Thread by @MegaDriveShock

Gunstar Heroes fans:

I've discovered the origin to one of the game's most interesting secrets.

Remember Stage 6's Timeron challenge? Last a whopping 100 real-time minutes against swarms of bullets to unlock the 'satori' message. (1/6)

#SEGA #Genesis #MegaDrive #RetroGaming

Here’s a recording and detailed breakdown of the challenge:



Crazy, right? So what’s the origin? (2/6)

The Gunstar Heroes Timeron challenge is actually a reference to a very obscure game for the Sharp X68000 called ‘Satori: Shooting Practice Program’ from 1991 by Dry.

Thus the ‘YOU OPEN THE - SATORI MIND -’ message.

Satori (悟り, by the way, means 'enlightenment.'(3/6)

Satori: Shooting Practice Program is nearly undocumented on the internet, but there is a single short video on Youtube:



And yes, the player sprite is a X68000 tower. (4/6)

How can I be sure this is the origin of the Timeron challenge?

In the original Gunstar Heroes design proposal, there is a handwritten note in the margin:

‘X68 bullet-dodging Satori’ (5/6)

The Satori note appears in the section of the proposal related to the Dice Palace, so it may have originally been intended as a mini-challenge there.

In fact, in the GH prototype, there is a door labeled 'Heaven' in the Dice Palace. (6/6)