Game:

The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls (2011)

Duration: 49:43

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A early 2014 (late 2013) Gatling Cat Doujin title. It is based on the popular "The Idolmaster" series (more specifically, "THE iDOLM@STER CINDERELLA GIRLS"), it is one of many Doujin works based on the franchise, but one of the lesser-known ones. It is a 2D side-scrolling action game not unlike many of Gatling Cat's prior releases, this one puts an IM spin on the gameplay and is a decent but clunky adventure with good music. Each main character has their own theme as well as a general stage theme for each area.

The player is, once again, in the role of the nameless "Producer-san" and is in charge of taking different girls under his wing to catapult into stardom while financing and impressing your personal secretary, Chihiro Senkawa (who looks young like most IM characters but is actually in her mid 20s). As the cute "Uzuki Shimamura", cool "Ranko Kanzaki" or passionate "Ayame Hamaguchi", the player will traverse twelve levels and face off against six bosses for eighteen stages of varying intensity. Each character has their own unique actions and need to increase their idol parameters to execute different special "Fan Appeal" techniques which come in level one or two. Each character can also be looked at as difficulty modifiers: Uzuki is easy due to her low damage piercing attack and level 2 healing appeal - Ayame is normal due to her higher damage base attack, good mobility and level 2 disappearing jutsu - Ranko is hard due to having the strongest, slowest attacks and Chihiro funding (more later).

Levels are mostly linear though there are items tucked away in different locations which can restore health or give extra money or 1-Ups. The game encourages defeating as many enemies and getting as much money as possible to help finance your operation and please Chihiro; each level has a bonus game where you give Chihiro your hard-earned cash and the game's ending is altered depending on your overall MC. You have a limited amount of time to give Chihiro the money and your "Communication Level" is determined based on funds -- if you give 2,000 or more each level, you will achieve "Perfect Communication" with "Good" and below at lower tiers, but Ranko has the hardest time giving up all her cash due to slow attacks (while she can offer more than 2,000, time might run out before you're able to give it all up, dependent on skill level). Ayame and Ranko are a little better at getting money due to their additional skills for added mobility which gives them access to a few areas Uzuki can't reach.

Overall, the game isn't too difficult to 1CC, but some characters will have a hard time against particular bosses. The pixel graphics are fine and reminiscent of 16-bit titles, but the game has a low resolution that is also 16:9 by default (800 by 450) and will make seeing things in certain areas difficult (this could have been alleviated with a look function, but it doesn't exist). The game has basic config options. This is a video of the game in action. You can learn more about the game at:

http://gatling-cat.sakura.ne.jp/

Enjoy.

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