Power Strike (also known as Aleste) is one of the Master System's early yet impressive titles. It is a highly playable vertical shooter from Compile whom made several other shoot'em ups and have diversified with games like Dr Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine.

It was released in 1988 as a limited edition and thus did not reach a particularly large audience though it is popular amongst both shooter and Master System fans.

Power Strike also goes by the name Aleste.

Power Strike European Case

Case Quote "Your planet has been overrun by the meanest mutant vegetation ever created in a genetics lab. It's taken over buildings, labs, fighter craft....even people! And it's getting bigger.... and meaner.... with each passing second."

Story

The planet has been invaded by some sort of vegetable life form. It has since began to take over the planet.

Your ship is a prototype and is the last hope to destroy the green invader.

Stories are not important for shooters really!

Gameplay

The game is a simple vertical shooter. You must destroy as many enemies and ground targets as possible whilst evading incoming fire and collecting Power-Ups. Blast your way through waves of oncoming enemy ships and destroy the boss at the end of each round.

The D-Pad moves your ship left, right, up and down all around the screen. Button 1 is your Vulcan cannon and Button 2 is your secondary weapon. Both buttons can be held down for rapid fire.

On screen will be your score to the top left. When you beat the highest score it will flash briefly and a sound will play but there is no reward. To the bottom-right you will see the current number of the secondary weapon you have, how much energy it has remaining and how many lives you have next to the smaller ship.

The Vulcan cannon is upgraded by collecting the yellow 'P' boxes. These typically come on to the screen in groups of four by satellites and drop these boxes when shot. It can be upgraded to the following levels:

rapid single shot
single double shot
rapid double shot
single triple shot
rapid triple shot

It can only destroy the blue incoming fire and some larger craft are not damaged by it. Shots bounce off.

The secondary weapon on your ship is changeable when collecting the numbers from either bases on the surface or the satellites which drop them off in numerical order every minute or so. Simply shoot these to release and then collect.

These weapons can destroy both the blue and orange fire (some will need upgrading) from enemies. They have a limited amount of energy denoted by the number on the screen. A full weapon is at 79. These weapons can also be powered up and replenished by collecting the same number in succession. Different weapons use different amounts of energy per shot. When at 0 energy it will default to weapon No.1.

Some weapons are best suited to certain levels and bosses.

The numbers equate to the following:

Power Strike Weapons

	Plasma Balls Fires very fast in the direction your ship is moving. This can be at 90o increments.
	Plasma Charge A longer charge creates a larger discharge. The charging time reduces as you collect additional no 2's. The charge spot will also act like a shield.
	Laser Beams Fires a penetrating laser beam. Upgrades to two very large shots.
	Barrier Protective balls orbit your ship. Not particularly effective.
	Homing Shot Launches a plasma shot that homes in on anything nearby. Limited in effectiveness also.
	Blades Fires a rapid pulsating blade which can be angled inside the front 40o of your ship. One of the more powerful weapons.
	Sheilds Creates an extended energy bubble in front of the ship that vaporises anything it touches. Can be upgraded to 3 bubbles. They do not damage ground targets until collecting 4 No. 7's.
	Waving Plasma Bolt A bolt which waves across the screen destroying enemies. Has a decent range but only moderate power.

Beware that weapons 4,5, and 8 do not hit ground targets.

Your ship explodes whenever you are hit by incoming fire or collide with an enemy. You start with 3 lives and can continue as many times as you like upon Game Over. For the first 20,000 points you will receive and extra life then every 100,000 points which is denoted by a jingle.

At the end of each round there is a boss to defeat. From Round 2 there will be larger craft to destroy throughout each stage and from round 4 there will be additional bosses as well. Extra points are given upon the destruction of a boss which increase as you progress. Failing to destroy within the time limit (which towards the end of more enemies will appear) stops these points being awarded as the game continues onwards. Also being destroyed just before a boss tends to make then destroying them very difficult since some spew out so much fire its near impossible to land shots on them which happens when they are down to their last turret.

Screenshots

There are a total of 6 rounds in the game. Having Game Over on round 6 takes you back to round 5.

Cheats and Tips

Extra Lives

To start the game with 9 lives on the title screen push down, right, down, down, left, right, up, right when the music begins to play.

Round 0

When you have completed the game if you select continue on the title screen you will be taken to Round 0. This is essentially round 1 with different colours and at a higher speed. Beating Round 0 will take you to Round 6.

Collecting the P's

The other advantage to the 'P' is that when you collect one your ship will flash briefly. When this happens you are invincible. Not much to capitalise on but it may save you in tough spots without noticing.

Use No 2

By far the best weapon of the game is the No 2. It can be used for both shielding and doing major damage to larger enemies especially the bosses.

Other Versions

Setting an emulator to Japanese will cause the title of the game to change to Aleste.

Power Strike as Aleste

They are also very rare and oft citied for their impressive use of the hardware.

Power Strike 2 (Master System)

Power Strike 2 (Game Gear)

An Aleste game was released on the Mega CD in the form of Robo Aleste (also known as often described as one of the best games on the system.

Robo Aleste (Mega CD)

The forbearer of Aleste/Power Strike is another vertical shoot'em up from Compile called Zanac originally released on the MSX, MSX2 and NES (1986). The gameplay and Power-Up system and several enemies are very similar.

Zanac Screenshots (NES and Playstation)

Zanac (NES)	Zanac (NES)
Zanac Neo (Playstation)	Zanac Neo (Playstation)

It had a 15th anniversary release in 2001 on the Playstation with an improved Zanac Neo and emulated versions of the original Zanac where it is possible to see many of the derivatives in Power Strike.

Emulation

Perfect! This game can be played with the Dega or KEGA Fusion Emulators which can be downloaded from the Master System Emulators page.

Links

Power Strike/ Aleste at Hardcore Gaming 101

Run down of all the shooters from Compile and how they do or do not relate.

http://hardcoregaming101.net/aleste/compile.htm