Gun-Nac

To do: Lots of unused stuff and regional differences according to Spriters Resource

Gun-Nac
Developer: Compile Publishers: Tonkin House (JP), ASCII Entertainment (US) Platform: NES Released in JP: October 5, 1990 Released in US: September 1991 This game has a hidden developer message. This game has debugging material. This game has a hidden level select. This game has regional differences.

Gun-Nac is a strange space shooter involving you mercilessly blasting robotic rabbits, happy faces, and any other bizarre thing that gets in your way.

Debug Mode

The Game Genie code PENNOYAA re-enables debugging options that were cut out of the final game:

• Any level can be selected without the level select trick.
• Death/Non Death toggles invulnerability.
• Weapon Select (Choose between 1-5).
• Bomb Select (Choose between F, T, B, and W).

Additionally, hold Up + Start on the "Nexoft" screen before it fades out to view the ending.

Unused Graphics

Here's something quite unusual for a traditional schmup: a set of rotational frames for both the player's ship and its accompanying rocket powerups! Perhaps Compile were toying with the idea of having the game switch between horizontal and vertical segments Life Force-style?

Hidden Text

Found at 0x1FF10 in the ROM.

US version	Japanese version
	Original Text	Translation
1990-12-17 USA SSS EEE EEE S E E SSS EEE EEE S E E SSS EEE EEE Y Y OOO U U Y Y O O U U Y O O U U Y O O U U Y OOO UUU AGAIN!	1990-06-21 MOU JIKI MASTER-UP, KOREGA FC SAIGO NO SIGOTONI NARU NDA ROUNA,TABUN. 4KAGETUNO KIKAN DAKARA,KORE! TO IU SUGOI TOKORO HA NAIKEDO,ASOBE RU YOUNA DEKINI HA NATTATO OMOU KARA,MAA,YOSITO SIMASYO. KONDOHA DOKODE ANATATO DEAERU KANA?	1990-06-21 Time to MASTER UP, This might end up being my last Famicom game. It's not much for 4 months work, but I think that it's playable, at least. Where will our paths cross next, I wonder?

(Source: CaH4e3)

Regional Differences

Title Screen

Due to having more copyright info, the mode select has to use another screen.

Japan	US

Opening

To do: Get the rest of the story text.

The Famicom version has a longer opening and ending. The visuals for the Japanese opening and ending can actually be seen in the NES version by doing the "Death & Non-Death" cheat, but the text that accompanied them was removed.

Japanese	Translate
	This is a tranquil galactic system, composed of seven planets and an artificial sun... But now, that peace has come under threat.
	Strange creatures began to mix in with what the factories around the worlds were creating. Eventually, they started to attack the people.
	No matter how many investigations were performed, the cause of this incident remained unknown. The creatures produced grew more and more evil, and eventually took over the factories, plunging the worlds into chaos. Though a defense unit was established, they were completely outmatched by their mass-produced foes.
	During the fifteenth meeting, just as everyone was falling into despair, the world's greatest mage suddenly appeared before them. "It is no ordinary foe who wreaks this havoc. It is an evil entity who delights in conflict, using power beyond our means to control the worlds. We cannot win with conventional warfare." "But do you know of any way to defeat it?" "We must seek help from a world different from ours... another realm with powerful fighting capabilities."
	A summoning was performed, the world's last desperate hope. A way was opened between the earth, which the mage had filled with fighting power, and the heavens. And then...!
	Energy surged into the room alongside a great light, and poured into the mage's body.
	...And so, the mage boarded the ship that had appeared at the same time as its pilot, and flew off to a battle for the fate of the world.

Stage Names

Japanese	Translate
AREA 0 星の星	Planet of Stars
AREA 1 月の星	Planet of the Moon
AREA 2 火の星	Planet of Fire
AREA 3 水の星	Planet of Water
AREA 4 木の星	Planet of Wood
AREA 5 金の星	Planet of Metal (Money)
AREA 6 土の星	Planet of Earth
AREA 7 日の星	Planet of the Sun
AREA 8 日の星 内部	Planet of the Sun - Interior

AREA 0 is a hidden stage, accessible by selecting track 5 on the Sound Test and then choosing which Area to begin the game.

Each stage is based after an element and are listed in order of the days of the week, starting with Monday (Area 1) and ending on Sunday (Areas 7 & 8). Area 5 is also a double meaning where "金" also means "money" matching the level theme.

Enemies

Enemies in Area 2 are greatly different in both versions. In Japan version there are cigarettes and matchboxes that fire matches, while in US version they are replaced with petrol containers shooting missiles. The "fire pillar" ground enemies in later halves are also changed, from lighters in Japan version to refinery stations in US version.

Japan	US

The most notable change is the mid boss, which is a "value pack" of matchbox in Japanese version, but a more robotic object in the US version. The same enemy also appears in middle of Area 8.

Japan	US

The first form of final boss in area 8 is also different. In Japan version it somehow resembles a baby, but the US version is more grotesque.

Japan	US

Ending

To do: There are still texts not listed.

Once the mage returned to the planet, the power vested within her vanished alongside the fighter jet. Everything returned to normal.

While everyone praised her achievements, the mage could not forget.

Huh...?

A trophy? There must be some mistake...

This isn't a sport...

(Translations: GlitterBerri, N. Onymous)

Staff Roll

The Japanese and US staff rolls are different from each other. Interestingly enough, the US version still uses Japanese text.

US	US Translation	Japan	Translation
COMPILE STAFF GAME DESIGN & PROGRAM D.M.A.ぼいす JEMINI BILLIARDS MIZUTA GRAPHIC DESIGNER HEAVY SLEEPER JANUS ぱぱげーな ANEGO MUSIC GOLFER SAKODA SOUND EFFECT MATS SPECIAL THANKS TOOL & CONVERTER しいプラスプラス TAKA POCHI (CYBER) NAKAMORI COORDINATOR MOO NIITANI	Compile Staff Game Design & Program D.M.A. Voice Jemini Billiards Mizuta Graphic Designer Heavy Sleeper Janus Papagehna Anego Music Golfer Sakoda Sound Effect MATS Special Thanks Tool & Converter C++ Taka Pochi (Cyber) Nakamori Coordinator Moo Niitani	COMPILE STAFF ゲームデザイン ＆ プログラム まんがのアレスタは どーなったんだ じぇみに カラーディスプレイが ほしい みずた グラフィック・デザイナー げきみん ＪＡＮＵＳ ぱぱげーな・あねご おんがく プロゴルファー さこだ こうかおん ＭＡＴＳ すぺしゃる さんくす ツールとコンバーター Ｃ＋＋ いのちの ＴＡＫＡ ぽち （さいばー） なかもり コーディネーター ＭＯＯ ＮＩＩＴＡＮＩ	Compile Staff Game Design & Program "What happened to the Aleste manga?" Gemini "I want a color display" Mizuta Graphic Designer Sleepy Janus Papagena Anego Music Pro Golfer Sakoda Sound Effects MATS Special Thanks Tool and Converter C++ Life TAKA Pochi (Cyber) Nakamori Coordinator Moo Niitani

• The Tonkin House section of credits in the Japanese version was changed to Tokyo Shoseki in the US version, but retains all the same staff members.
• After the staff roll in the Japanese version, we are presented with COMPILE and TONKIN HOUSE, each with their respective logos. In the US version, we are presented with COMPILE AND TOKYO SHOSEKI with PRESENTED BY NAXAT CORP. underneath it, all with their respective logos.
• Apparently, the dev team didn't feel Toshiaki Sakoda was really a Pro Golfer, as they removed the "Pro" in "Pro Golfer" in the US release.

Evaluate Screen

According to the game difficulties, a few screens will appear along or after the staff roll. Interestingly, the "You haven't won yet" screen shows a granny who looks like the boss of Area 5, implying that she is the master evil of the mess.

Difficulty	Ending Story	Congrats Screen	"You haven't won yet"
Level 1	None	None	Before staff roll
Level 2	Shown	Level 2 screen	After congrats screen
Level 3	Shown	Level 3 screen	After congrats screen
Level 4	Shown	Level 4 screen	None

Screen	Japan	US
"You haven't won yet"
Level 2 clear
Level 3 clear
Level 4 clear