ActRaiser

The wonderful classical score reminded me of Zelda; very elegant and pleasant to listen to. I have to give Actraiser a lot of credit for being two fine games intermingled into one superb package.

Actraiser is a delightful game and it doesn't fail to impress. It is reminiscent of the good old days of addictive, fun and simple gameplay. It cleverly welds together two different genres and, despite being simplified compared to other bigger games, still brings the right amount of ingredients to take the style to a new ground.

Technisch ist "ActRaiser" trotz seines Alters immer noch sehr bemerkenswert. Die Grafik ist schön bunt und sehr detailliert, der Soundtrack bombastisch und die Spielbarkeit nach wie vor vorzüglich. Ich kann es bedenkenlos als eines der Vorzeigespiele für das Super Nintendo bezeichnen. Ich habe es schon öfters durchgespielt, vor kurzem erst auf meinem Super Famicom, und es hat mich immer wieder von neuem in den Bann gezogen. "ActRaiser" ist absolut göttlich! Kein Super Nintendo- bzw. Super Famicom-Fan sollte sich dieses Spiel entgehen lassen!

Even today this still plays like a dream. It's amazing how well the two portions of the game gel together and while the visuals have lost some of their impact, Actraiser remains easy on the eye.

Overall, I was totally impressed by the quality of this game, and I am pretty sure you will be too. It is not the greatest video game ever made, but it sure does come close to being that. As an action game alone, it would have been great. As a strategy game alone, it would have been great. Combine the two, and you get the best of both worlds, which is a fantastic game.

The Virtual Console was created for games like ActRaiser; Underappreciated gems that vanished off store shelves before most gamers had a chance to experience their awesomeness. Whether you're looking for a side-scrolling platformer or a sim for the Virtual Console, go get yourself 800 Wii Points and download this game.

At first glance, this looked like a Populous rip-off with its "control your minions" idea. Once I studied the game in more depth, its great playability came apparent. The arcade sections are fantastic, and feature the best music ever heard on a console or computer and offer a challenge that's tough without being dispiriting. The graphics are also outstanding, especially in the final showdown. The strategic element works well, although it may put off some people - they'd be silly to miss a game of this quality. If you've a Super Famicom, this MUST be your next purchase!

Actraiser è un gioco estremamente particolare e originale, con una trama e un concetto di base semplici ma curati sotto tutti gli aspetti. Prese singolarmente le due tipologie di gioco non sono il massimo nei rispettivi campi, ma l'arma vincente del titolo è proprio prendere una struttura in stile Sim City, ambientarla in un universo a metà tra il realistico e il fantasy e introdurre delle parti di gioco in cui siamo chiamati a prendere fra le mani il destino del mondo piuttosto che affidarci sempre e soltanto ad impersonali menù, che comunque tanto impersonali in questo caso non sono, dato che avremo sempre a fianco il simpatico angioletto. L'unica pecca è che a volte le sezioni piattaformiche come grafica e gameplay sono un po' sottotono, e il finale ricorre all'abusato trucco del ritorno dei boss, ma per il resto di rado essere un dio è stato così appagante e divertente.

This game is the perfect melding of Populous and Castlevania, with strategy segments that lead into incredibly detailed action sequences. The building sections are straight-forward enough and while the battle scenes lack power-ups, the detail in animation and sound is amazing.

Un título que no debería faltar en la estantería de todo poseedor de la consola o aficionado tanto al género como a la propia compañía.

Adventure/God sim is quite an original combination, and that's where the only real problem in this game is. Most people who like adventure games seem to dislike simulation games, and vice versa. And while the adventure-part of this game is quite good, the simulation section is very simple. That's why it wasn't too popular. The adventure gamers hated building, and waiting until you had enough colonists to grow in level, and the sim gamers thought it was too simple and had too much adventure... Myself, I like both parts, so I think it's a good game.

In summation, there are plenty of great Virtual Console titles to download, be they RPG or not. ActRaiser sits on the fence in terms of genre, but there's no question in my mind about the game's quality. You're almost guaranteed to enjoy playing this game, regardless of past experience. It's short, and it's not too complex, but it's appeared on many a "Top 10 SNES games" list. That ought to tell you something.

Overall, and because it's almost 2 a.m., this game is fucking awesome to those of us old enough to vote, even though the kids won't understand why its so great. Oh, umm...and, it's a sterling example of that old philosophy that "ANY idea can work if" blah blah, etc.

ActRaiser combines side-scrolling action with world-building strategy set within a fantasy realm. As a deity called The Master, your task is to overthrow evil forces by reclaiming your land and amassing a population of followers. Action sequences allow you to possess a warrior statue, using its sword and magical attacks to destroy evil in six lands, while the simulation mode consists of clearing out deserts or swamps, constructing cities, and keeping their populations safe. While neither mode is the height of its respective genre, the unique combination and a beautifully orchestrated soundtrack result in an engrossing and enjoyable adventure.

ActRaiser was one of the first games to hit store shelves following the launch of the SNES in North America and also one of the first games to really show off what the system could do. The juxtaposition of side-scrolling action levels and top-down city building portions was innovative at the time. The graphics demonstrated the system's ability to push rich 16-bit colors, multilayered backgrounds, and large bosses, while Yuzo Koshiro's emotionally evocative musical score raised the standards of what people would later come to expect from video game soundtracks. Now that ActRaiser is available for the Wii's Virtual Console, it's remarkable to see that 16 years of time has hardly dulled the game's ability to delight the senses and to hold a player's attention from start to finish.

From the NIV, Genesis 27:40 – "You will live by the sword and you will serve your brother. But when you grow restless, you will throw his yoke from off your neck." ActRaiser's 13 platforming stages let you live by the sword, bringing not peace, but destruction to the forces of The Evil One (and saving you from growing restless with its six genre-shifting town simulation levels). You'll never feel like there's too much action or too much sim – the unique category clash of side-scrolling and simulation keeps things fresh for hours, giving you a break from each style of design by bouncing back into the other. ActRaiser's an innovative and intriguing blend, and it's definitely worth a look.

From the NIV, Genesis 27:40 – "You will live by the sword and you will serve your brother. But when you grow restless, you will throw his yoke from off your neck." ActRaiser's 13 platforming stages let you live by the sword, bringing not peace, but destruction to the forces of The Evil One. And saving you from growing restless, the six genre-shifting town simulation levels. You'll never feel like there's too much action, or too much sim – the unique category clash of side-scrolling and simulation keeps things fresh for hours, giving you a break from each style of design by bouncing back into the other. ActRaiser's an innovative and intriguing blend, and it's definitely worth a download.