Faxanadu
Encyclopedia
is an action role-playing
platform
-adventure
video game for the Nintendo Family Computer (Famicom) and Nintendo Entertainment System
(NES). The name was licensed by computer game developer
Nihon Falcom
("Falcom") and was developed and released in Japan
by Hudson Soft
in 1987. In 1989, Nintendo of America
released the game as a first-party title in the United States
under license from Falcom and Hudson Soft. Nintendo also released the game to the Europe
an market in 1990.
Faxanadu can be considered a side-story of Xanadu
, which is the second installment of Falcom's long-running RPG series, Dragon Slayer. The title Faxanadu is a portmanteau formed from the names Famicom and Xanadu
.
of Faxanadu is an unidentified wanderer. He has no name, though the Japanese version allows the player to choose one. The game begins when he approaches Eolis, his hometown, after an absence to find it in disrepair and virtually abandoned. He meets with the Elven king, who urges him to set forth and restore the realm's prosperity by defeating a being known as The Evil One.
As the story unfolds, it is revealed that Elves
and Dwarves lived in harmony among the World tree
until The Evil One emerged from a fallen meteorite
. The Evil One then transformed the Dwarves into monster
s against their will and set them against the Elves. The Dwarf King, Grieve, swallowed his magical sword before he was transformed, hiding it in his own body to prevent The Evil One from acquiring it. It is only with this sword that The Evil One can be destroyed.
The game takes place across three ascending worlds made to resemble the World Tree's sections: one covered in a fungus-like substance (the roots), one enveloped by poison mist (the interior of the trunk), and one that resembles the tree's branches. After passing through these worlds, the player is able to enter The Evil One's stronghold and confront him.
Players guide the hero through a screen-by-screen series of fields, towns, and dungeons. The hero can walk, jump, and climb ladders — all typical characteristics of a platform game
. Along the way, he may also purchase usable items with Gold, equip and use bladed weapons against enemies, equip armor, and cast magic projectiles. In addition, he can access information regarding the game's events by speaking with townsfolk or by consulting other sources.
The limits of physical damage the hero can sustain from enemies is tracked by a life bar, and the magical power he can exert is tracked by a magic bar
. These are listed on the top of the screen along with total experience, total Gold, Time (for items with a timed duration), and the currently held item.
When the hero defeats an enemy, it usually leaves behind Gold or life-giving food, and the hero gains a set amount of experience. Experience points help increase the hero's experience Rank (see below). Occasionally, an enemy will also drop an item, some of which activate specific effects when touched and some of which can be stored for later use.
The game utilizes not a saved game
system, but a password
one, allowing players to stop and restart their journeys by entering a sequence of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and punctuation marks. Passwords, or "mantras" as they are known in the game, can be obtained from church-dwelling Guru
s. Gurus also bestow Ranks to the hero when he meets certain experience totals; these determine the amounts of experience and Gold a player will possess upon resuming a game via password as well as allowing the player to use certain pieces of equipment that are otherwise unequippable at lower ranks.
Because of its use of statistics, reliance on story, thematic basis upon Medieval
fantasy
, and provision of interactive NPCs
, many observers have classified Faxanadu as an adventure role-playing game.
rather than the more flushed, slightly Gothic
style of Faxanadu. Similarly, the game's music (the work of June Chiki Chikuma
) is designed to convey a rich, sometimes haunting tone during play. From the pedestrian beat of Eolis and the majestic melody in the Elven King's throne room to the driving theme of The Evil One's fortress, the compositions are intended to set the mood for each area, assisted by an array of organic sound effects.
Many aspects of the game's setting, especially the different shapes and forms of enemies, are largely inspired by a mixture of Norse mythology
and Japanese mythology
with some derivatives of Eastern religion
, with several reminiscent of the works of H. R. Giger
.
Christian icons found in the Japanese version are removed in the international release. In the Japanese version, Gurus can be seen holding a Holy Cross
and images of Jesus'
crucifixion
are displayed inside the churches.
, Faxanadu debuted on the magazine's "Top 30" list at #6. It gradually fell from the list in subsequent issues.
". They are "The Feud of Faxanadu" and "Germ Wars". The Elven King was named Melvis and looked and sounded like Elvis Presley
for his first appearance; the voice was changed in the latter episode. The Dwarf King was not featured and was replaced by Queen Dwarfine.
Action role-playing game
Action role-playing games form a loosely defined sub-genre of role-playing video games that incorporate elements of action or action-adventure games, emphasizing real-time action where the player has direct control over characters, instead of turn-based or menu-based combat...
platform
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
-adventure
Action-adventure game
An action-adventure game is a video game that combines elements of the adventure game genre with various action game elements. It is perhaps the broadest and most diverse genre in gaming, and can include many games which might better be categorized under narrow genres...
video game for the Nintendo Family Computer (Famicom) and Nintendo Entertainment System
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
(NES). The name was licensed by computer game developer
Video game developer
A video game developer is a software developer that creates video games. A developer may specialize in a certain video game console, such as Nintendo's Wii, Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 3, or may develop for a variety of systems, including personal computers.Most developers also...
Nihon Falcom
Falcom
is a Japanese computer game company. The company was founded in March 1981 by Masayuki Kato. Falcom has played a definite role in the growth and development of the Japanese personal computer software industry. The company released the first Japanese computer role-playing game in 1983 and followed...
("Falcom") and was developed and released in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
by Hudson Soft
Hudson Soft
, formally known as , is a majority-owned subsidiary of Konami Corporation is a Japanese electronic entertainment publisher headquartered in the Midtown Tower in Tokyo Midtown, Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, with an additional office in the Hudson Building in Sapporo. It was founded on May 18, 1973...
in 1987. In 1989, Nintendo of America
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
released the game as a first-party title in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
under license from Falcom and Hudson Soft. Nintendo also released the game to the Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an market in 1990.
Faxanadu can be considered a side-story of Xanadu
Dragon Slayer II: Xanadu
is an action RPG developed by Nihon Falcom in 1985 for the PC-8801, PC-9801, FM-7, MSX and X1 computers. Enhanced remakes were released for the Sega Saturn, PC-9801 and Windows systems...
, which is the second installment of Falcom's long-running RPG series, Dragon Slayer. The title Faxanadu is a portmanteau formed from the names Famicom and Xanadu
Dragon Slayer II: Xanadu
is an action RPG developed by Nihon Falcom in 1985 for the PC-8801, PC-9801, FM-7, MSX and X1 computers. Enhanced remakes were released for the Sega Saturn, PC-9801 and Windows systems...
.
Story
The player-controlled protagonistProtagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
of Faxanadu is an unidentified wanderer. He has no name, though the Japanese version allows the player to choose one. The game begins when he approaches Eolis, his hometown, after an absence to find it in disrepair and virtually abandoned. He meets with the Elven king, who urges him to set forth and restore the realm's prosperity by defeating a being known as The Evil One.
As the story unfolds, it is revealed that Elves
Elf
An elf is a being of Germanic mythology. The elves were originally thought of as a race of divine beings endowed with magical powers, which they use both for the benefit and the injury of mankind...
and Dwarves lived in harmony among the World tree
World tree
The world tree is a motif present in several religions and mythologies, particularly Indo-European religions, Siberian religions, and Native American religions. The world tree is represented as a colossal tree which supports the heavens, thereby connecting the heavens, the earth, and, through its...
until The Evil One emerged from a fallen meteorite
Meteorite
A meteorite is a natural object originating in outer space that survives impact with the Earth's surface. Meteorites can be big or small. Most meteorites derive from small astronomical objects called meteoroids, but they are also sometimes produced by impacts of asteroids...
. The Evil One then transformed the Dwarves into monster
Monster
A monster is any fictional creature, usually found in legends or horror fiction, that is somewhat hideous and may produce physical harm or mental fear by either its appearance or its actions...
s against their will and set them against the Elves. The Dwarf King, Grieve, swallowed his magical sword before he was transformed, hiding it in his own body to prevent The Evil One from acquiring it. It is only with this sword that The Evil One can be destroyed.
The game takes place across three ascending worlds made to resemble the World Tree's sections: one covered in a fungus-like substance (the roots), one enveloped by poison mist (the interior of the trunk), and one that resembles the tree's branches. After passing through these worlds, the player is able to enter The Evil One's stronghold and confront him.
Gameplay
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
. Along the way, he may also purchase usable items with Gold, equip and use bladed weapons against enemies, equip armor, and cast magic projectiles. In addition, he can access information regarding the game's events by speaking with townsfolk or by consulting other sources.
The limits of physical damage the hero can sustain from enemies is tracked by a life bar, and the magical power he can exert is tracked by a magic bar
Magic point
Magic points are units of magical power that are used in many role-playing, computer role-playing and similar games as an expendable resource that is needed to pay for magic spells and other abilities, such as special attacks...
. These are listed on the top of the screen along with total experience, total Gold, Time (for items with a timed duration), and the currently held item.
When the hero defeats an enemy, it usually leaves behind Gold or life-giving food, and the hero gains a set amount of experience. Experience points help increase the hero's experience Rank (see below). Occasionally, an enemy will also drop an item, some of which activate specific effects when touched and some of which can be stored for later use.
The game utilizes not a saved game
Saved game
A saved game is a piece of digitally stored information about the progress of a player in a video game. This saved game can be reloaded later, so the player can continue where he or she had stopped...
system, but a password
Password (video games)
In many video games of the 8-bit and, to a lesser extent, 16-bit eras , after a level was beaten and/or when all continues were used, the game would display a password, that when entered in the game would allow the player to return to this part in the game...
one, allowing players to stop and restart their journeys by entering a sequence of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and punctuation marks. Passwords, or "mantras" as they are known in the game, can be obtained from church-dwelling Guru
Guru
A guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the...
s. Gurus also bestow Ranks to the hero when he meets certain experience totals; these determine the amounts of experience and Gold a player will possess upon resuming a game via password as well as allowing the player to use certain pieces of equipment that are otherwise unequippable at lower ranks.
Because of its use of statistics, reliance on story, thematic basis upon Medieval
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
, and provision of interactive NPCs
Non-player character
A non-player character , sometimes known as a non-person character or non-playable character, in a game is any fictional character not controlled by a player. In electronic games, this usually means a character controlled by the computer through artificial intelligence...
, many observers have classified Faxanadu as an adventure role-playing game.
Presentation
Faxanadu employs a color palette that relies upon browns, greens, reds, and blues, creating an earthy atmosphere to complement the underlying, real-world legends of elves, dwarves, and the World Tree itself. This was somewhat atypical compared to other games from its era, as many showcased bright, cartoonish graphics and outlined spritesSprite (computer graphics)
In computer graphics, a sprite is a two-dimensional image or animation that is integrated into a larger scene...
rather than the more flushed, slightly Gothic
Gothic art
Gothic art was a Medieval art movement that developed in France out of Romanesque art in the mid-12th century, led by the concurrent development of Gothic architecture. It spread to all of Western Europe, but took over art more completely north of the Alps, never quite effacing more classical...
style of Faxanadu. Similarly, the game's music (the work of June Chiki Chikuma
June Chiki Chikuma
Jun Chikuma is a music composer. She is best known as the original composer of the famous Nintendo Entertainment System console game soundtracks of Bomberman, Adventure Island and Faxanadu...
) is designed to convey a rich, sometimes haunting tone during play. From the pedestrian beat of Eolis and the majestic melody in the Elven King's throne room to the driving theme of The Evil One's fortress, the compositions are intended to set the mood for each area, assisted by an array of organic sound effects.
Many aspects of the game's setting, especially the different shapes and forms of enemies, are largely inspired by a mixture of Norse mythology
Norse mythology
Norse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving...
and Japanese mythology
Japanese mythology
Japanese mythology is a system of beliefs that embraces Shinto and Buddhist traditions as well as agriculturally based folk religion. The Shinto pantheon comprises innumerable kami...
with some derivatives of Eastern religion
Eastern religion
This article is about far east and Indian religions. For other eastern religions see: Eastern_world#Eastern_cultureEastern religions refers to religions originating in the Eastern world —India, China, Japan and Southeast Asia —and thus having dissimilarities with Western religions...
, with several reminiscent of the works of H. R. Giger
H. R. Giger
Hans Rudolf "Ruedi" Giger is a Swiss surrealist painter, sculptor, and set designer. He won an Academy Award for Best Achievement for Visual Effects for his design work on the film Alien.-Early life:...
.
Christian icons found in the Japanese version are removed in the international release. In the Japanese version, Gurus can be seen holding a Holy Cross
Christian cross
The Christian cross, seen as a representation of the instrument of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, is the best-known religious symbol of Christianity...
and images of Jesus'
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
crucifixion
Crucifixion
Crucifixion is an ancient method of painful execution in which the condemned person is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross and left to hang until dead...
are displayed inside the churches.
Critical reception
In the November/December 1989 edition of Nintendo PowerNintendo Power
Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...
, Faxanadu debuted on the magazine's "Top 30" list at #6. It gradually fell from the list in subsequent issues.
Other media
The game world was featured in two Season 2 (1990-1991) episodes of the Nintendo-based, Saturday morning cartoon series, "Captain N: The Game MasterCaptain N: The Game Master
Captain N: The Game Master was an American animated television series that aired on television from 1989 to 1991 as part of the Saturday morning cartoon lineup on NBC. The show incorporated elements from many of the most popular Nintendo games of the time...
". They are "The Feud of Faxanadu" and "Germ Wars". The Elven King was named Melvis and looked and sounded like Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
for his first appearance; the voice was changed in the latter episode. The Dwarf King was not featured and was replaced by Queen Dwarfine.
External links
- Faxanadu Shrine at RPG Classics
- Faxanadu version differences