Bangai-O HD: Missile Fury takes the series that started on the Nintendo 64 by Treasure and brings it to Microsoft's platform for the first time in all its HD glory. The game is an intense bullet hell style shooter where the bullets aren't just bullets...but missiles. We sat down with Tim Ramage, the game's Executive Producer, to chat about the series and specifically the game's co-op mode.
Co-Optimus: What similarities will Bangai-O HD have to its predecessors in the series?
Tim Ramage: Bangai-O HD: Missile Fury is an evolution of its predecessors onto the platform it seems to be truly designed for. It features the same insane arcade shooter action the series is known for, but ups the ante from visual and design perspectives to take advantage of the Xbox 360 platform. Players will control Bangai-O through over 100 deviously designed levels featuring enemies and bosses that have appeared throughout the lifespan of the series. Additionally, the robust Edit mode returns, allowing players to edit current levels or create original ones, all of which can be shared with friends over Xbox Live.
Co-Optimus: In co-op play, are the levels the same as the single player experience or are they designed for co-op?
Tim Ramage: The levels are the same as the single player experience. However, the cool thing is that the robust level editing tool allows players to edit any of the levels in the game to create co-op versions, as well as create new levels.
Co-Optimus: How can players differentiate their missiles and attacks in co-op? Is everything color coded?
Tim Ramage: In Co-op play, the players’ Bangai-Os are differentiated by the glow around the avatar. Additionally, since co-op is over Xbox Live, each player’s camera is focused on their avatar to make keeping track of your action pretty straightforward.
Co-Optimus: With co-op play, what's the max count of missiles on the screen?
According to the game director at Treasure, we should see up to 5000 missiles on screen at one time. Pretty hellacious, eh?
Co-Optimus: Seriously...what's up with the fruit?
Tim Ramage: Space fruit…c’mon everyone knows that space fruit is tasty AND good for you. Actually, it’s something that has carried over from the original Bangai-O, where you had to fight space pirates who actually pirated space fruit.
Bangai-O HD: MIssile Fury is out on Xbox Live Arcade tomorrow, May 4th for 800 