Seirei Senshi Spriggan

Seirei Senshi Spriggan[lower-alpha 1] is a 1991 vertically scrolling shooter video game developed by Compile and published by Naxat Soft in Japan for the PC Engine CD-ROM². In the game, the player assume control of Jega and Rikart piloting the Spriggan in order to protect their country from the Buraizubara empire.

Seirei Senshi Spriggan
Developer(s)Compile
Publisher(s)Naxat Soft
Producer(s)Masamitsu Niitani
Designer(s)Kazuyuki Nakashima
Programmer(s)Yuichi Toyama
Artist(s)Hiroshi Ryūōin
Composer(s)Einosuke Nagao
Katsumi Tanaka
Keiji Takeuchi
Toshiaki Sakoda
Platform(s)PC Engine CD-ROM²
Release
  • JP: July 19, 1991
Genre(s)Vertically scrolling shooter
Mode(s)Single-player

Seirei Senshi Spriggan was created for "Summer Carnival", an event hosted by Naxat Soft similar to Hudson Soft's "All-Japan Caravan Festival", by staff at Compile who previously worked on the Aleste series. The game was originally intended for the Sega Mega Drive but switched instead to PC Engine due to demand from players for Compile to make a shooter game for the platform. The team came up with a fantasy-theme title to differentiate it from MUSHA. It was announced as part of the Aleste series under the working title Seirei Senshi Aleste but its name changed prior to launch. Though initially launched for the PC Engine platform, Spriggan was re-released for the Wii's Virtual Console and later included as part of the PC Engine Mini console in its western variants, marking its first official appearance in North American and European regions. An English localization was slated to be published by Working Designs but it never released.

Seirei Senshi Spriggan garnered positive reception from critics since its release on the PC Engine CD-ROM², most of which reviewed it as an import title; praise was given to the overall presentation, rich and colorful visuals, variety of stages, weapon system, controls and gameplay. It was followed by Spriggan Mark 2: Re-Terraform Project (1992). Retrospective commentary has been positive.

Gameplay
Gameplay screenshot

Seirei Senshi Spriggan is a science fantasy-themed vertically scrolling shoot 'em up game where the player assume the role of Jega and Rikart piloting the Spriggan to protect their country from the Buraizubara empire through six increasingly difficult stages, controlling their ship over a scrolling background until a boss is reached is reached.[1][2] Gameplay differs from previous Compile shooters, as the Spriggan can be equipped with three of four elemental orbs (fire, water, earth, and wind) dropped by defeated enemies that determines its main shot, allowing for 29 types of weapons depending on the combination of orbs.[1][2] The elemental orbs can also be used as bombs to obliterate any enemy caught within its blast radius.[1] Without any elemental orb, the Spriggan uses a standard shot instead.[1]

In addition to the elemental orbs, a flashing orb can be collected, which destroys enemies on-screen and grants a shield to protect the Spriggan from enemy hits.[1] The title uses a respawn system where players immediately starts at the location they died at. Getting hit by enemy fire or colliding against solid stage obstacles will result in losing a live, as well as a penalty of decreasing the ship's firepower to his original state and once all lives are lost, the game is over. Besides the main mode, there is also a score attack mode as well, where the player is tasked with reaching the highest score possible by destroying enemies.[1][2]

Development

Seirei Senshi Spriggan was created for "Summer Carnival", a shooting game competition hosted by Naxat Soft similar to Hudson Soft's "All-Japan Caravan Festival", by staff at Compile who previously worked on the Aleste series.[1][3][4][5][6] Both Kazuyuki Nakashima and Yuichi Toyama served as game designers and planner, with Toyama also serving as main programmer, while Hiroshi Ryūōin acted as character designer.[3][5][6] The soundtrack was scored by Einosuke Nagao, Katsumi Tanaka, Keiji Takeuchi and Toshiaki Sakoda.[3]

Seirei Senshi Spriggan was originally intended for the Sega Mega Drive but switched to PC Engine instead due to demand from players for Compile to make a shooter game for the platform.

Toyama recounted the project's development in a 2012 interview, stating that Spriggan was originally intended for the Sega Mega Drive but switched to PC Engine instead due to, according to producer Masamitsu Niitani, demand from players for Compile to make a shooter game for the platform.[4][6] Toyama stated that the team came up with a fantasy-theme game to differentiate it from MUSHA.[6] It was announced as part of the Aleste series under the working title Seirei Senshi Aleste but the name changed prior to launch;[7][8] Kurt Kalata of Hardcore Gaming 101 speculated that the change was due to Naxat Soft wanting their own shooter brand.[1]

Toyama claimed that the PC Engine had a larger color palette compared to the Mega Drive but limited to one background layer. Once the team began developing for the console, Toyama realized they could make "something great" due to its faster CPU speed and CD-ROM technology allowing full voice-acting.[6] Supervisor Takayuki Hirono also lent Toyama the code for Blazing Lazers, which the team used a "lot of code" from it.[6]

Release

Seirei Senshi Spriggan was first released for the PC Engine CD-ROM² by Naxat Soft in Japan on July 19, 1991.[9] After its release, the game was demonstrated at the 1991 Tokyo Toy Show during summer.[10] An English localization, under the title Ghost Warrior Spriggan, was showcased by Turbo Technologies at the 1992 Summer Consumer Electronics Show and slated to be published by Working Designs in 1993, but it never released.[11][12][13] The game was later re-released for the Wii's Virtual Console in Japan on July 8, 2008.[14][15][16] The title was included in both the Japanese and western variants of the PC Engine Mini console in 2020, marking its first official appearance in North American and European regions.[2][17][18]

Reception

Seirei Senshi Spriggan garnered positive reception from critics since its release on the PC Engine CD-ROM²,[24][25] most of which reviewed it as an import title. Public reception was also positive: readers of PC Engine Fan voted to give Spriggan a 21.48 out of 30 score, ranking at the number 203 spot in a poll, indicating a popular following.[26] Famitsu's four reviews felt that the enemy patterns were not smart.[9] Consoles Plus' Kaneda Kun praised the overall presentation, colorful visuals, soundtrack and frenetic gameplay but felt mixed in regards to its longevity.[19] Philippe Querleux of French magazine Génération 4 highly commended the rich and colorful graphics, sound, sprite animations and playability.[21] Likewise, Joystick's Jean-Marc Demoly and Alain Huyghues-Lacour of French publication Joypad gave positive remarks to the stage variety, weapon system, large bosses, audiovisual presentation and controls, regarding it to be better than Gunhed.[22][23] GameFan's four reviewers noted the lack of slowdown and fast action but ultimately felt that it was an average shooter.[20]

Retrospective reviews for Seirei Senshi Spriggan have been equally positive. David Borrachero and Antxiko of Spanish magazine RetroManiac regarded it as one of the best games on the PC Engine platform.[27] Hardcore Gaming 101's Kurt Kalata remarked that the weapon system was confusing and felt that the synthesized soundtrack lacked in both intensity and catchiness compared to MUSHA. Nevertheless, Kalata regarded Spriggan as "one of the highlights of Compile’s library, and one of the best shooters on the PC Engine."[1] The Japanese book PC Engine Complete Guide 1987-1999 acclaimed the original PC Engine CD-ROM² release for its production and feeling of exhilaration reminiscent of Final Soldier, calling it a "masterpiece shooter."[28] Norihiko Ike of Japanese website Game Watch also gave the game a positive retrospective outlook with its inclusion on the PC Engine Mini.[2] EGM's Mollie L. Patterson called it a cult classic of the PC Engine.[29]

Notes
  1. Japanese: 精霊戦士スプリガン, Hepburn: Seirei Senshi Supurigan, lit. "Spirit Warrior Spriggan"

References
  1. Kalata, Kurt (August 17, 2017). "Seirei Senshi Sprigga". Hardcore Gaming 101. Archived from the original on 2021-02-25. Retrieved 2021-08-09.
  2. Ike, Norihiko (March 16, 2020). "【PCエンジン mini全タイトルレビュー！】「精霊戦士スプリガン」 - コンパイル開発のメカと魔法が舞台の中二病全開ファンタジーSTG!". GAME Watch (in Japanese). Impress Corporation. Archived from the original on 2021-08-09. Retrieved 2021-08-09.
  3. Compile (July 19, 1991). Seirei Senshi Spriggan (PC Engine CD-ROM²). Naxat Soft. Level/area: Staff roll.
  4. "Compile STG – 1993 Developer Interview". Shmuplations. Archived from the original on 2021-01-24. Retrieved 2021-08-09.
  5. "Raizing/8ing (ライジング/エイティング) STGの輪舞 - 外山雄一氏/横尾憲一氏". Shooting Gameside (in Japanese). Vol. 1. Micro Magazine. 17 October 2010. pp. 96–128. ISBN 978-4896373486. (Translation by Shmuplations. Archived 2019-12-30 at the Wayback Machine).
  6. "WMBM-0022~4 | NAXAT SOFT SHOOTING COLLECTION". vgmdb.net. VGMdb. Archived from the original on 2013-01-08. Retrieved 2021-08-09. (Translation by Shmuplations. Archived 2017-08-11 at the Wayback Machine).
  7. "精霊戦士アレスタ". PC Engine Fan (in Japanese). Vol. 4, no. 5. Tokuma Shoten. May 1, 1991. pp. 26–27.
  8. "精霊戦士スプリガン". PC Engine Fan (in Japanese). Vol. 4, no. 8. Tokuma Shoten. August 1, 1991. pp. 80–85.
  9. "NEW GAMES CROSS REVIEW: 精霊戦士スプリガン [PCエンジン]". Famitsu (in Japanese). No. 138. ASCII Corporation. August 9, 1991. Archived from the original on 2013-06-25. Retrieved 2021-08-09.
  10. Nauert, Donn (September 1991). "Tokyo Toy Show — Summer 1991". TurboPlay. No. 8. Larry Flynt Publications. pp. 24–29.
  11. "1992 Summer Consumer Electronics Show: TurboGrafx-16/TurboDuo — Spriggan (Naxat/T.T.I.)". Electronic Gaming Monthly (1993 Video Game Preview Guide [Supplement]). No. 37. Sendai Publishing. August 1992. p. 25-29.
  12. "Coming Attractions - A Little Bit Of 1993!". TurboForce. Vol. 2. Sendai Publishing. September 1992. p. 28.
  13. Bieniek, Chris (August–September 1992). "Coming Soon... - Future Releases". TurboPlay. No. 14. Larry Flynt Publications. p. 30. Archived from the original on 2021-08-11. Retrieved 2021-08-09.
  14. Muramatsu, Kenji (June 27, 2008). "バーチャルコンソール、「トラキア776」「奇々怪界」など配信". BB Watch (in Japanese). Impress Corporation. Archived from the original on 2020-02-15. Retrieved 2021-08-09.
  15. "7月配信のバーチャルコンソールは『Chack'n Pop』など15作品". Dengeki Online (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works. June 27, 2008. Archived from the original on 2021-08-09. Retrieved 2021-08-09.
  16. Manabu, Tsuchimoto (June 30, 2008). "『FE トラキア776』など、バーチャルコンソール7月配信タイトル - 任天堂は、7月のバーチャルコンソールの新作タイトルを公開しました。". Inside Games (in Japanese). IID, Inc.. Archived from the original on 2021-08-09. Retrieved 2021-08-09.
  17. Sam Machkovech, Sam Machkovech (April 15, 2020). "TurboGrafx-16 Mini review: Mostly best-in-class retro gaming, sometimes WTF". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on 2021-07-11. Retrieved 2021-08-09.
  18. "PC Engine Mini review – all 57 games reviewed, from Snatcher to Splatterhouse". Metro. April 15, 2020. Archived from the original on 2021-02-26. Retrieved 2021-08-09.
  19. Kun, Kaneda (September 1991). "PC Engine Review - Spriggan". Consoles + (in French). No. 1. M.E.R.7. p. 83.
  20. Halverson, Dave; Brody; Stratton, Tom; Cockburn, Andrew; Yoshi (January 1993). "Viewpoint - Turbo - Spriggan 1 (Compile - PC CD); PC Engine Review: Spriggan". GameFan. Vol. 1, no. 3. DieHard Gamers Club. pp. 13, 54.
  21. Querleux, Philippe (September 1991). "Console Test: Spriggan - Une production CD-ROM comme on aimerait en avoir plus souvent". Génération 4 (in French). No. 36. Computec. p. 128.
  22. Huyghues-Lacour, Alain; Demoly, Jean-Marc (October 1991). "NEC | Tests: Spriggan". Joypad (in French). No. 1. Yellow Media. pp. 86–87.
  23. Demoly, Jean-Marc (September 1991). "Console News: Spriggan (PC Engine CD ROM)". Joystick (in French). No. 19. Sipress. p. 141.
  24. "新REVIEW大作戦!! - 精霊戦士スプリガン". Gekkan PC Engine (in Japanese). No. 31. Shogakukan. July 1991.
  25. "精霊戦士スプリガン". Marukatsu PC Engine (in Japanese). Kadokawa Shoten. 1991.
  26. "PC Engine All Catalog '93 10月号特別付録 - 精霊戦士スプリガン". PC Engine Fan (in Japanese). Vol. 6, no. 10. Tokuma Shoten. 1 October 1993. p. 81.
  27. Borrachero, David; Antxiko (August 26, 2011). "La Historia De PC-Engine: Los Mejores Juegos". RetroManiac Magazine (in Spanish). No. 4. RetroManiac. pp. 54–63.
  28. PCエンジンソフト完全カタログ 1991年 - 精霊戦士スプリガン. June 15, 2018. p. 106. ISBN 9784866362670. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  29. L. Patterson, Mollie (April 15, 2020). "Turbografx-16 Mini review - All-in-one classic consoles, turbocharged". EGM. EGM Media, LLC. Archived from the original on 2021-08-09. Retrieved 2021-08-09.
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