Gyruss (NES, Famicom Disk System)

Gyruss
Developer: Konami Publishers: Konami (JP), Ultra Games (US) Platforms: NES, Famicom Disk System Released in JP: November 18, 1988 (FDS) Released in US: February 1, 1989 This game has regional differences.

Gyruss is an enhanced port of the classic arcade tube shooter.

Regional Differences

Copyright

The NES version adds an Ultra Games trademark information screen before the title screen.

Title Screen

The ship and Earth in the bottom-right corner of the FDS title screen were removed in the NES version to make way for the copyright info. Other differences in the NES version include replacing the Konami logo with the Ultra Games logo, and slightly altering the logo by removing the Japanese kana while enlarging the background triangle and re-centering the title. However, the NES version still has the animated starfields behind the title screen like the FDS version.

Famicom Disk System	NES

Control Menu

The FDS version lets the player choose the control scheme directly from the title screen, with Select to navigate the menu and Start to choose the control scheme and start the game. However, the NES version requires the player to press Start on the title screen beforehand to show the menu. This was most likely done due to the additional copyright information not leaving enough room for the menu, like with Snake's Revenge.

In addition, the select cursor is just a simple triangle cursor in the FDS version, but the NES version replaces it with a fancier cursor using a two-frame animated sprite of the player's ship in-game.

Famicom Disk System	NES

Music

The original FDS version of Gyruss makes great use of the extra wavetable channel in the FDS for its soundtrack, using it as lead while the onboard pulse channels are used to create an echo effect. As the NES lacks said extra hardware, much like Konami's other games ported from the FDS, the NES version uses the two pulse channels instead for lead. It also still keeps the reverb using volume ducking while also adding duty cycle modulation on the channels to create a "plucking" effect not present in the original.

Both soundtracks are mostly the same in both content and composition, such as both frequently using bass drum samples and the noise channel together for percussion. However, two tracks still have major differences:

• Opening: The NES opening theme has been made shorter, due to the shortened intro compared to the FDS version. The FDS version actually starts a key higher than the same piece used at the beginning of "Stage BGM 1". However, the NES version is at the same key and pitch as its version of "Stage BGM 1".
• Ending: The FDS version does not have any repeating sections and actually finishes. Since the NES version cuts out the extended ending and staff roll, it only plays the first part of the FDS ending theme before looping it again. However, in game it only plays once before fading out in the middle of the second loop, due to the game going back to the start for another round.

Track names are taken from Konami Shooting Collection (LC-2039~48).

(Source: Original TCRF research)

Song Title	Famicom Disk System	NES
Opening
Intro/Stage BGM 1
Stage BGM 2
Boss BGM
Bonus Stage Start
Bonus Stage BGM
Ending
Game Over

Intro

The Japanese version (only released for the Famicom Disk System) contains a text scroll intro, showing the hero Rudolf. The English version has a much shorter intro, and instead shows the evil leader (something the Japanese version never shows).

Japan	US

Famicom Disk System	Translation	NES
時は26世紀、人類は 地球連邦政府の政策により 太陽系全域に軍事基地建設 を急速に進めていた。 人々は休みなく労働に かり出され、四六時中、軍 の役人に監視される日々が 続いた。 　そして2545年、連 邦政府の指導者ドメスが 太陽系全域に太陽系外への 侵略命令を発令した。 　この時を期に人類は 戦慄の中へと突入した 　時を同じくして太陽系 の彼方では10年前 反 政府軍の指導者となり父ド メスの命を狙い太陽系追放 の刑を言い渡されたルドル フが10年の刑を終え 再び父ドメスに立ち向かうた め宇宙防衛軍ジャイラスを 形成していた 　はたしてルドルフは ドメスにより波乱の 道を歩もうとする 太陽系を救うことが 出来るのか...	It is the 26th century. With the policies of the Federal Government of Earth, mankind had expanded into the entire solar system by rapidly advancing military base construction. People were sent to constantly labor without rest as they were monitored by military officials. Then, in 2545, the federal government leader, Domesu, issued a command to invade outside the solar system. At the same time ten years earlier, the rebellious leader Domesu aimed to sentence Rudolf to be banished from the solar system. Rudolf finished his 10-year sentence. He formed the space defense force Gyruss in order to confront Father Domesu again. Is it really possible for Rudolf to walk the turbulent road to Domesu and save the solar system...?	- A.D.25XX - MANKIND MUST RID THE UNIVERSE OF EVIL. IT'S A DEATH DEFYING RISK, AND ONLY A HERO CAN SUCCEED.

Ending

After finishing the game, the original FDS version shows Rudolf flying his ship back to Earth after defeating the final boss and lands at a base. The NES version cuts all of this out and only leaves a brief scene of the player's ship flying to the Sun (which isn't even labeled like in the FDS version) and then flying back before a brief congratulatory message appears at the top: THE UNIVERSE IS AT PEACE. Additionally, the ending isn't letterboxed like in the original Japanese version.

Japan	US

Epilogue Text

Original	Translation
独裁者ドメスにより暗黒 の時代にあった太陽系は たった１人の英雄の活躍で 救われた 　地球に戻ると　間もなく 彼は　革命を起こし　成功 させ　ついに　父ドメスを 倒し　１つの時代に終止符 をうった 　そして今　太陽系は　輝 かしい時代を迎えようとし ている	The solar system has been saved from the dark reign of the dictatorial Domesu by a single hero. Shortly after his return to Earth, he launched a successful revolution that finally ousted Domesu--his father-- and brought an end to an age. Now the solar system is on the verge of a glorious new era.

Staff Roll

The Japanese version contain a staff roll after the game's ending, which was also removed from the US version.

Original	Translation
スタッフ プログラム 岸和田　光 永田　友和 江田　旅館 キャラクターデザイン 質屋　戸隠 小池　あき サウンドクリエイト 藤尾　玩具 坂倉　牛乳 上高　楽器 イラスト 山本　とも 制作 KONAMI	STAFF Program Kishiwada Hikaru Tomokazu Nagata Eda Ryokan Character Design Shichiya Togakushi Aki Koike Sound Create Fujio Omocha Sakakura Gyūnyū Uekō Gakki Illustrate Tomo Yamamoto Produced by Konami

(Source: MobyGames)