is a 1984

vertically scrolling shooter A vertically scrolling video game or vertical scroller is a video game in which the Player (game), player views the field of play principally from a top-down perspective, while the background Scrolling, scrolls from the top of the screen to the b ...

video game A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...

developed and published by

Capcom is a Japanese video game company. It has created a number of critically acclaimed and List of best-selling video game franchises, multi-million-selling game franchises, with its most commercially successful being ''Resident Evil'', ''Monster ...

for arcades. Future rival

SNK is a Japanese video gaming and interactive entertainment company. It was founded in 1978 as by Eikichi Kawasaki and began by developing arcade games. SNK is known for its Neo Geo arcade system on which the company established many franchises ...

released the game outside Japan. The game was

's first arcade video game. The game is included in ''

Capcom Classics Collection is a video game compilation developed and published by Capcom for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. It was developed by Backbone Entertainment, Sensory Sweep, and its Japanese developer Klein Computer Entertainment. A second volume, ''Capcom Class ...

'' and was released as

freeware Freeware is software, often proprietary, that is distributed at no monetary cost to the end user. There is no agreed-upon set of rights, license, or EULA that defines ''freeware'' unambiguously; every publisher defines its own rules for the free ...

in 2002. A

Nintendo Entertainment System The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan on 15 July 1983 as the and was later released as the redesigned NES in several test markets in the ...

sequel was developed, but never released. A playable ROM has surfaced online.

Gameplay

The player controls a spaceship with a single objective: destroy incoming enemies. The vessel has two different weapons: a primary weapon with infinite ammunition and a limited supply of bombs. By picking up the "Pow" icons, which sporadically appear throughout the levels, the player can replenish supplies. Similar to ''

Xevious is a 1983 vertically scrolling shooter video game developed and published by Namco for arcades. It was released in Japan by Namco and in North America by Atari, Inc. Controlling the Solvalou starship, the player attacks Xevious forces befor ...

'', the game does not have distinct levels; the background alternates between the surface of a planet and a space field. The game repeats with increased difficulty until the player loses all of their lives.

Reception

According to ''Game Machine'', ''Vulgus'' was among the most popular arcade games in Japan during June 1984. In ''

Play Meter ''Play Meter'' (initially ''Coin Industry Play Meter'') was an American trade magazine focusing on the coin-op amusement arcade industry, including jukebox and arcade game machines. It was founded in December 1974 by publisher and editor Ralph C ...

'' magazine, Roger C. Sharpe gave it a generally favorable review and rated it three hashes.

Legacy

A follow-up game, ''Titan Warriors'', originally known as ''Neo Vulgus'', was in development for the Nintendo Entertainment System, but was not released. In 2001, Capcom released ''Vulgus'' as freeware for IBM PCs and PDAs. ''Vulgus'' is available in the compilation title '' Capcom Generation 3'' for the

PlayStation is a video gaming brand owned and produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), a division of Japanese conglomerate Sony. Its flagship products consists of a series of home video game consoles produced under the brand; it also consists ...

and

Saturn Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest in the Solar System, after Jupiter. It is a gas giant, with an average radius of about 9 times that of Earth. It has an eighth the average density of Earth, but is over 95 tim ...

. The game is included in the 2005 ''

'' for the

PlayStation 2 The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October, in Europe on 24 Novembe ...

and

Xbox Xbox is a video gaming brand that consists of four main home video game console lines, as well as application software, applications (games), the streaming media, streaming service Xbox Cloud Gaming, and online services such as the Xbox networ ...

in '' Capcom Classics Collection Reloaded'' for the

PlayStation Portable The PlayStation Portable (PSP) is a handheld game console developed and marketed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 12, 2004, in North America on March 24, 2005, and in PA ...

and as a bonus game at ''

Capcom Arcade Cabinet ''Capcom Arcade Cabinet'' is a video game compilation developed by M2 and published by Capcom in 2013 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The compilation comprises 17 games initially released by Capcom between 1984 and 1987, which were distribut ...

''. The ''Pow'' icon is re-used in many other Capcom games, like '' 1941: Counter Attack'', ''

Bionic Commando ''Bionic Commando'' is a series of Platformer, platform video games developed and owned by Capcom. Unique from other platformers, the player character is unable to jump, instead using a bionic arm to cross gaps and climb ledges. The player char ...

'', and ''

Savage Bees ''Savage Bees'', released as in Japan, is a 1985 vertically scrolling shooter video game developed and published by Capcom. It was released on the Family Computer by Tokuma Shoten the same year as simply ''Exed Exes''. Gameplay ''Exed Exes ...

''. Likewise, the Yashichi enemy has made later appearances in many Capcom games, usually in a more benign role as a power-up. Valgas, a boss character from the '' Power Stone'' series, has his name based on this game. In '' Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds'',

Deadpool Deadpool is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Fabian Nicieza and Rob Liefeld, the character first appeared in ''New Mutants'' #98 (December 1990). In his comic book appearances, Deadpool is ...

reveals that he is petitioning for Capcom to make ''Vulgus 2''.

Notes

References

External links

* {{KLOV game, id=10382 1984 video games Arcade video games Cancelled Nintendo Entertainment System games Capcom games Freeware games Multiplayer and single-player video games PlayStation Network games Vertically scrolling shooters Video games developed in Japan Windows games Xbox 360 Live Arcade games