Ristar

About

Ristar is a 1995 platformer from Sega that tasks you with controlling a stretchy star-shaped hero. You'll grapple across levels, smash enemies, and solve puzzles using Ristar's elastic limbs. The game follows a space pirate's plot to brainwash planets, with a story that changed between Japanese and English releases. Combat and exploration blend in a side-scrolling adventure that leans into fast movement and precise jumps. Though initially overlooked due to the Sega Genesis's decline, Ristar has gained a cult following. It resurfaced on multiple platforms including PC, mobile, and retro consoles. With simple mechanics and colorful visuals, it appeals to fans of 90s platformers. Its re-releases and occasional cameos in Sega games hint at lasting charm. Community ratings average around 7.5/10, praising its gameplay but noting dated presentation.

Storyline

Much like other games from the same timeframe, such as Gunstar Heroes, the game's story varied between the Japanese language release and its English language counterpart. In all versions of the game, the events take place in the Valdi System, where an evil space pirate, Kaiser Greedy, has used mind control to make the planets' leaders obey him. In the Japanese version, the inhabitants of Planet Neer (Flora in the English-language version) pray for a hero before Greedy's mind control minion, Rhio, snatches the planet elder. The desperate prayers reach the nebula of the Star Goddess, Oruto. She awakens one of her children, Ristar, with the sole purpose of granting the wishes of the innocent people. He must stop Greedy and the brainwashed leaders of each world in the galaxy to restore peace to the galaxy. In the English-language version, Oruto is omitted altogether. Instead, Ristar has a father figure, the Legendary Hero, who is a shooting star that protects the Valdi System. Rather than Oruto awakening Ristar, the Legendary Hero was kidnapped by Greedy, and it is up to Ristar to rescue his father as well.