History VideoGame / KeroBlaster

->'''Comomo''': ''"...What exactly is his job again?"''
->'''Sasuke''': ''"His job...? Hmm..."''
->'''Sasuke''': ''"...Custodial Sciences."''

!Tropes found in this game:

** [[spoiler:"Dark 2" (the giant Negativus Legatia blob)]] serves as this in normal mode, where it's supposedly the source of [[spoiler:the Negativus Legatia]], but after defeating it, Kaeru's exit is interrupted, and the problem becomes infinitely worse by the time he makes it back.
** Since Zangyou mode contains redesigned levels and a completely different storyline with a new final boss, the final boss of Normal mode is this for the game overall.

* {{Expy}}: The first boss, the Shield Plant, is one of Omega from ''VideoGame/CaveStory''. Aside from being a giant plant monster instead of a sand monster, it has the same attack pattern from Omega: immune to damage until the two halves of its shell open up to expose its weak points and fire projectiles into the air.

* FunnyAnimal: The protagonist is a frog, and his boss and his scientist co-worker are both cats.

* FliesEqualsEvil: When [[spoiler:Nanao is possessed, she]] becomes surrounded by flies in addition to suffering from BodyHorror. They even serve as attack animals in [[spoiler:Nanao's boss fight]].

* GiantSpaceFleaFromNowhere: Several of the bosses. Most strikingly, the bizarre [[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext alarm clock/bird monster that you fight from the back of a train while it chases the train]].

* LevelInTheClouds: The setting of ''Pink Heaven''. Also, [[spoiler:the final boss arena]] in Zangyou mode in the game proper.
* LighterAndSofter: Surprisingly, the story of Zangyou Mode is this relative to that of Normal Mode. It revolves around a shadowy figure and his mysterious "work producing machine". It has some creepy elements, but not to the same extent as Normal Mode's story.

* MinusWorld: [[spoiler:The "glitched" Kuro Blaster areas in Omake Mode]] pay homage to this phenomenon.

** The final boss of hard mode is also a three-phase fight. Unlike in the normal mode, you must beat all three phases in one life.

* TickTockTune: The music for the Trayne Station level starts with a steady ticking sound before the music proper starts. The track is titled "Time Table", and the level has a lot of clocks lying around.

''Kero Blaster'' is a RunAndGun action Main/{{Platformer}} made by Creator/StudioPixel, starring a frog salaryman. It is his first major game since ''VideoGame/CaveStory'', and features a similar gameplay style, though it ditches the {{Metroidvania}}-lite design in favor of discrete levels.

** A lot of the theme and story concept of ''VideoGame/KeroBlaster'' appear to be inspired by the many years Pixel spent working at an office job with a company that produced (non-game) software.

* CoolShades: Nanao wears these, though a flashback in Zangyou Mode shows that she didn't always have them.

* DoubleJump: The [[JumpJetPack jetpack]] grants this. Notably, depending on how you're moving when you activate it, it'll either work as a diagonal boost or an upwards boost.

* GiantEnemyCrab: The Work Producing Machine seen in Zangyou Mode appears to be primarily based on a laser printer, but its pincer-like appendages make it reminiscent of this trope as well.

* MagikarpPower

* NamelessNarrative: Most of the game is this. The company president is simply known as "[[EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep The President]]", while the protagonist and his co-workers don't even seem to have a title they are referred to by. However, there is [[https://youtu.be/KJNRktZ2X0o?t=2m59s a secret cast roll]] (found after [[spoiler:finishing the final glitched area in Omake Mode]]) that lists names for the characters, and the bosses have names listed in the code (the names can be found on [[http://www.cavestory.org/pixels-works/kero-blaster.php this page]]).

* {{Salaryman}}: The frog protagonist is characterized as a necktie wearing employee of a small corporation headed by a cranky boss. Unlike most salaryman jobs, he deals with paperwork by blasting it to bits and hunting down the one responsible for spawning all the overtime paperwork in his office.

** The reason for all the cats and frogs, which Pixel has always liked.[[note]]The Cave Story fansite has a collection of pixel artworks by him dating all the way back to 2003 titled [[http://www.cavestory.org/pixels-works/neko-100.php Neko 100]], which features 100 different pixel artworks of cats, one of which is clearly a frog wearing a cat mask (and also a tie, giving him a significant resemblance to Kaeru).[[/note]]
** A lot of the theme and story concept of the game appear to be inspired by the many years Pixel spent working at an office job with a company that produced (non-game) software.

* FlyingSaucer: The final (and only) boss of ''Pink Heaven'' is one.

** In Pink Hour, you need to keep the Important Document intact for the best ending. The document shields you from damage and breaks just like the jacket does.

* OfficeLady: Comomo serves as one. It's not clear what exactly she is, except that she's pink.
* OneWingedAngel: The final boss of Zangyou mode does this for the third phase of the fight, abandoning his previous roughly humanoid form to turn into a [[MindScrew giant angry face that shoots telephones.]]

* ParasolParachute: Comomo gets one in ''Pink Heaven'' if you choose a certain option while talking to Mizutani at the end of Stage 1. [[spoiler:It’s required to get the better of the two endings.]]

* {{Salaryman}}: The frog protagonist is characterized as one of these.

* SingleUseShield: The jacket. In addition to protecting you from a single hit, it's also warm and quite dapper!

** In Pink Hour, this applies to the boss at the end of the game. You can bypass it by [[spoiler: just jumping over it]].

** In Zangyou mode, Sasuke, Comomo, and Kaeru try to go on their vacation anyway (the continue prompt now asking Kaeru if he wants to keep trying his work or just take off with the other two for vacay) to the hot spring, but get chewed out by President Nanao and are refused entry. The game over screen proper features Sasuke and Kaeru back at the office doing heaps of work instead of the cozy vacation they planned.

** ''Cave Story'' features modern elements (The Doctor, and killer robots in the backstory) invading a fantasy setting (a floating island home to rabbit-like Mimigas [[spoiler:and magicians]]). ''Kero Blaster'' features fantasy elements ([[spoiler:the Negativus Legatia]]) invading a modern-day setting ([[spoiler:a corporate office]] and various areas that you get teleported to including a laboratory and a hotel under construction).

** ''Cave Story'' features modern elements (The Doctor, and killer robots in the backstory) invading a fantasy setting (a floating island full of rabbit-like Mimigas). ''Kero Blaster'' features fantasy elements ([[spoiler:the Negativus Legatia]]) invading a modern-day setting ([[spoiler:a corporate office]] and various areas that you get teleported to).

** In Zangyou mode, Sasuke, Comomo, and Kaeru try to go on their vacation anyway (the continue prompt now asking Kaeru if he wants to keep trying his work or just take off with the other two for vacay) to the hot spring, but get chewed out by President Nanao and are refused entry.

** In Zangyou mode, then Sasuke, Comomo, and Kaeru try to go on their vacation anyway to the hot spring, but get chewed out by President Nanao and are refused entry.

The plot of the game is fairly simple. You play as a frog {{salaryman}} named Kaeru, who works as Cat & Frog Inc. (the "cat" part being fulfilled by his boss, President Nanao), a company that produces and manages teleporters. His current assignment is to clean up blocked teleporters in four major areas, though it quickly becomes clear that there's a far bigger problem to deal with. An update to the game added a extra storyline where Kaeru handles an inordinate amount of work to prepare for a company vacation.

* DefeatEqualsExplosion: The final boss. {{Deconstructed}}, as it results in the protagonist spending the epilogue in the hospital wearing a body cast. Oddly enough however, [[spoiler:the other employees of C&F Inc.]], who were ''inside'' said boss at the time of the explosion, emerge with no serious injuries.

''Kero Blaster'' is a RunAndGun action platformer made by Creator/StudioPixel, starring a frog salaryman. It is his first major game since ''VideoGame/CaveStory'', and features a similar gameplay style, though it ditches the {{Metroidvania}}-lite design in favor of discrete levels.

* AutoRevive: Dying from regular damage (as opposed to pits/crushing) while holding a Heart Jar will revive you with four hearts.

** In the final level of normal mode, Kaeru has to do this to [[spoiler:his boss.]]
** In Zangyou Mode, he has to do this to [[spoiler: Nanao's former boss]].
* BlobMonster: The "Negativus Legatia". Also known simply as the "things".
* BeamSpam: The third form of the first weapon is the Lazer, which fires a powerful DeathRay which on a clean hit is the deadliest single projectile in the game, but has a slow rate of fire. The fourth and final form is the Lazer Uzi, whose shots are ''very slightly'' weaker individually but can fire more than twice as fast.

* BossRush: The final challenge of Omake Mode is a gauntlet of fights against all eight main bosses from the normal mode.

* BrutalBonusLevel: Omake Mode is actually pretty easy due to having all your weapons from the start... except for the secret areas, which combine CheckpointStarvation with outright defiance of the normal rules of the game.

* DoppelgangerSpin: [[spoiler:The final boss's second form pulls this off.]]

* {{Expy}}: The first boss is one of Omega from ''VideoGame/CaveStory''.

* PetMonstrosity: [[spoiler:The final boss of Normal Mode is Nanao's office pet, a Negativus Legatia that grows massive (and glitchy) over the course of the story.]]

* AlmightyJanitor: Played straight with Kaeru. His job is officially listed as "custodial sciences" (read: janitor) and his only real job is to go out and clean teleporters. However, since the teleporters are housed in areas that are apparently quite hostile, he's armed to the teeth, and seems to do the most actual work around the company (he's even half of the name).

* MythologyGag: The second hard mode level in ''Pink Heaven'' looks very similar to the Sacred Grounds from ''VideoGame/CaveStory''.

* ThePawnsGoFirst: The boss fight in the Greenery Zone starts with Kaeru fighting the one-eyed mudmen enemies that appear late in the level as they pop out of the mud; killing one takes off health from the boss's life bar. After enough of them are killed, a KingMook version of the mudmen (known in the code as "Gorgon") burrows out of the ground, and uses the rest of the life bar as its health.]]

* SurpriseCreepy: The game's description is "An indie classically-styled 2D side scrolling action game packed with adventure. Starring a salaryman (bipedal frog) who collects a variety of weapons, fights outlandish monsters and visits strange lands on his business trips." From the silly sounding premise, you would expect a lighthearted game. You wouldn't expect it to have [[spoiler:a swarm of {{Blob Monster}} nearly bringing about the downfall of civilization, and the protagonist's boss getting possessed and [[BodyHorror horribly deformed]] by one of them.]] It develops a vaguely ominous feel fairly early on, and only grows creepier as the game progresses.

* SpiritualSuccessor: To ''VideoGame/CaveStory''. Both are RunAndGun type games using a strong {{Retraux}} aesthetic with a variety of unique upgradeable weapons, and a healthy dose of SurpriseCreepy. Also, a few of the music tracks in it are remixed from ''Cave Story''.

* ChainReactionDestruction: The bosses die this way, complete with a big boom at the end.

* ArrangeMode:There are two alternate modes unlockable after clearing the main game. The first, "Zangyou Mode" (technically the second since it was added in an update, but post-update it's the first to be unlocked), is a remixed campaign that includes a new story, with much higher difficulty, tougher bosses, and a completely new final level. Clearing that mode allows you to create a save file for "Omake Mode", which is a more standard alternate mode where you go through every level of normal mode with all weapon upgrades carried over and health reset to [[OneHitPointWonder a single heart]], though more health can still be bought. This mode ends with a BossRush with all of the main game's bosses, and [[spoiler:the game's InfinityPlusOneSword, the Kuro Blaster, can be found and upgraded in new secret areas]].