleste (SMS), and Zanac feels like the more "polished" and advanced game.

Nope. Zanac came out before Aleste. However, the SMS Aleste is a somewhat toned down port of the MSX version with two missing levels and a missing intro. The SMS Aleste/Power Strike also changed the AI system from the MSX version for the worse. The MSX version isn't as cheap difficulty wise (not sure how much it costs price wise). I'm really wondering about Compile's involvment with the SMS Aleste. It seems to be lacking Compile's usual polish, especially compared to the MSX version. The MSX Aleste is every bit as polish and advanced as Zanac, from what I tried via emulation (not sure which one I like better, since I like them both quite a bit, though).

As far as I know, Aleste, Aleste 2, Aleste Gaiden, Musha Aleste, and GG Aleste all have releated plots and characters. I'm not sure if the Japanese Super Aleste, Robo Aleste, or GG Aleste 2/Power Strike II GG have related plots, but my guess is no. The plot of the US/European Super Aleste has been changed with part of the intro cut out. Musha Aleste, Aleste Gaiden, and Robo Aleste have a different setting from the space/different planets setting most Compile shmups have. Musha Aleste and Robo Aleste have an ancient Japan style setting. Aleste Gaiden has a post apocyplitic setting with a robotic ninja suit.

Herr Schatten · Post by **Herr Schatten** » Sat Apr 02, 2005 9:59 am

SMS Aleste/Power Strike has bits and pieces of the MSX version missing (most noticeably the initial city stage and the intro sequence) and changed some of the weapons (to the better or worse, depends on the weapon), but the games are definitely similar enough to be considered the same.

Power Strike II is totally unrelated to the Aleste series in terms of design and story, even though it does play exactly like an Aleste game.

BrianC · Post by **BrianC** » Sat Apr 02, 2005 10:04 am

Gun Nac NES is like a parody of the Zanac and Aleste games with gameplay like Aleste.

nullstar · Post by **nullstar** » Sat Apr 02, 2005 3:16 pm

Just to be clear, is the following true? "SMS has a Power Strike and Power Strike 2. Game Gear onlyhas a Power Strike 2."

If so, is the GG version called `GG Power Strike 2' or simply `Power Strike 2'?

BrianC · Post by **BrianC** » Sat Apr 02, 2005 7:11 pm

nullstar wrote:Just to be clear, is the following true? "SMS has a Power Strike and Power Strike 2. Game Gear onlyhas a Power Strike 2."

If so, is the GG version called `GG Power Strike 2' or simply `Power Strike 2'?

The Game Gear version is simply called "Power Strike 2" and it's the European version of GG Aleste 2. The title screen even says "GG Aleste 2" when played on an Japanese Game Gear. Oddly enough, GG Aleste was only released in Japan and the title screen says "GG Aleste" on all Game Gears. There is no Game Gear Power Strike.

Post by **Shatterhand** » Sun Apr 03, 2005 10:27 pm

SMS Aleste has "Original game: Compile - Reprogrammed game: Sega" on the title screen... it MAY be made by Sega then.

Though Gulkave on MSX has "Original game: Sega" written on it (or something like that), and it's known to be made by Compile.

Also, SMS R-Type also says "reprogrammed game:Sega", and was also developed by Compile.

THough I am not sure, I believe Aleste Gaiden is taken after Aleste 2, as if Dia51 had NOT been destroyed, thus destroying Earth.

I still wonder, if Zanac was copyrighted by Zanac (And thus Compile created Aleste), how Compile managed to release Zanac X Zanac?

zinger · Post by **zinger** » Sun Apr 03, 2005 11:15 pm

Shatterhand wrote:SMS Aleste has "Original game: Compile - Reprogrammed game: Sega" on the title screen... it MAY be made by Sega then.

This means Sega ported it to SMS, doesn't it?

BrianC · Post by **BrianC** » Sun Apr 03, 2005 11:43 pm

Shatterhand wrote: I still wonder, if Zanac was copyrighted by Zanac (And thus Compile created Aleste), how Compile managed to release Zanac X Zanac?

You mean copyrighted by Pony Canyon? Didn't they go out of business?

overdrive · Post by **overdrive** » Mon Apr 04, 2005 12:37 am

Shatterhand wrote:SMS Aleste has "Original game: Compile - Reprogrammed game: Sega" on the title screen... it MAY be made by Sega then.

Though Gulkave on MSX has "Original game: Sega" written on it (or something like that), and it's known to be made by Compile.

Also, SMS R-Type also says "reprogrammed game:Sega", and was also developed by Compile.

THough I am not sure, I believe Aleste Gaiden is taken after Aleste 2, as if Dia51 had NOT been destroyed, thus destroying Earth.

I still wonder, if Zanac was copyrighted by Zanac (And thus Compile created Aleste), how Compile managed to release Zanac X Zanac?

I'm thinking that the "original game/reprogrammed game" stuff just means that Sega altered the originals for their system. Because I know the SMS R-Type has an extra level and the SMS Aleste was trimmed from the original MSX version, so it just might be their way of saying their version isn't the same as the original.

BrianC · Post by **BrianC** » Mon Apr 04, 2005 1:11 am

Out of curiousity, are Dennin/Robo Aleste, GG Aleste 2, and Super Aleste related in plot to the other Aleste games in any way? Why do they have the Aleste name?

overdrive · Post by **overdrive** » Mon Apr 04, 2005 1:19 am

BrianC wrote:Out of curiousity, are Dennin/Robo Aleste, GG Aleste 2, and Super Aleste related in plot to the other Aleste games in any way? Why do they have the Aleste name?

If they aren't related (I'm not overly sure on how many of these games tie together as far as plot), they probably got the Aleste name to move more copies.

Sort of like what Square did with the GameBoy back in the day when they named the first Mana game "Final Fantasy Adventure" and the first three Saga games "Final Fantasy Legend 1-3". The FF name was recognizable, so they used it to give those currently unknown series a bit of a boost.

With the Compile games, they easily could have thought that if it plays similiar to an Aleste, you might as well give it that name to give it some recognition right out of the blocks.

nullstar · Post by **nullstar** » Mon Apr 04, 2005 1:23 am

I ran across this today, which I thought might interest a few here (if they haven't already seen it.)

Ganelon · Post by **Ganelon** » Mon Apr 04, 2005 4:26 am

BrianC wrote:Out of curiousity, are Dennin/Robo Aleste, GG Aleste 2, and Super Aleste related in plot to the other Aleste games in any way? Why do they have the Aleste name?

Robo Aleste has nothing to do with MUSHA that I know except the gameplay is similar in many ways.

Post by **Shatterhand** » Mon Apr 04, 2005 3:54 pm

Yes, of course I meant "Pony Canyon" instead of "Zanac" ,hehe

Someone told me that Pony Canyon still exists today but they are into gaming anymore, they do other kind of bussiness.

Have no idea if that's true at all though.

Ganelon · Post by **Ganelon** » Mon Apr 04, 2005 6:33 pm

I guess this proves it: http://www.ponycanyon.co.jp/

Tychom · Post by **Tychom** » Mon Apr 04, 2005 9:49 pm

There's also a Super Aleste manga but I don't know the story behind it's coming about, what relationship compile had to it or even if it lasted more than a single issue. I just posted pics of it here. The characters are from Super Aleste for sure, the scene from the Super Aleste box art is played out and it seems to roughly follow the same plot (maybe), not being able to read it though it's tough to tell.