Ashura Blaster is a fast-paced vertical shoot ’em up released for the arcade in 1990, developed by Visco Corporation and distributed by Taito. Heavily inspired by classics like Twin Cobra, the game puts you in the cockpit of an attack helicopter tasked with surviving intense enemy fire across military bases, deserts, and coastal strongholds. A standout feature is the ability to choose your sub-weapon configuration before diving into the action, offering a strategic layer to the traditional arcade shooting formula.
How to play
The objective is to blast your way through waves of airborne and ground-based enemy forces while collecting power-ups to upgrade your primary shot. At the start of a run, you select from four distinct bomb types that can clear the screen when you are overwhelmed. For the arcade controls in the browser, move your helicopter with the arrow keys, use Z to fire your primary weapon, and press X to drop your selected bombs. Press Shift to insert coins and Enter to start.
Tips
- Focus on upgrading your main shot early; a wider spread is crucial for surviving the increasingly dense enemy bullet patterns in later stages.
- Save your bombs for boss encounters or moments when you are completely boxed in by enemy fire, as they provide brief invincibility when deployed.
- Experiment with the different bomb configurations at the start of the game to find the one that best suits your playstyleโsome offer concentrated forward damage, while others provide wider screen coverage.
Leave a Comment / Review: