Remember those days huddled around the Nintendo Entertainment System, controller in hand, ready for another dose of 8-bit action? While classics like Gradius and Life Force often steal the spotlight in the Konami shooter lineup, there was another, decidedly stranger entry that deserves a look: Stinger NES. This wasn't your typical space opera; it was a trip into a world where aliens wanted to turn Earth into cotton candy, and your main weapon was sometimes a boxing glove.
Released in North America in 1987, Stinger is actually part of Konami's much-loved Twinbee series, though it shed that name for its Western release. It stands out from its contemporaries with its mix of vertical and horizontal scrolling stages and its utterly bizarre premise and enemies. Let's fire up the old console (or emulator!) and revisit this quirky gem.
What is Stinger, Anyway?
At its core, Stinger is a multi-directional scrolling shooter. You pilot a jet (or sometimes a little walking robot in co-op mode) tasked with stopping aliens led by the nefarious Dr. Cinnamon (yes, Cinnamon) from turning our planet into a giant sugary snack. If that sounds weird, buckle up, because it only gets stranger.
Unlike many shooters that stick to one perspective, Stinger throws vertical, overhead stages and horizontal, side-scrolling stages at you interchangeably. This provides a different feel and challenge as you progress through the game's roughly six stages. While the vertical levels feel like a classic arcade shoot-'em-up, the horizontal sections have a distinct, albeit sometimes clunky, charm.
Gameplay: Shooting, Dodging, and Bell Juggling
The core gameplay loop involves blasting waves of unusual enemies – think household objects, food items, and other surreal creatures – and dodging their projectiles. But the real hook, and where Stinger gets its unique flavor, is the power-up system centered around colored bells.
Shoot clouds, and bells will drop. Shoot the bells, and they change color. Catching a bell grants you a power-up depending on its color:
- Yellow: Speed Up
- White: Double Shot
- Blue: Laser
- Red: Shield
- Green: A ghost of your ship that follows and shoots (you regain lost powers by collecting this ghost after being hit!)
Mastering the "bell juggling" – shooting the bells to get the color you need before they fall off-screen – is crucial, especially in the intense vertical stages. It adds a layer of skill and strategy beyond just holding down the fire button.
A World of Weirdness
Seriously, the enemy design in Stinger is peak Konami-in-the-'80s weirdness. You'll fight flying teacups, walking boomboxes, giant watermelons, and bosses that include a mad chef and a faucet. The story, as presented (or sometimes attempted to be contextualized in the manual), is pure Saturday morning cartoon absurdity. This wackiness is a huge part of Stinger's appeal and what makes it memorable even among a crowded field of NES shooters.
Vertical vs. Horizontal: A Tale of Two Perspectives
The game's split personality is one of its most discussed features.
- Vertical Stages: These feel more like the game's Twinbee roots. They're often fast-paced, filled with enemies, and the bell juggling feels most natural here. You also get stage-exclusive side weapons.
- Horizontal Stages: These are often compared, sometimes unfavorably, to Gradius. The controls can feel a bit awkward (one button for shoot and bomb), and juggling bells with the side-scrolling movement can be tricky. The scenery can also feel a bit repetitive.
While the horizontal sections aren't as polished as Konami's dedicated side-scrollers, the mix keeps the game from feeling stagnant and adds to its overall unique identity on the Stinger NES cartridge.
Stinger Today: Is It Worth Revisiting?
Compared to giants like Gradius or even Life Force, Stinger might not be the first NES shooter you grab. It has its flaws – the music isn't particularly memorable, and the horizontal stages can be frustrating. However, its unique power-up system, utterly bizarre world, and the novelty of its mixed perspectives make it a fascinating and fun game to revisit for any retro enthusiast.
Finding the original Stinger NES cartridge today might require a bit of searching on auction sites or retro game stores. Alternatively, exploring emulation via platforms like Archive.org (for historical preservation purposes) or using emulators with ROMs you legally own can let you experience this strange piece of Konami history.
It's a game that embodies the creativity and sometimes baffling design choices of the 8-bit era. If you appreciate quirky shooters and want to see a different side of Konami's legacy, Stinger is definitely worth a look.
Stinger NES FAQ
Q: Is Stinger related to Twinbee?
A: Yes, the NES game Stinger is the North American release of Konami's Japanese game Twinbee.
Q: How do you get power-ups in Stinger?
A: You get power-ups by shooting clouds to reveal bells, then shooting the bells to change their color before collecting them. Each color grants a different ability.
Q: Is Stinger a difficult game?
A: Like many NES shooters, Stinger can be challenging, especially mastering the bell juggling and navigating both vertical and horizontal stages. It lacks a save feature, adding to the difficulty if you're trying to beat it in one go.
Q: Does Stinger have co-op?
A: Yes, Stinger supports two-player co-op mode, which can make the game easier and even more chaotic fun.
