Description
This is a capture of me playing through GG Aleste 3 for the Sega Game Gear. This is being played through the Aleste Collection for the Switch. I’m playing on normal difficulty.
Here’s the final GG Aleste game. GG Aleste 3 is something of a miracle because although GG Aleste II was released in 1993, GG Aleste 3 wasn’t released until 2020 as part of the Aleste Collection (and only in Japan), which was decades after the Game Gear had been discontinued. Yet GG Aleste 3 was made to run on actual Game Gear hardware, although no cartridge was released for the handheld. Instead, GG Aleste 3 was offered on the Game Gear mini that was released alongside the Aleste Collection.
Some people have questioned the wisdom of making a modern shmup with handheld limitations, but I think it’s a neat idea that keeps the game relatively simple and straightforward. It was one of the reasons I decided to get the Aleste Collection.
GG Aleste 3 feels a bit more like the first GG Aleste overall (bombs weren’t brought back from the second game), but you still have the shield from GG Aleste II. GG Aleste 3 is arguably a bit more challenging than the prior games, but if you can master GG Aleste II, you can master this game. There are some neat gameplay ideas here and there, but GG Aleste 3 doesn’t do anything to redefine the shmup genre.
Graphically, this game definitely pushes the Game Gear hardware to the limits, but it also suffers from some slowdown (which actually helps quite a bit for dodging enemy bullets). The soundtrack is also decent, but nothing special. Overall, GG Aleste 3 is a nice addition to the series, and a welcome bonus to the Aleste Collection.
For this playthrough I relied on the homing shot (Chain Chaser), similar to my playthrough of the first game. I find that it works best for dealing with all the swarming enemies, particularly on the later stages. Anyway, enjoy.
Recorded with the Elgato Game Capture HD60 and the Switch's HDMI cable at native 1080p resolution and 60 frames per second. I'm using a retro-bit Sega Genesis 8-button Arcade Pad (2.4 GHz Wireless version).