PDA

View Full Version : Game of the Day 4/17/2016: Ranger X (Genesis)



celerystalker
04-17-2016, 01:24 AM
89068907890889098910891189128913

Ranger X is one of the later-generation Sega Genesis games that really drew attention for its graphics. It's a horizontally-scrolling... um... basically run 'n gun in which you control the powerful giant robot, Ranger X, and you seek and destroy a nimber of pre-set targets in each stage. Doing so will complete the area and take you to that stage's boss fight. Destroy the enemy commander in the heart of his stronghold to win the game!

Controlling Ranger X takes a second to get used to, but is a breeze after that. In each stage, you control the Ranger X directly while being followed along by a courier ship or the Indra, a sort of motorcycle. You can enter these in order to change secondary weapons you have collected, and in the Indra's case, ride around inside of it, which lessens your firepower, but can absorb extra damage and turns your regular fire into a homing shot. The Ranger X itself can walk, jump,and thrust about as long as you have energy to do so, which refills almost instantaneously as you touch the ground. Your secondary weapons are very powerful, but have their own gauge to deplete, which can refill by standing in light. This can be sunlight or artificial light, such as light from shooting out the windows of a skyscraper *cough stage four cough*. If you find an energy transfer station, you can transfer weapon power into life power, so clever use of these and light can keep you alive through most stages.

Unfortunately, those stages are over very quickly, as they aren't particularly long, and there are only a handful to begin with. Playing through it again tonight, I had forgotten how quickly the game passes by, and while it is satisfying enough, normal mode is a breeze. Still, what stages are there are well-designed, colorful, and look great.

Matter of fact, pretty much everything in Ranger X looks great. Yes, a lot of larger sprites are fairly pixelated, but they make great use of color, making you quickly forget about any Genesis color limitations. The animation is good on the characters, there's tons of background and foreground scrolling effects, and bosses are huge. It all looks, feels, and sounds excellent, and it left me wanting more.

I like Ranger X a lot, as it scratches that Assault Suits series itch while playing better than many games in that franchise. It's one of the Genesis' real showcase games for action and graphics, and it's aged better for me than I'd have expected.

Played it?

Az
04-17-2016, 03:10 AM
Bought this at launch and loved it.

So many times over the years I tried to get the "happy land" level code to work that was pictured in Diehard Gamefan. The code was for the original JP version and let you choose an easy difficulty level which started you out in a cartoony world. Apparently they completely took the ability to play this level out since they changed the difficulties around and made the easy difficulty selectable from the start in the US version. Fast forward nearly 20 years and I spoke with Tony H about help finding an Action Replay code to find it in the US version and before the night was out I was able to fly around in the same goofy level I saw in Gamefan so many years ago. There was also 2 or 3 weapons you could only pick with a Game Genie as well.

Great game, one of those that surprised me it was released in the US. There were so many great MD games that never left Japan and I was almost sure this would be one of them.

FoxNtd
04-17-2016, 10:10 AM
Dammit, another reminder of something on my Mega Drive wishlist...

I don't know why I keep grouping this with E-SWAT, I don't think they're related at all. But while I'm at it, E-SWAT is worth mentioning too. It's also a surprisingly interesting MD title! The very beginning of the game might not impress, but the level designs later in the game is where it starts to shine.

Emperor Megas
04-17-2016, 11:13 AM
I don't know why I don't own a copy of this game yet. I didn't know about it besides it was a mech shooter, and I thought that the box art was cool, but hearing about the whole light charging thing has me more interested and any similarities to the Assault Suits series is even more of a selling point for me. Target Earth was a pretty special Genesis entry for me when I was a kid because it reminded be so much of Robotech/Macross. Almost anything in a similar vein appeals to me.

celerystalker
04-17-2016, 02:38 PM
Bought this at launch and loved it.

So many times over the years I tried to get the "happy land" level code to work that was pictured in Diehard Gamefan. The code was for the original JP version and let you choose an easy difficulty level which started you out in a cartoony world. Apparently they completely took the ability to play this level out since they changed the difficulties around and made the easy difficulty selectable from the start in the US version. Fast forward nearly 20 years and I spoke with Tony H about help finding an Action Replay code to find it in the US version and before the night was out I was able to fly around in the same goofy level I saw in Gamefan so many years ago. There was also 2 or 3 weapons you could only pick with a Game Genie as well.

Great game, one of those that surprised me it was released in the US. There were so many great MD games that never left Japan and I was almost sure this would be one of them.

That's awesome! I was unaware of that code. I'm gonna have to try it on my Japanese version!

FoxNtd
04-17-2016, 03:15 PM
I didn't know about it besides it was a mech shooter, and I thought that the box art was cool, but hearing about the whole light charging thing has me more interested and any similarities to the Assault Suits series is even more of a selling point for me.

I have Leynos too, and it's great but holy hell it's hard. It has a difficulty level higher than the standard one, I doubt I'll ever get through it. At least Valken lets you have more attempts before it's all over. Then there's Leynos 2 which makes me wish more SS games existed with a design like that. SS is exceptionally great for 2D!

celerystalker
04-17-2016, 03:56 PM
I have Leynos too, and it's great but holy hell it's hard. It has a difficulty level higher than the standard one, I doubt I'll ever get through it. At least Valken lets you have more attempts before it's all over. Then there's Leynos 2 which makes me wish more SS games existed with a design like that. SS is exceptionally great for 2D!

I very much agree with this. Leynos 2 is a load of fun. I wish Valken 2 had continued along that road instead of becoming a Front Mission strategy clone. At least Front Mission: Gun Hazard is an Assault Suits clone to make up for it. :)

FoxNtd
04-18-2016, 07:56 PM
I very much agree with this. Leynos 2 is a load of fun. I wish Valken 2 had continued along that road instead of becoming a Front Mission strategy clone. At least Front Mission: Gun Hazard is an Assault Suits clone to make up for it. :)

Agreed 100%. :)

kainemaxwell
06-18-2016, 01:04 AM
Love this game! Wasnt it one of the first that utilized the 6-button controllers?

jammajup
12-31-2016, 02:40 PM
This is a game I disliked on its release but returned to years later, I quite like it now.

celerystalker
12-31-2016, 05:38 PM
This is a game I disliked on its release but returned to years later, I quite like it now.

I had a similar experience with this one. It didn't sit well with me originally, but I came back to it several years later and it just clicked. Like it a ton now days!