is a vertically

scrolling shooter In computer displays, filmmaking, television production, and other kinetic displays, scrolling is sliding text, images or video across a monitor or display, vertically or horizontally. "Scrolling," as such, does not change the layout of the text ...

video game developed and published by

Capcom is a Japanese video game developer and video game publisher, publisher. It has created a number of List of best-selling video game franchises, multi-million-selling game franchises, with its most commercially successful being ''Resident Evil' ...

in Japan in 1984 and released in North America by

SNK is a Japanese video game hardware and software company. It is the successor to the company Shin Nihon Kikaku and presently owns the SNK video game brand and the Neo Geo video game platform. SNK's predecessor Shin Nihon Kikaku was founded in 1978 ...

the same year. The game was

's first video game. The game is included in ''

Capcom Classics Collection is a compilation of arcade games released by Capcom for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox on September 27, 2005 in North America and in 2006 in Japan. It was developed by Digital Eclipse Software (then Backbone Entertainment), Sensory Sweep, and its ...

'' and is available as

freeware Freeware is software, most often proprietary, that is distributed at no monetary cost to the end user. There is no agreed-upon set of rights, license, or EULA that defines ''freeware'' unambiguously; every publisher defines its own rules for the f ...

. A

Nintendo Entertainment System The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit third-generation home video game console produced by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan in 1983 as the commonly known as the The NES, a redesigned version, was released in America ...

sequel was developed but never released. However, a playable finished ROM has surfaced online since its cancellation.

Gameplay

The player controls a spaceship with a single objective: destroy incoming enemies. The vessel has two different weapons: a primary weapon with infinite ammunition and a limited supply of bombs. By picking up the "Pow" icons, which sporadically appear throughout the levels, the player can replenish supplies. Similar to ''

Xevious is a vertically scrolling shooter video game developed and published by Namco for arcades in 1982. It was released in Japan and Europe by Namco and in North America by Atari, Inc. Controlling the Solvalou starship, the player attacks Xevious f ...

'', the game does not have distinct levels; the background alternates between the surface of a planet and a space field. The game repeats with increased difficulty until the player loses all of their lives.

Reception

According to ''Game Machine'', ''Vulgus'' was among the most popular arcade games in Japan during June 1984. In ''

Play Meter ''Play Meter'' (initially ''Coin Industry Play Meter'') was an American trade magazine focusing on the coin-op amusement arcade industry, including jukebox and arcade game machines. It was founded in December 1974 by publisher and editor Ralph C. ...

'' magazine, Roger C. Sharpe gave it a generally favorable review and rated it three hashes.

Legacy

A follow-up game, ''Titan Warriors'', originally known as ''Neo Vulgus'', was in development for the Nintendo Entertainment System, but went unreleased. In 2001, Capcom released ''Vulgus'' as freeware for IBM PCs and PDAs. ''Vulgus'' is available in the compilation title ''

Capcom Generation 3 is a series of five video game compilations produced by Capcom for PlayStation and Sega Saturn. Each volume contains three or four games from a particular series or game genre and were ported directly from their original arcade versions (with ...

'' for the

Sony , commonly stylized as SONY, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. As a major technology company, it operates as one of the world's largest manufacturers of consumer and professional ...

PlayStation is a video gaming brand that consists of five home video game consoles, two handhelds, a media center, and a smartphone, as well as an online service and multiple magazines. The brand is produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, a divisi ...

and

Saturn Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second-largest in the Solar System, after Jupiter. It is a gas giant with an average radius of about nine and a half times that of Earth. It has only one-eighth the average density of Earth; h ...

. The game was also included in the 2005 ''

'' for the Sony

PlayStation 2 The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October 2000, in Europe on 24 November 2000, and in Australia on 3 ...

and

Microsoft Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology corporation producing computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at the Microsoft Redmond campus located in Redmond, Washing ...

Xbox Xbox is a video gaming brand created and owned by Microsoft. The brand consists of five video game consoles, as well as applications (games), streaming services, an online service by the name of Xbox network, and the development arm by the na ...

, in ''

Capcom Classics Collection Reloaded is a compilation of arcade games released by Capcom for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox on September 27, 2005 in North America and in 2006 in Japan. It was developed by Digital Eclipse Software (then Backbone Entertainment), Sensory Sweep, and its J ...

'' for the

PlayStation Portable The PlayStation Portable (PSP) is a handheld game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 12, 2004, in North America on March 24, 2005, and in PAL regions on September 1, 2005, ...

and as a bonus game at ''

Capcom Arcade Cabinet ''Capcom Arcade Cabinet'' is a compilation of seventeen Capcom 1980s arcade games for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The compilation was released in five separate packs of three games during February–May 2013. A purchase of all five packs inclu ...

''. The Pow icon is re-used in many other Capcom games, like '' 1941: Counter Attack'', ''

Bionic Commando ''Bionic Commando'' is a video game franchise consisting of an original arcade game released in 1987 and several later versions and sequels. Background The original Japanese arcade game and its Famicom counterpart (''Hitler's Resurrection'' ...

'' and ''

Exed Exes ''Exed Exes'' is a vertically scrolling shooter that was released in arcades in 1985 by Capcom. Gameplay ''Exed Exes'' is a vertically scrolling shooter game. Development and release It was originally published in North America as ''Sava ...

''. Likewise, the Yashichi enemy has made later appearances in many Capcom games, usually in a more benign role as a power-up. Valgas, a boss character from the '' Power Stone'' series, has his name based on this game.

Notes

References

External links

* {{KLOV game, id=10382 1984 video games Arcade video games Cancelled Nintendo Entertainment System games Capcom games Freeware games Vertically scrolling shooters Video games developed in Japan Windows games PlayStation Network games Xbox 360 Live Arcade games