Software:Xardion

From HandWiki
  • Xardion - The ultimate mecha cyborg. Xardion is gained later in the game, and replaces Panthera after the latter gets destroyed by concentrated hydrochloric acid in NGC-1611. Fires a blast from its arm appendage.

Gameplay

While possessing the typical qualities of action platformers at the time it was made (jump, duck, shoot etc.), Xardion made use of a few novel elements. Additionally, the game had a role-playing element where experience points could be accrued by defeating enemies and bosses, and each level up increased the player's maximum life and special ability points.

During the game, the player takes control of one of three available robot forms. Each form represents one of the three inhabited worlds in the system: Alcedes, from Fiera; Triton, from Oceansphere, and Panthera, from Hollowsphere.

Each form has its own particular abilities and weaknesses. For example, Panthera is less than half the height of the others and, as such, can enter narrow passages to collect items. Additionally, each form possesses its own health and special ability points, and must be upgraded separately from the others. This is equivalent to a 'tag team' game mechanic, where one heavily damaged character can be swapped instantly for another.

Eventually, one of the robot forms is replaced by Xardion, which combines the abilities of all three previous forms and exceeds them. Xardion only becomes available near the end of the game, but joins the team at level one. An obstruction that can only be cleared by a sufficiently-leveled Xardion forces the player to return to earlier levels in order to gain levels and develop special abilities.

Development and release

The game's main mecha designs were designed by Moriki Yasuhiro, who also worked on designing Zeorymer for the OAV Hades Project Zeorymer and Hajime Katoki, who created major designs of the Mobile Suits from the Gundam franchise.[1] Animation studio Gainax also provided input on the game.[1]

The game was released in Japan on March 20, 1992.[2] It was released in North America in April 1992.[3] The English script was written by Robert Woodhead, who had previously worked on the Wizardry series.[1]

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
AllGame3/5[4]
Consoles +43%[6]
Famitsu21/40[2]
Joypad52%[8]
Mega Fun47/100[10]
Total!27%[11]
Video Games (DE)37%[12]
Play Time48%[14]
Super Pro76%[15]

Xardion received a 20.46/30 score in a 1993 readers' poll conducted by Super Famicom Magazine, ranking among Super Famicom titles at the number 165 spot.[16] The game received mixed reception from crtics.[2][17][18]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Xardion – Hardcore Gaming 101" (in en-US). http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/xardion/. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "NEW GAMES CROSS REVIEW: 超攻合神サーディオン" (in ja). Famitsu (ASCII Corporation) (171): 39. March 27, 1992. https://archive.org/details/famitsu-0171/page/39/mode/1up.  (Transcription by Famitsu.com. ).
  3. ↑ "SNES games". 2008-09-20. http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/gameslist/manuals/snes_games.pdf. 
  4. ↑ Weiss, Brett Alan (1998). "Xardion - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=108&tab=review. 
  5. ↑ Suck, Michael (September 1992). "Konsole: In der Muppet-Show" (in de). Aktueller Software Markt (Tronic Verlag) 7 (9): 130. https://archive.org/details/Aktueller_Software_Markt_-_Ausgabe_1992.09/page/n125/mode/1up. 
  6. ↑ Hermellin, François (March 1992). "Super Famicom Review: Xardion" (in fr). Consoles + (fr) (Editions Mondiales S.A.) (7): 90–91. https://archive.org/details/Console_Plus_Numero_007/page/90/mode/2up. 
  7. ↑ Firme, Matthew A. (July 1992). "Review: Xardion". Game Players Nintendo Guide (GP Publications) 5 (7): 64. https://archive.org/details/game-players-nintendo-guide-vol.-5-no.-07-july-1992/page/n65/mode/1up. 
  8. ↑ Demoly, Jean-Marc; Morisse, Jean-François (May 1992). "Super Famicom: Xardion" (in fr). Joypad (magazine) (fr) (Challenge SARL) (8): 156–157. https://archive.org/details/joypad-magazine-008/page/n155/mode/2up. 
  9. ↑ Demoly, Jean-Marc (May 1992). "Consoles News: Xardion" (in fr). Joystick (Sipress) (27): 148. https://archive.org/details/joystick027/page/n147/mode/1up. 
  10. ↑ Weidner, Martin; Noak, Philipp (July 1992). "Spieletest: Xardion" (in de). Mega Fun (de) (Computec) (2): 17. https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File%3AMegaFun_DE_1992-07.pdf&page=17. 
  11. ↑ Jarratt, Steve (September 1992). "SNES Reviews: Xardion". Total! (Future Publishing) (9): 66. https://archive.org/details/total-9-september-1992/page/66/mode/1up. 
  12. ↑ Knauf, Andreas (July 1992). "Test: Xardion" (in de). Video Games (magazine) (de) (Markt & Technik) (8): 95. https://archive.org/details/video-games-de-1992-07/page/n92/mode/1up. 
  13. ↑ Mandel, Josh (April 1992). "Video-Game Reviews: Xardion". VideoGames & Computer Entertainment (Larry Flynt Publications) (39): 48–50. https://archive.org/details/video-games-computer-entertainment-issue-39-april-1992/page/48/mode/1up. 
  14. ↑ Reischmann, Robert (November 1993). "Marios Magic: Xardion" (in de). Play Time (magazine) (de) (Computec) (17): 84. https://archive.org/details/play-time-1992-11/Play%20Time%201992-11/page/n83/mode/1up. 
  15. ↑ "A-Z of Import Games". Super Pro (Paragon Publishing) (1): 94–97. December 1992. https://archive.org/details/super-pro-01/page/32/mode/1up. 
  16. ↑ Super Famicom Magazine (August 1, 1993). "ゲーム通信簿" (in ja). 90年11月から'93年6月21日発売までの323本を収録!! スーパーファミコンオールカタログ'93 (special supplement). Tokuma Shoten. p. 20. 
  17. ↑ Harris, Steve; Semrad, Ed; Alessi, Martin; Williams, Ken (April 1992). "Review Crew: Xardion". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Sendai Publishing) (33): 24. https://archive.org/details/Electronic_Gaming_Monthly_033/page/n23/mode/1up. 
  18. ↑ Bro' Buzz (April 1992). "Super NES Pro Review: Xardion". GamePro (IDG) (33): 64. https://archive.org/details/GamePro_Issue_033_April_1992/page/n65/mode/1up. 



Retrieved from "https://handwiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Software:Xardion&oldid=3956114"