Karous

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2021}} {{More citations needed|date=April 2010}} {{Short description|2006 video game}} {{Infobox video game | title = Karous | image = Karous DC cover.jpg | caption = | developer = MileStone Inc. | publisher = Sega (arcade) MileStone Inc. (DC) | designer = | series = | engine = | released = '''Arcade'''{{vgrelease|JP|November 15, 2006}}'''Dreamcast'''{{vgrelease|JP|March 8, 2007}} | genre = Vertical-scrolling shooter | modes = Single-player | arcade system = Sega NAOMI | platforms = Arcade Dreamcast Nintendo Wii Microsoft Windows PlayStation 4 PlayStation 5 Nintendo Switch }} '''''Karous''''' (カラス, ''karasu'', "crows") is a vertical-scrolling shooter video game developed by MileStone Inc. for the Sega NAOMI platform and released in Japanese arcades on November 15, 2006. The game was later ported to the Sega Dreamcast, becoming the system's last officially licensed title when it was released in Japan on March 8, 2007.

==Gameplay== The weapon system is based on ''Radio Allergy'', but it uses a unique D.F.S. bomb system.

Bombs can be used when SP gauge is full. When a bomb is activated, a barrier surrounds the player, which can damage enemies within the barrier. For the duration of bomb activation, the player is invulnerable. Enemies destroyed by the barrier provide more experience points to the player.

The player's shot, sword, shield can be upgraded by using experience items dropped from enemies, with a maximum of 100 levels. Weapon levels also act as score multipliers.

===Characters=== *Karous (カラス) – Player's ship pilot *Shigi (シギ) – Navigator *Akahara (アカハラ(赤原)) *Hakugan (ハクガン(剥眼))

==''Release''== On April 8, 2008, a Nintendo Wii version of the game was released in Japan, titled ''MileStone Shooting Collection: Karous Wii''. The collection includes both ''Radirgy'' and ''Chaos Field'' as extras.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cubed3.com/news/7482/|title=Video Game Reviews & Features - Switch, 3DS, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, PC - Cubed3|access-date=August 23, 2007|archive-date=May 18, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070518061719/http://www.cubed3.com/news/7482/|url-status=live}}</ref> This collection was released in the United States in February 2009 by UFO Interactive Games under the name ''Ultimate Shooting Collection''.<ref>https://shootthecore.blogspot.com/2008/07/ultimate-shooting-collection-for-wii.html {{User-generated source|date=August 2022}}</ref>

Ports of the game to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch were released on November 27, 2025, exclusively in Japan.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Romano |first=Sal |date=2025-07-24 |title=Karous for PS5, PS4, and Switch launches November 27 in Japan |url=https://www.gematsu.com/2025/07/karous-for-ps5-ps4-and-switch-launches-november-27-in-japan |access-date=2026-04-02 |website=Gematsu |language=en-US}}</ref> This version was later released worldwide for Microsoft Windows on Steam on January 22, 2026.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Romano |first=Sal |date=2026-01-19 |title=Karous for PC launches January 22 |url=https://www.gematsu.com/2026/01/karous-for-pc-launches-january-22 |access-date=2026-04-02 |website=Gematsu |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Reception== ''Famitsu'' gave the Dreamcast version a review of 6, 6, 6, 7,{{Citation needed|date=March 2007}} while ''Edge'' gave it 6 out of 10.<ref>Edge issue 175, dated May 2007</ref> The game marks the last official third-party release for the Dreamcast platform.

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20120709050829/http://www.mile-stone.co.jp/product/krs/krs_top.html MileStone page] (in Japanese) *[https://web.archive.org/web/20120212234218/http://am.sega.jp/utop/closeup/karous_01.html Sega arcade page] *[http://sega.jp/dc/070301/home.shtml Sega Dreamcast page] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20070422114330/http://shootthecore.moonpod.com/2006/10/karous-movie-from-milestone.html Demo video of the game]

Category:2006 video games Category:Dreamcast games Category:MileStone Inc. games Category:Nintendo 3DS eShop games Category:Nintendo 3DS games Category:Sega arcade games Category:Sega video games Category:Single-player video games Category:Vertically scrolling shooters Category:Video games about revenge Category:Video games developed in Japan Category:Video games featuring female protagonists