Sakura Stars

Sakura Stars is an 8-bit horizontal shoot ’em up about defending humanity from supernatural beings. When hordes of Youkai threaten the world, the Tanukis send a messenger to choose human girls who receive magical powers and become the Sakura Stars. You fight through enemy waves and face Youkai girls at the end of each level.

Characters and combat

You can choose from three characters, each with a different shooting pattern and speed. The player character has a small hitbox, shown as a circle, while enemy shots can fill the screen and form patterns with closely spaced shots. Enemy waves follow fixed patterns that you can memorize, as in old arcade games.

Levels and style

The game has four retro-style levels. Its anime-inspired pixel art is drawn pixel by pixel using a 16-color palette. Made with Pico-8, a fictional virtual console designed to impose the limitations and low resolution of the 8-bit era, the game pairs this look with chiptune music to create a casual, relaxed atmosphere. The soundtrack is by classical music authors.