Black Star: Attack of Gray Labs

Gameplay
Black Star: Attack of Gray Labs is a side-scrolling beat-'em-up game for the Wii U Virtual Console. Gameplay will consist of fighting against basic enemies while maintaining a shared health bar until you reach the boss at the end of one of nine (secretly ten) levels. There are four difficulties: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum Modes. There will be various rest points at which you can save your game (though the game will autosave at the end of every level) and purchase power-ups with the money you've earned. Certain enemies and level breakables will drop star emblems as an alternative to money or power-ups, which fill up the Star Gauge to allow special attacks called Star Bursts. Every connected attack earns you EXP, and upon gaining enough, you go up a level and can upgrade your attributes: Strength, Defense, Speed, and the Star Power and HP meters. The maximum level is 60. There will also be an endless mode, a time trial mode for each level, and the option to use 3D graphics or the basic 2D pixelated graphics. There will also be a bonus game called Black Star Rhythm, where you choose one Broder and join the other four in a follow-the-leader dance with five difficulties; the higher the difficulty and the better you do, the more money you receive. There will be several cutscenes between levels, and they also adhere to the graphics (voices in 3D only).

Plot
Infinity City, named after a dream the founder of the town had of a voice claiming to be the infinite. It is 2015, and the potential for human growth and development is likewise limitless in this town. 2 months prior, atop Pinnacle Tower, an enormous flash of light emitted several particles of different shapes and colors, which spread all over the city. 30 people were hit by these particles and were split into multiple entities of themselves, thus the event was coined "The Great Divide". One young man named Quinton Broder was hit by a black star that emerged from the light and was split into five. After getting adjusted to living together, they, like many others who were split, were captured by unknown agents. After escaping using stolen technology, they discovered it was Gray Labs who had held them and the other victims of The Great Divide hostage, and so the five vowed to fight back as a team. Donning the name Black Star, based on the color of their weapons and the fact that a black star split Quinton apart, Blaine, Grant, Philip, Roland and York begin the fight to set the others free and stop Gray Labs' head scientist, Dr. Gray.

Controls
Control Stick/Pad: Move (flick to dash)

A: Attack

B: Jump

X: Special Attack/Team Combo/Action

Y: Star Burst

START: Pause

L/ZL: Character Switch (Left)

R/ZR: Character Switch (Right)

Wii U Gamepad Screen/Stylus: Access Power-Ups, Switch Kelvin Whip setting, Detonate Mine Boomers, Use Special Team Combos (use the stylus to draw a line between any of the two Broders and press X)

Power-Ups
Health: Food from Old Man Henry’s Food Truck (various +health), POWER-UP Soda (+1/2 health), POWER-MAX Soda (full health)

Power: Battery Charger (+1 strength for 1 minute), Power Magnet (+1 strength for 2 minutes), Plasma Canister (+2 strength for 2 minutes)

Defense: Basic Shield (+1 defense for 1 minute), Advanced Shield (+1 defense for 2 minutes), Premium Shield (+2 defense for 2 minutes)

Star Gauge: Superstar Candy (1 bar SP), Hyperstar Candy (3 bars SP)

Invincibility: Armor Orb (20 seconds invincibility)

Characters
Playable:

Blaine Broder: A 19-year old dance instructor at New Wave Studios. Blaine is the leader of the five Broders. Like the original, his eyes are blue and he has brown hair, but he added silver highlights to distinguish himself. He has all the traits of Quinton, but he represents Quinton's level-headedness, as he is not one to let himself get in a bad headspace on normal occasions. He can adopt that no-nonsense attitude, but is also one to indulge the others in entering fun situations. He has a deep resentment of Seth after Seth presented the possibility of him being fake, but is not one to dwell on grudges unless the opponent goes too far. His weapons are the AG Boots, which allow him flight and super speed. He can carry the others across gaps as well as fly up for aerial assaults. When using the flight capabilities, the Boost Gauge on the Wii U Gamepad will start to decrease, forcing a drop once depleted (it is implied that Blaine can fly for as long as he wants to, but to avoid overpowering a character, there is a limit). Blaine's Star Burst is the Boost Ring, which allows him to create a plasma ring from his boots that obliterates anything in its path, but it requires all 5 bars of Star Power to use. His special attack is the Axel Rush, which allows him to spin into an impenetrable tornado and slam into multiple enemies multiple times.

York Broder: A 19-year old martial arts assistant, he and Blaine help each other run the Studio and assist in Prime Dojo. York is the self-proclaimed second-in-command of the team. His eyes are yellow and he dyed his hair completely red. He represents Quinton's passion, but also his arrogance, as he tends to brag a lot and get easily angered. Still, he is very loyal to his team and gets along with them. His weapon is the Kelvin Whip, a machine that generates whips of plasma that can burn, freeze, or solidify to latch onto poles. When playing as him, the Wii U Gamepad has a notch to determine what setting he uses. He can use his whip to swing across gaps while carrying the others. York's Star Burst is the Flare/Frost Tornado, during which he swings his whip around to create tornadoes of intense heat or cold to burn or freeze his enemies. It requires 2 bars of Star Power. His special attack is the Whip Roller, with which he somersaults into the air to let his whip attack multiple times in a straight line.

Roland Broder: A 19-year old student attending Central College with the pursuit of a physics degree. Roland is the tactician of the team, often more observant than the others and quick to come up with a plan. His eyes are red and his hair is completely brown, just like the original Quinton. He represents Quinton's wisdom, but also his introversion, as he is shy about meeting new people. His weapon is the Torso Cannon, a metal plate that, when activated, attaches to Roland's torso and forms a harness that can provide impregnable shielding and a cannon from the center that fires Plasma Bombs, both of which have triggers that have extended to Roland's index fingers to allow him easy activation. He can fire said bombs at unbreakable walls to create small holes for the group to get through. Roland's Star Burst is the Plasma Nuke, which launches ten seconds after activating it and causes massive damage to anything on-screen. It requires 3 bars of Star Power. His special attack is the Plasma Mine, which allows him to create plasma bombs that don't detonate automatically if you hold down the X button. After using one, more will shoot out until the X button is released, and a detonation icon will then appear on the Wii U Gamepad; touching it will set all Plasma Mines off at once.

Philip Broder: A 19-year old delivery man, Philip is the sole employee of Old Man Henry's Food Truck and the muscle of Black Star, though he's just as intelligent as the others. His eyes are purple and he dyed his hair completely black. He represents Quinton's laid-back side, but also his thrill-seeking side; he is not one to worry about much, but jumps at the thought of having fun (though he can be serious when it comes to it). His weapon is the Teravolt Gloves, a pair of bracelets which, when he puts them on, cover his hand in a black film that provides super strength and electrical capabilities. He can use his punches to break down blast-proof walls, electrical fences, and the like. Philip's Star Burst is the Super Shockwave, which allows him to slam the ground and create a massive shockwave to damage enemies on both sides. It requires 2 bars of Star Power. His special attack is the Static Press, where he runs in a straight line, punching the ground and shocking any enemies he hits; once he reaches the edge of the screen, the move stops

Grant Broder: A 19-year old intern at Lacy Law Firm. Grant is the defender on the team, and apart from defending against attacks, he defends the team's morale. His eyes are green and his hair brown, though he added red highlights to distinguish himself. He represents Quinton's optimism, but also his oblivious side, as Grant is totally oblivious to the advances his boss, Scarlett makes on him. His weapon is the Saw Shield, a handle that creates blades that whip out to form a shield, then can shift their edges to create individual sharp edges. Using the lever on the inside of the handle allows him to spin the shield (edged or not), generating a plasma coating to block all kinds of attacks, even those ethereal. He can use his handle and shield like a catapult, launching the others and then himself across gaps, and use the saw to cut through the toughest bars or steel doors. Grant's Star Burst is the Hyper Drill, in which he jumps, drills into the ground, and comes back up to cause major damage to whoever's in his radius three times. It requires 3 bars of Star Power. His special attack is the Remote Shield, where he breaks the shield off the handle and guides it with the handle's remote. Holding down the special button will enable this technique, and using the Control Stick makes it fly around, damaging enemies. Releasing the special button will make the shield return to Grant.

Special Team Combos:

Blaine & York: Flare/Frost Cyclone (3 bars Star Power)

Blaine & Roland: Axel Boomer (2 bars Star Power)

Blaine & Philip: Axel Lightning Blitz (3 bars Star Power)

Blaine & Grant: Hyper Aerial Drill (4 bars Star Power)

York & Roland: Surprise Boomer (2 bars Star Power)

York & Philip: Dynamo Tornado (4 bars Star Power)

York & Grant: Spinning Razor Top (3 bars Star Power)

Roland & Philip: Mine Shot Put (2 bars Star Power)

Roland & Grant: Reflector Boomer (4 bars Star Power)

Philip & Grant: Static Press Catapult (3 bars Star Power)

Non-playable characters:

Aurora: An 18-year old girl Blaine and the others save from Elite Gray Labs Scientists. The five have no idea that she is secretly the director of the TPA (Terror Prevention Association), and though she lets Seth know of their existence, she does not approve of his actions against them. She is headstrong and determined, but also has her kind side. After getting to know Blaine, she starts considering having him and the others join the TPA, seeing as they have a common enemy in Chaos Gray, for reasons just as personal as Black Star.

Nancy: One of the students at Blaine and York's studio. She's really abrasive, but can really play the "girly-girl", especially when Seth kidnaps her.

Jake: Another student at Blaine and York's studio. He is very openly flaming, but he uses it as a mask for a more serious personality.

Mr. Yuki: Quinton's old martial arts instructor. Once informed there were five of him, he was more than happy to give them all black belts, acting as a mentor for them when the going gets rough.

Haruka: A freshman at Central College who is very warming but has high standards, especially when it comes to her ambition for a psychology degree. She not-so-secretly pines for Roland, who would return her feelings were it not for his shyness.

Leonard: A computer expert attending Central College, Leonard provides the Black Star group with intel and informs them when something's happening He's the one to go to for buying power-ups to be stored and used during levels.

Old Man Henry: The owner of Old Man Henry's Food Truck and Philip's boss. He may be lecherous for pretty young girls, but he's always ready to whip something up for Philip and the others to restore their health with.

Full Purple Gang: A group of former street thugs formerly led by Morpheus, Jack, Nack and Shaq are Philip's friends after he set them straight. They have a lot of street smarts and cred, so they can help the crew get where they need to go.

Scarlette Lacy: Brilliant attorney-at-law and Grant's boss. Due to her flirty nature, she often made passes at Grant, who didn't catch on, so she's determined to get him to fall for her. Her office acts as a home base for the crew, and is where they return after every level.

Seth: Kidnapped a month after his birth and raised in Gray Labs, Seth escaped at 15 and is now a 20-year old agent for TPA. Due to the enhancing chemicals used to accelerate his growth until the point of his birth, his eyes are orange and he grew up to gain the endurance and strength of a supersoldier. He can bench press buses, jump up ten stories, and endure several explosions. Growing up, he was convinced that his true name was Quinton Broder, so learning of five others who claim to come from Quinton Broder angered him and caused him to start coming after them to prove he was the real deal. He kidnaps several friends and co-workers of Blaine and the others in order to goad them into one last showdown with him, the final boss of the game.

Enemies:

Gray Labs Scientists: Standard attack: punching; Special attack: burning beakers

Elite Gray Labs Scientists: Standard attacks: punching, spin kick; Special attack: explosion beakers

Red Droids: Standard attack: claw punch; Special attack: standard laser

Blue Droids: Standard attack: claw kick; Special attack: double laser

Purple Droids: Standard attack: head charge; Special attack: heat laser

Gold Droids: Standard attacks: claw punch, claw kick, head charge; Special attacks: standard/double/heat laser

Mutant Experiments (Green): Standard attacks: punch, mutant dive

Mutant Experiments (Yellow): Standard attacks: punch, toxic dive

Mutant Experiments (Orange): Standard attacks: punch, paralysis dive

Mutant Experiments (Red): Standard attacks: punch, reverse dive

TPA Agents: Standard attacks: punch, jump kick, super laser cannon

Elite TPA Agents: Standard attacks: punch, jump kick, mega laser cannon

TPA Droids: Standard attacks: claw punch, claw kick, missile charge; Special attacks: laser meteor shower

Bosses:

Iron Max: A 30-year old lumberjack who was noted for his strength. He suffered an accident and had to receive iron prosthetic limbs and now, indebted to Chaos Gray, fights for Gray Labs. His iron limbs are strong, but ultimately weak against Roland's Bombs.

Robo-Fiend/Robo-Demon/Robo-Devil: An ever-evolving robot commanded by Chaos Gray himself. It has an arm that can change into a pitchfork in its first form, two in its second form, and it wields missile-launching pitchforks in its third form. It becomes bulkier and bulkier, consecutively doubling the damage from its fire breath and Magic Laser attacks. No matter what form it is in, however, it is weak to Blaine's Axel Rush.

Hydrake: A 25-year old mutant that was forcefully subjected to Gray Labs' tests on regeneration and multiplication. An accident caused Drake's body to change into water at will, and whenever he lost a body part, he'd grow two more. He is confused by all this, and thus easily forced into obeying Chaos Gray. He can create waterfalls and water spouts to attack Black Star. Due to being made of water, he is weak to Philip's electric attacks.

Fiona Heart: Once an ordinary 23-year old girl with men following her across states, Fiona Heart became filled with the idea that men were to be her slaves, and so she met with Chaos Gray and swore to serve him, so he gave her the power to send out ethereal arrows that force men to do her bidding. She can also turn the arrows into lasers for attacking. While the infatuation can immobilize most of the party, Grant is immune to her charms and his Remote Shield is Fiona's weakness.

Anjelly: 16-year old Angelica was a victim of The Great Divide, but Gray Labs' technology was able to cure her multiplied state by turning her into jelly. She can reform at will and look normal, but it is hard for her to retain her human state. Enraged at Chaos Gray for leaving her like this, she wants to use her new power to destroy him, but she goes insane and gets the urge to destroy everything else as well. She splits and bounces around, being able to shapeshift into a jelly hammer or jelly dumbbell to squish the players. She is weak to the heat from York's Kelvin Whip.

Morpheus: A former street thug of 25 who shared Chaos Gray's ideals of spreading fear, Morpheus volunteered to undergo testing and became the prototype shapeshifter, being able to transform into a colorless version of anyone. With these abilities come the abilities of the person he copies; he just needs a trace of their heat signature to be able to turn into someone whenever he wants. He uses a small missile launcher whenever he's himself, but for most of the boss fight, he transforms into previous bosses. However, due to requiring heat signatures to transform, he is weak to the cold from York's Kelvin Whip.

Chaos Gray: The main antagonist of the game, Chaos Gray has been trying to wipe out the Earth for centuries. All of his efforts have culminated in gaining power and minions to spread havoc and destruction. Chaos Gray can use powers identical to the ones of the weapons Blaine and the others stole, so his blocking prevents the heroes from defeating him (or even damaging him), until an accident occurs and he calls on his Robo, but when he is in the Robo-Fiend or another form, he doesn't do much except scoff at the heroes until his retreat at the end.

Stages
Level 1: Downtown Infinity City

Boss: 10 Elite Gray Labs Scientists

Level 2: Central College Quad

Boss: Iron Max

Level 3: Breaker Mines

Mini-Boss: Seth

Boss: Robo-Fiend

Level 4: Lakestone Beach

Boss: Hydrake

Level 5: Wildlife Preservation Forest

Mini-Boss: Chaos Gray

Boss: Robo-Demon

Level 6: Casino Violet

Boss: Fiona Heart

Level 7: Glacial Path

Mini-Boss: Seth

Boss: Anjelly

Level 8: Infinity City Sewers

Boss: Morpheus

Level 9: Gray Laboratories/Roof

Final Boss: Chaos Gray/Robo-Devil

Secret Level 10: TPA Base

True Final Boss: Seth (Star Gauge resets; fight automatically ends when using Star Burst as Blaine)

DLC
Seth Mode: There will be a downloadable gameplay mode in which Seth is, in fact, a playable character, but you play only as him. The story is set a month after the events of the main game, in which Chaos Gray tries his plot again: he has constructed a synthetic Seth to antagonize the original as well as take over TPA headquarters. With Black Star attending to some foreign matters, Seth takes on the challenge (though he would've done it if they hadn't been gone anyway). Also previous bosses appear along with synthetic copies of the bosses that were destroyed/defected from Chaos Gray before. Seth is able to do a spring jump to cross gaps, and can break through anything with his bare fists, unlike Black Star, who had to break it with their weapons. His Supersoldier Burst is the Dragoon Strike, in which he jumps high up, then a cursor appears on the ground; after it is there for five seconds, he slams onto the ground, instantly eliminating any enemies in its range. He does this 3 times in a row before returning to normal, and all three strikes must hit in order to defeat a boss. This requires 4 bars of Supersoldier Power. His special attack is the Homing Launcher, where he launches himself at the nearest onscreen enemy and deals enormous damage with a punch-kick combo. This can be done five times in succession.

Black Star Rhythm: In addition to the basic music used for the rhythm game, there will be several more songs available for download: hits like "Happy" or "Am I Wrong" for the Broders to dance to.

Alternate Costumes: Upon purchasing this download, alternate costumes will be available for when all difficulties of the Black Star Rhythm game are cleared with any one Broder. These costumes also allow for a greater increase in Star Power when said items are collected (this effect does not stack with multiple costumes). The costumes are:

Blaine: Phantom R costume (Rhythm Thief and the Emperor's Treasure)

York: Tron/Sark changing costume

Roland: Central College uniform costume

Philip: Little Mac costume

Grant: Captain America Tee costume

In addition, having unlocked all costumes grants one for Seth (after download or if he's already playable); sans the hair, Seth wears a Vegeta outfit.