Universal Soldier (Genesis)

Universal Soldier
Developer: The Code Monkeys Publisher: Accolade Platform: Unlicensed Genesis Released in US: 1992 This game has unused music.

To do: Crack this game open and check for more unused graphics/levels as artifacts from Turrican II (or otherwise).

Universal Soldier is the bastardized port of Turrican II that everyone loves to hate.

Unused Tracks

This game contains several unused tracks, all accessible through the Options menu. They are relics from when the game was actually a pure port of Turrican II, and all music was used in the Amiga and Atari ST ports of Turrican II.

"Go For The Gunhed", originally used as the boss theme for Stage 3-2. It was likely not used as the sidescrolling shooter stages were not recreated, and the stages that used their music did not have bosses.

"Hypercycle Drive", originally used as the boss theme for Stage 3-3. It was likely not used as the sidescrolling shooter stages were not recreated, and the stages that used their music did not have bosses.

"Freedom", originally used as the ending credits theme. It was not used as the ending sequence has changed, and "The Hero", used on the high score screen of the original, was used instead.

"Yeeaah, Done It!", originally used as the theme that plays when the final boss is defeated. It was likely not used due to the end-game score tally from Turrican II not being carried over.

Part 1 of "The Final Fight", originally used as the intro theme during the title screen. It was not used due to the title screen and intro of the game being changed (and thus, the music). This version is much shorter, and split into two parts.

Part 2 of "The Final Fight", originally used as the intro theme during the story sequence. It was not used due to the title screen and intro of the game being changed (and thus, the music). This version is much shorter, and split into two parts.

The full version of the elevator music used at the beginning of Level 5. Only about 3 seconds are normally heard, although the music continues into a small jingle of sorts that may have been to reflect the little birdies that fly around the player's head after the descent.

Changes

Aside from being rebranded, Universal Soldier changed a lot of things from Turrican II...most often unnecessarily.

General Differences

• Instead of beginning without any continues (Turrican II), you will begin with one.
• Smart Bombs can be found from various powerup blocks, in the original they are found scattered about or from destroying item-capsules. Picking one up will destroy any close powerup blocks.
• Power Lines in Universal Soldier cover the whole screen, while Turrican Power Lines are confined to the current terrain you are in.
• Item capsules split apart after being shot, as opposed to simply exploding.
• 1ups can sometimes be found in item capsules as well.
• The idle dome-walker enemies that could be seen in Stage 2 of the game (Stage 1 of the original) can home in to the player, instead of simply suicide-jumping in arc and to a surface.

To do: Discover other various changes that don't apply to stages in particular.

Level Differences

To do: Can we get some full stage maps here instead of 1001 individual screenshots?

Universal Soldier also changed a lot of the levels around somewhat drastically from their original states. (All screenshots of Turrican II are from the Atari ST version.)

Stage 2

• Instead of starting with 600 clock ticks (Turrican II), you start with 800 ticks.
• The background for this stage is handled much differently. (It's handled similarly to the ST version, albeit far more smoothly, on the Amiga port.)
• This stage was actually the first stage in Turrican II, but another stage precedes it in Universal Soldier.

Turrican II	Universal Soldier

Universal Soldier adds a couple of gems to this platform.

Turrican II	Universal Soldier

Universal Soldier adds a gem again, and makes a previously unreachable platform easy to jump to.

Turrican II	Universal Soldier

Instead of the wind just not allowing you to move forward (Turrican II), the wind will actually blow the player backwards fiercely once they reach a certain point.

Turrican II	Universal Soldier

Universal Soldier adds an additional path, which leads to a powerup block. (A screenshot of the area.)

Turrican II	Universal Soldier

The first of many instances in this stage where Universal Soldier adds falling droplets of blood. This sprite is actually stolen from the first Turrican game, and it appears later in a level created specifically for this game.

Turrican II	Universal Soldier

Yet another instance where blood droplets were added.

Turrican II	Universal Soldier

Universal Soldier adds a powerup at the top of this alcove.

Turrican II	Universal Soldier

Another gem and droplet of blood are added.

Turrican II	Universal Soldier

Yet more added blood droplets.

Turrican II	Universal Soldier

Again, blood and gems are added...

Turrican II	Universal Soldier

...Again, just more blood.

Turrican II	Universal Soldier

A single additional gem!

Turrican II	Universal Soldier

It is possible in Turrican II for the powerup to get stuck in the tiny alcove, but this bug was fixed in Universal Soldier.

Turrican II	Universal Soldier

Again, blood and a gem added.

Turrican II	Universal Soldier

Universal Soldier's boss is generally jumpier, and has a modified hitbox to fit the new sprite. His shots are also shorter than the boss from Turrican II.

Turrican II	Universal Soldier

A single platform was removed, possibly to make this jump much easier to make.

Turrican II	Universal Soldier

More simple blood additions.

Turrican II	Universal Soldier

There's an extra powerup here (not pictured), and the stage is hemorrhaging again.

Turrican II	Universal Soldier

...Yep.

Turrican II	Universal Soldier

More blood. The missing ceiling is only on the Atari ST port; the Amiga port still has it.

Turrican II	Universal Soldier

Aren't you getting tired of this by now?

Turrican II	Universal Soldier

Universal Soldier adds three 1-ups...that are impossible to reach. Great going, guys!

Turrican II	Universal Soldier

The droplets of blood are hard to see in this screenshot, but they're there.

Turrican II	Universal Soldier

Yawn.

Turrican II	Universal Soldier

Blood, again. There are also three gems added, but they are not pictured.

Turrican II	Universal Soldier

Blood, again.

Turrican II	Universal Soldier

There's a powerup block that was not present in Turrican II.

Turrican II	Universal Soldier

In Turrican II, these small gaps were no threat...but in Universal Soldier they can be fallen through.

Turrican II	Universal Soldier

Just a gem.

Turrican II	Universal Soldier

There was originally no entrance, but Universal Soldier added one, and a small area here to boot. (A screenshot of the area.)

Turrican II	Universal Soldier

Relatively minor difference, just a change in the blocks on the side.

To do: The rest of the stages.