GOTD 5/22/2016: Rygar (Xbox)
Rygar is a 1986 classic arcade game from Tecmo in which the eponymous hero is summoned to save the land of Argus from an onslaught of evil monsters. Armed with his mighty Diskarmor, a sort of bladed shield on a chain that he whips about like a yo-yo, Rygar is tasked to overcome 27 stages of constantly swarming beasts in order to take down their master and restore peace.
The game is a straight forward action platformer, as Rygar, with a few exceptions, runs from left to right, killing enemies in mostly one hit, breaking stones to get power-ups, and hopping small gaps and obstacles. There are occasional segments in which Rygar climbs ropes, but the vast majority of the game is on a flat, single screen high plane. There's none of the verticality of a Rastan or Black Tiger here, instead focusing on getting enemies on screen and closing in as quickly as possible, like a Kung Fu/Spartan X on crack. Stopping to fight is the way you score points, but making a bee line toward the urn at the end of each stage is the easiest way to survive.
Rygar has a few ways to attack and protect himself, starting with the Diskarmor weapon that is all but synonymous with the franchise. It can be thrown forward as a basic attack or spun in an arc overhead in order to combat aerial assaults. The Diskarmor can also be enhanced with power-ups that increase its range and give it the power to kill multiple foes in one swing. While touching an enemy costs him a life, Rygar can safely jump on top of enemies, temporarily stunning them and allowing him to move forward quickly. There is a power-up that makes his jump potent enough to kill instead of stun, a cross that grants a brief period of invincibility, and a screen-clearing fireball icon to round out his powers. The remaining items are all point pickups of various denominations.
For a 1986 arcade game, the look is pretty average for an action game, with colorful, static backgrounds like the famous red sunset and clean, shaded sprites. It has a nice soundtrack, and controls very well. In a lot of ways, it feels stuck between generations, as the risk-reward mechanics revolve entirely around the timer, and how long you risk fighting monsters to boost your repulse bonus at the end of each stage. Run out of time, and you'll get hunted by death. The rewards are all score-related, though, and all of its bonus mechanics revolve around scoring for scoring's sake. Compared to other games of the same style and timeframe like Ghosts 'n Goblins, Black Tiger, Rastan, or Contra, where the risk-reward pieces revolve around items or power-ups that aid in game completion and survival, Rygar's emphasis on score over completion makes it feel a bit dated by comparison. Still, its fun weapon and character, smooth controls, and colorful graphics keep it fun to play. It is tough, though, and you can't continue after stage 20.
Rygar also appeared on the Lynx and Sega Mark III in ports close to their arcade parent seen here on Tecmo Classic Arcade for the original Xbox. It notably had an NES re-imagining (that is one of my very favorite NES games) and a later PS2/Wii sequel that took the series into 3D pretty successfully. Still, this arcade original is their daddy, and is still a good time.
Played it?
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Originally Posted by Niku-Sama
