High Voltage Software Releases Fun 4 Player Sci-Fi Shooter.

High Voltage Software, Inc., one of the world’s largest independent developers, today announced Gyrostarr™, an exciting new sci-fi shooter scheduled for release via the WiiWare™ downloadable service on Monday June 23, 2008.

Gyrostarr features fast action gameplay across 50 intense levels as up to four players pilot ships on a futuristic track, shooting enemies, dodging obstacles, and collecting upgrades. The game takes advantage of the company’s proprietary Quantum 3 Game Engine technology, which provides advanced graphical capabilities. Gyrostarr’s controls were built from the ground up to utilize the motion-sensing capabilities of the Wii™.

“Our original vision for Gyrostarr was to capture the fast-paced twitch style action of coin-op classics, but to infuse superior graphics and game design for the next generation,” said Kerry Ganofsky, CEO and Founder of High Voltage Software. “I’m thrilled to say that the team has nailed the mark and exceeded our expectations.”

“Aside from the visuals, which are gorgeous, there is a lot about Gyrostarr that players will love,” said Eric Nofsinger, Chief Creative Officer of High Voltage Software. “As players develop their skills at the game, they will devise strategies to help them make it through all of the levels. Jumping into the game with four players just makes the experience that much better.”

For additional information about Gyrostarr, visit www.high-voltage.com.

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FACT SHEET

Gyrostarr™
Format: WiiWare™
Launch Date: June 23, 2008
ESRB: E (Everyone)
Game Type: Sci-Fi Shooter
Players: 1-4
Developer: High Voltage Software, Inc.

Key Information
Gyrostarr challenges you and up to three other players to fly through a twisting, turning techno-plasma canal in space, collecting energy to penetrate an alien portal and warp to the next conduit. Without that energy, your space vessels will smash head-first into the unforgiving anti-void. Making your task more challenging, each conduit is patrolled by a variety of vicious enemy spacecraft that want to destroy your ships and feast on your collected energy. You must avoid their attacks and harvest their energy by destroying them first! 50 levels of intense action, powerful pickups, bonus levels, 1-4 player mayhem and a unique & flexible control system make Gyrostarr a killer hardcore arcade title!

• All Tied Up – Up to four-player same-screen arcade action, using any combination of Wii Remotes™ or Nunchuks™, using motion control or non-motion control – user choice.
• High Treason – Multiplayer mode is competitive and cooperative.
• The Elf Shot the Food – Irritate other players by “juggling” powerups so they can’t be claimed.
• The Spy who Snagged It – Grab pickups from far ahead, or snare them before another player can – with the Grapple Shot.
• Super-sized – 50 levels of procedurally generated space-track tucked into less than 40 MB.
• Lay Waste – Destructive smart bombs, impenetrable shields, and electrifying weapon powerups keep the explosions coming.
• All Your Base – Variety in tactics, defenses, and special abilities makes our multiple enemy types a strategic challenge.
• Stat Heads – Score Multipliers accumulate when players deftly avoid enemy fire, and bonuses for accomplishing intra-level achievements.

How to progress through the game: Gyrostarr is a high-action twitch shooter with a science fiction setting. Players must destroy enemy ships and collect dropped energy to increase their reserves enough to power the warp gate. Only if enough energy is collected will the warp gate activate, and players can proceed to the next level. If players earn enough extra energy, they can also advance to a bonus level where they can collect even more energy, giving them a chance to build up some excess before the start of the next level.

Special Powerups: Players can collect powerups dropped by enemies to increase their firepower or defenses. Firepower bonuses include triple-shot, tesla-shot, lightning-shot, and charged-shot. Defensive bonuses include an indestructible shield, and a slow-enemies power.

Grapple Gun: This handy gadget allows the player to grab & retrieve pickups from the track ahead of them, giving them weapons more quickly, or allowing them to snare one, while moving to the side to grab a second.

Multiplayer Features: When playing together, players need to cooperate if they want to successfully complete the level, but that doesn’t mean they can’t try to doublecross each other to get choice weapons, increase their score, or just irritate!

The ship positions are staggered down the track, but when one player collects a pickup, his ship moves to the back of the pack, ensuring that everyone has a chance to be in the lead and grab the next one.

Coordinated players can gain the use of a powerful weapon; the Charged Shot. If two ships are lined up on the track, the basic shot type of each becomes “charged.”

Catering to antagonistic players, all the pickups can be targeted, causing them to bounce to the side, and down the track, allowing players in the back of the pack a chance to make life miserable for those in the front. Or they can simply try to grapple the best pickups before the lead player has a chance…