The standard modes (Normal, Hard, and Expert) have been rebalanced to be more accessible, and the "True Ending" can now be unlocked on Normal difficulty.
| Platform | Release | Features | |----------|---------|----------| | Arcade (Sega RingWide) | 2009 | Original version (no EX) | | Xbox 360 (XBLA) | 2011 | EX version, leaderboards | | PC (Steam) | 2013 | EX, achievements, cloud saves | | PC (GOG) | 2023 | DRM-free, EX | | Nintendo Switch | 2024 | EX, portable mode, co-op | Strania La Stella Machina EX
It is tempting to save your "Tune" for level 3. Don't. The weapon progression resets when you die. Use a Tune immediately at the start of a level to get a powerful laser, then collect the orbs again. By the time you lose that laser, you’ll have another Tune ready. The standard modes (Normal, Hard, and Expert) have
Strania -The Stella Machina- EX is a high-octane, robot-themed vertical shoot-'em-up (shmup) developed by , the studio behind genre classics like Border Down and Under Defeat . Originally debuting in arcades and on Xbox Live Arcade in 2011, the "EX" version is an enhanced definitive edition released for the Nintendo Switch on January 23, 2025 . Key Features of the EX Version The weapon progression resets when you die
The most significant addition in the EX version is the inclusion of as a playable character. Originally the protagonist, Shoma is joined by Tatsuma , who utilizes a variant mech. This addition is not merely cosmetic; it changes the scoring dynamic significantly.
However, the secret weapon is the audio. G.rev brought in (composer for Final Fantasy X and DewPrism ) and Masafumi Takada (composer for Killer7 and No More Heroes ). The result is a soundtrack that sounds like industrial metal clashing with a gothic choir. When you activate a "Tune" in the middle of a boss fight, the music changes tempo to match your invincibility frames. It’s a synesthetic experience rarely achieved in the genre.
The Stranian forces launch a desperate counter-offensive against the massive Vower machines. After narrow escapes from exploding enemy fortresses, the story often culminates in a final stand against the Vower commander, Yosemite. Side Vower (The Machine Reclamation): Protagonists: The Vower forces fight to reclaim land they hold sacred.