Demonstar

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For the binary star, see Algol.

Demonstar
An original Demonstar screenshot, 2-player mission
Developer(s)	Mountain King Studios
Publisher(s)	Mountain King Studios
Distributor(s)	Mountain King Studios
Version	4.04
Platform(s)	Microsoft Windows
Release date	December 31, 1997
Genre(s)	Shoot 'em up
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer
Media	Download
System requirements	Windows 95 with DirectX 5 or higher
Input methods	Keyboard, Mouse, Joystick (optional)

Demonstar is a shareware game developed by Mountain King Studios. It is a top-down vertical scrolling shooter game with an outer space theme. The game shares many similarities with the Raiden series. Demonstar features various power-ups, including smart bombs and other power-ups which modify the types of projectiles that the player's ship fires.^[1]

The full version of the game features 18 levels. At the end of each level is a boss ship that the player must defeat to finish the level.

1 Storyline
2 Power-ups and Bonuses
3 Add-on packs
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Storyline

Demonstar's storyline is not considered a major part of gameplay in Demonstar, and it is not featured in-game. One can only find a short description in the game's help file. The story starts with the Terran Fleet developing a new prototype starfighter (the RaptorX), and the player is a test pilot of that prototype. Suddenly, the Xidus Armada Fleet, the Terran Fleet's arch enemy, launches an all-out surprise attack on the Terran Fleet that catches them with their guard down. All Raptor fighters are destroyed in that attack, save the few RaptorX prototypes which were away being tested. Now the player must battle through the Xidus Fleet, destroy their ultimate weapon, the Demonstar, and save the rest of the Terran Fleet.

[edit] Power-ups and Bonuses

Numerous power-ups are featured in-game:

Secondary shots (floating colored icons with an "S"). The player starts with a primary shot which can't be upgraded. The secondary weapons add extra strength. There are four type of projectiles available:

Proton laser (yellow strips): the weakest of all, but gives the ability to spread-shot after upgrades and can attack enemies at a wide angle.
Ion cannon (blue strips): more powerful than proton lasers, but shoots only in the forward direction.
Plasma cannon (red strips): the most powerful and most concentrated shot of all; fires a single beam of plasma cannon in the forward direction.
Magnetic pulse (orange balls): a rare power-up which homes on to the enemy; its power is weak at the start, but after upgrading it matches the ion cannon in power.

If the player collects another type of shot in the process, its level immediately drops back to one. All secondary shots can be upgraded only 6 times towards their highest levels. Further upgrades of the same type release a 360-degree attack (e.g. more ion cannon power-ups release small ion bombs following 6 upgrades or the "full power" power-up). The power of both primary and secondary shots diminishes with distance, so it is desirable to shoot from as close to the enemy as possible.

Full power (floating "S" with 3 colored balls rotating around):This power-up upgrades the player's secondary shot straight to the highest level.

Bombs (floating colored octagons with a "B"): The type of mega-weapon which is a standard in "shoot'em up" games:

Nuclear bomb (yellow): its action is similar to a nuclear weapon which deals huge amounts of damage to enemies in close proximity. Clears all enemy bullets on screen.
Scatter bomb (red): a defensive weapon that scatters explosives around the player's ship before exploding. Clears all enemy bullets on screen.
Laser pulse (blue): a laser-type weapon which is very damaging to enemies directly in front of the player's ship

Missiles (floating square with an "M"): Two kinds of missiles are available in-game:

Missiles (blue): powerful weapon that shoots in forward direction only.
Homing missiles (red): have the same strength as above, but follow the enemies.

Eventually the player runs out of missiles and they can be replaced.

Side-and-tail fire power-up: adds side or tail firing.

Shield power-up: offensively and defensively protects the player's ship for a short period of time.

[edit] Add-on packs

Please help improve this section by expanding it.
Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion.

After the original Demonstar was released, five known add-on packs have been released.^[1] The add-ons have many improvements, like better graphics, re-designed models and icons, higher difficulties, etc.