Another day, another significant anniversary for another celebrated video game. The Super Famicom launched in Japan three decades ago last month and knowing the incredible catalogue of classics birthed in the bloody 16-bit console wars, you should brace yourself for a barrage of 30th anniversaries over the next few months/years (all designed, we're sure, to make us feel old).
Today's is a bit special, though; a particular favourite among Team NL staff. Coming from Quintet — the developer behind such classics as Illusion of Gaia and Terranigma — and published by Enix, ActRaiser was an ambitious genre-mashup that incorporated side-on sword-swinging action with an altogether more intriguing overhead RPG 'god' mode in between the more standard platforming stages.
These two two distinct styles of gameplay were tied together with Yuzo Koshiro's fantastic soundtrack. The famed composer's music from the game and some unreleased pieces are getting a lovely vinyl re-release, and Koshiro has spoken to Famitsu about his work on the game three decades on:
Ayano Koshiro has also been commenting about the anniversary on Twitter, citing the game's unusual mixture of (arguably average) platforming with the spicier 'God Game' elements as the result of a sudden course correction midway through development:
ActRaiser is a game with quirks, and it's far from perfect, but there's something in its odd meld of genres and that soundtrack with makes it greater than the sum of its parts. In an era when remakes are all the rage, it's a game we'd love to see reimagined by a passionate, talented team. ACE Team's SolSeraph made a very deliberate attempt to recapture some of ActRaiser's lightning in a bottle, but failed to divine what made the original so special. Even Quintet's own sequel couldn't live up to the promise of its predecessor.
No, ActRaiser remains alone; a strange and wonderful experiment which no-one's quite been able to repeat with any success. If you've never played it, we encourage you to track it down (oh how we'd cheer if it were to suddenly appear as part of the Nintendo Switch Online SNES catalogue!) and give it a go. It's one of the 16-bit eras real gems, and although there was certainly no shortage of those, it still manages to stand out in the crowd.
Happy birthday ActRaiser! Let us know below if you'll be Raising a glass to this one and squeezing in a session over the next day or two.
[source twitter.com]
Comments 42
I had this back in the day. I never got around to finish it and I would love it if they added it to the online SNES library.
Free for 24 hours, go grab it gang!
https://shiryu.bandcamp.com/album/actraiser-rebirth-of-the-people
Back in the late 90's my cousin got this at a Goodwill store, along with Aerobiz, for $1 each. So, for $2 we got to play both games. Loved them both. Had a lot of fun with both. So now I always think of both games at the same time, since I got to play both at the same time. I even bought Sol Seraph on the Switch just because I liked ActRaiser so much. But Sol Seraph just isn't the same tho.
One of my favorite games, SNES or not. Played it at lunch, back in 1991. But I only purchased it many years later in 1998 for 15 US dollars brand new. Played many times and was finally able to beat it. It's not a hard game, but was hard for me when I was 10, but not 17 (professional mode is harder though due to limited lives and the japanese version is more difficult than the US one). Perfect soundtrack, excellent graphics, superb simulation and very good platforming make for an unforgettable experience. Too bad Actraiser 2 could not match it and the lack of simulation hurt. I regret selling my SNES copy (at least I kept the pôster and I still have It), but at the same time downloaded on the Wii Virtual Console. As far as I'm concearned, this is the last time the game was available for sale, never making it to the Virtual Console on WiiU and 3DS and still not available on Nintendo Switch Online. We really need a remake. Would love to see that Bloodpool moon in true HD.
Also very glad I was one of the first 250 to purchase the CD soundtrack and secure the mini shikishi.
Of course there’s a game like ActRaiser.
ActRaiser 2
Not relevant here, I am aware, but anyone knows when is xmas sale coming on eshop?
I remember renting and beating this not long after getting my SNES. I tried to go back and play it not to long ago, and was shown just how much my skill (or dedication to trying again) had deteriorated.
Easily one of my favorite SNES games
god you really know how make someone feel ffffffffffff old. I had left home and was working when i bought the us release. (the old days when here in europe were nintendo treated everyone like second class serfs. then wonder why we bought xboxs and PS lol)
That’s how I feel about much of the vintage games catalogue. Sure we have indies making 2D action games but it’s no substitute for the variety and peculiarities of earlier gaming. Homages are nice, but preservation is critical.
@Shiryu Thanks Shiryu!
A great game with an equally amazing soundtrack!
I still love listening to the overworld music theme, such a great and relaxing tune.
https://youtu.be/94qCN-wFrJE
Actraiser Turns 30: and it's still not on Switch.
The fact that this, Pilotwings, and Chrono Trigger were not on the SNES mini is a travesty. The first SNES game I ever played at home.
@Little_Squee tomorrow afternoon according to NintendoUK’s twitter
@gaga64 Wow!! Thanks a lot for replying.
@nkarafo always a pleasure.
makes absolutely zero since that this game missed the classic mini and is not on NSO
Dark Cloud 1 & 2 or nah?
Runs great on my SNES classic mini.....
@WhiteTrashGuy yeah. The SNES Classic Edition had few games and should have matched the NES Classic with 30 games, not 21. We then would probably get games such as Pilotwings, DKC 2, DKC 3, Chrono Trigger, Super Tennis, The Legend of the Mystical Ninja (available on the Famicom Classic), Stunt Race FX and Actraiser. But you are right, these 3 games were no brainers for me, especially Pilotwings, which I was sure was a given.
Loved, loved, loved this wonderful games back in the day. I still remember the day I read Actraiser 2 was nixing the overhead god-mode and was jaw dropped stupified that they would be so dumb. Sure, the sequel did the platformer part a lot better, but the overhead mode was sorely missed. Too bad Quintet and Quest (makers of Ogre Battle) couldn't have teamed up for an Actraiser 3!
Didn't have this when I had a Snes. But I did pick up and beat on Wii VC. Fun game.
@WhiteTrashGuy @Paulo
So, you may feel differently and you should go with your conscience and definitely consider laws and respecting the creators of the games, but especially if you own the cartridges, modifying the software of the classic/mini consoles and installing the games is something that can be done safely and has plenty of arguments to support backing up your software.
If it helps, I don't think it is a rare cartridge, maybe purchase a used one from someone.
A genuinely cool game, and that soundtrack was just brilliant. The platforming sections were a tiny bit clunky, although still pretty solid and looked great. The management bits were very novel and sucked me in for hours. It's earned the love it gets. Shame they removed all the management stuff for the sequel.
@Paulo Well I have all those games on my SNES Classic Edition now, and a whole lot more.
Whenever I have gone back to this game, I have been surprised how satisfying it is. The streamlined sim with action gameplay throughout, and the first few side scrolling stages being impressive in both visuals and music — while being fun enough. It just has a charm and a drive to progress that feels as vital now as it did then... but yeah, the platforming does get a bit old.
I remember when the sequel had a paragraph in a magazine about it and I think the writer was actually excited that the sim stuff was set aside to focus on the platforming. I was very disappointed. I think I rented and played the sequel for maybe 10 minutes and never looked back.
I have game development aspirations (I teach more than I have time to develop) and among the few games I'd like to riff a bit that bounce around in my head there is ActRaiser.
This makes me sad that this game isn't available on the Wii U VC. I would definitely buy it if it was.
Man I need this on Switch. One of my favorite games when I was a kid and still a great game. I pre-ordered the soundtrack and can't wait
Amazing game on an amazing system.
God, love that game. Should’ve been releaed to the NSO library. Still have it but would not mind playing it again on the Switch. And Terranigma. And Soul Blazer.
@Anguspuss to be fair by the time xbox hit the scene gamecube was in third place. I had xbox and gamecube as I wanted xbox for all the exclusive sega games
Loved this game back in the day and wouldn't mind seeing it hit the SNES Online service.
This game was a game I wanted since the SNES launched but didn't get to play (and beat) until the late 90s, but boy was it worth the wait. Enix (pre-Square Enix) check. Quintet (who I loved for the epic game and soundtrack of Illusion of Gaia and Soulblazer) check. I would run this again if it came to the SNES app. Off topic, but a formal release of Terranigma would be nice too (c'mon SE, you shocked me with Trials of Mana so I know you COULD do it...).
Never even heard of this game until this article, so here are some better ones, Legend of zelda, mario bros, and dk, not the snes one.
I borrowed it and played it on SNES and was hooked! But I couldn't beat the final boss until years later with much more experience. I was really excited to try it again when it came to the Wii Virtual Console and yeah, I beat it. In fact I completed many games on the Wii VC that were too hard for me as a kid.
This game in particular is not even that difficult. Everything's absolutely managable right up to the final boss. Then you need to know the patterns and have a good strategy, all the lives and magic you saved for that moment, and quick button mashing fingers to get enough hits in.
Happy birthday ActRaiser, good game!!
@aaronsullivan I haven't modded my SNES Classic Edition or any other console for that matter and I don't intend to. I just said more games could have and should have been included in the SNES.
Sir RudyC3 I know it's unexpected, but our people in FILLMORE have something to tell you.
Never interested in it because the title is so naff. Raising an act (whatever that it is) sounds like the least exciting thing you can do in a video game.
I like Actraiser 2 more
It is hard but fair with its password system and giving the same amount of lives on each level.
Maybe i like it also more because i have a japanese copy of the first one and i have no clue what im doing haha
@nkarafo No problem.
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